SEEK HIM WITH YOU WHOLE HEART

Psalm 119:1–8 (ESV) — 1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! 2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, 3 who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! 4 You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. 5 Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! 6 Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments. 7 I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules. 8 I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me!

Psalm 119:1–8 ESV

1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! 2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, 3 who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! 4 You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. 5 Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! 6 Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments. 7 I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules. 8 I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me!

I. HIS WONDERFUL WORD

1. Law = Instruction

2. Testimonies = What God solemnly testifies to be his will.

3. Precepts = What God has appointed to be done.

4. Statutes = What the divine Lawgiver has laid down.

5. Commandments = What God has commanded.

6. Rules = What the divine Judge has ruled to be right.

7. Word = What God has spoken.

II. SEEKING HIM IN THE WORD

Psalm 119:2-3 (ESV) —2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, 3 who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways!

Psalm 119:2–3 ESV

2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, 3 who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways!

Psalm 119:45 (ESV) — 45 and I shall walk in a wide place, for I have sought your precepts.

Psalm 119:45 ESV

45 and I shall walk in a wide place, for I have sought your precepts.

Psalm 119:94 (ESV) — 94 I am yours; save me, for I have sought your precepts.

Psalm 119:94 ESV

94 I am yours; save me, for I have sought your precepts.

Psalm 119:155 (ESV) — 155 Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek your statutes.

Psalm 119:155 ESV

155 Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek your statutes.

Romans 1:18–20 (ESV) — 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So, they are without excuse.

Romans 1:18–20 ESV

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Psalm 119:10 (ESV) — 10 With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!

Psalm 119:10 ESV

10 With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!

Seeking Yahweh with a whole heart means heeding his testimonies (119:2), and in view of the parallelism between verses 1 and 2, to seek Yahweh is to walk in his Torah. By walking in God’s instruction and responding to the testimony he bears to the good life, the whole person (whole heart) seeks God himself. The psalmist says in 119:3 that such people do no injustice because they walk in God’s ways, and he acknowledges to the Lord in 119:4 that he has commanded his precepts to be kept with care.[1]

Psalm 119:7 (ESV) — 7 I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules.

Psalm 119:7 ESV

7 I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules.

God’s Word is his witness or testimony to grand and important truths which concern himself and our relation to him: this we should desire to know; knowing it, we should believe it; believing it, we should love it; and loving it, we should hold it fast against all comers. There is a doctrinal keeping of the Word when we are ready to die for its defense, and a practical keeping of it when we actually live under its power. If we keep God’s testimonies they will keep us right in opinion, comfortable in spirit, holy in conversation, and hopeful in expectation. The designed effect does not come through a temporary seizure of them, but by a persevering keeping of them.[2]

[1]Hamilton, J. M., Jr. (2021). Psalms(T. D. Alexander, T. R. Schreiner, & A. J. Köstenberger, Eds.; Vol. 2, p. 356). Lexham Academic. [2]Packer, J. I. (1993). Introduction. In Psalms(p. 177). Crossway Books.