Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.

Psalms 119:11, NKJV

I love the 119th Psalm! There is not a set of passages like it in the entire Bible. It is not only the longest chapter in the Bible, but it brings an intense spotlight on the importance of getting our knowledge directly from the original source - God! It is written in such a way as to leave the reader no doubt that we are both privileged to have this word, and we are absolutely responsible for understanding it and then applying it to our lives. Those who do not like great responsibility will shy away from its message, but those who love God will not be able to get enough.

And there are glimpses of truth contained within its verses that are nothing short of magnificent! Just think of the verse above: I have hidden your word in my heart so that I might not sin. How brilliant is that thought! God's instruction was so vital to this inspired writer that He placed it deep down into his heart, in the same manner that one might bury a great treasure. Treasure must be kept safe, but it also must be readily accessible if it is going to do its owner any good. So, the writer suggests that we hide it in our heart!

When Jesus wanted His disciples to understand that He would eventually be delivered into the hands of men when His time came to be crucified, He said, "Let these words sink down into your ears". The idea was that this message was so important that they needed to really think about it so that they would understand it and be prepared for what was coming. Of course, they didn't, but the principle remains to this day for all who would follow Christ: We need to take to heart His words so that we can understand them. Even if we don't at the time (like the apostles), they are hidden in our hearts so that they will be remembered when the time comes, and they are needed the most.

It is the same theme that Solomon revealed when he said to raise up a child in the way he should go so that when they are older, they will not depart from them. When God inspired Solomon to pen these words, He clearly knew that people would tend to ignore His way from time to time. However, if they had that word planted deep within their hearts when they were young, the concepts and the understanding would always be there. That is why so many people's consciences are "pricked" when they do something wrong. It is because the truth of God's word has really never left them, even when they have left God.

And, of course, the greatest blessing that comes about from hiding God's word in your heart is for those who remember it is there and have it available for immediate use when they need it. They have memorized these great truths from God because they can see that they will be useful. These are the people who have not forsaken these truths because they love them and the One Who gave them in the first place. They realize that God's word is a protection from evil people and bad decisions, and they bury it deep in their hearts where it will always be present.

God's word is a great treasure, and the writer of this 119th Psalm clearly understood it. And one of the greatest truths is just that - if we will treasure God's word so much that we will place it deep within our hearts, then we will be able to benefit from its great wealth of wisdom every day of our lives. Isn't God good!