Psalm 119 is the Bible-study anthem. We’re studying it to find three things: reasons to read the Bible, how to respond, and how the gospel makes Psalm 119 even better.
How to respond to the Bible: rejoice, relay, and remember
The second section of this psalm (Ps 119:9–16) gives us a few ideas on what a good response to the Bible should be:
1. When we read the Bible, we should rejoice.
“I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches” (Ps 119:14).
If the Bible were money, the psalmist would be Scrooge McDuck.
We’ve already seen that the Bible makes us happy. Reading and learning the Bible should make us celebrate. The Psalmist uses the same word for “rejoice” later on in this psalm: “I rejoice at Your word, as one who finds great spoil” (Ps 119:162).
We all have moments of pure glee. It’s that feeling we got as kids when we woke up and saw the ground blanketed in snow, or when we found out we were going to the beach.
That instant celebration inside—that’s what the Bible can evoke in us.
2. When we learn of God’s laws, we should share.
“With my lips I have told of all the ordinances of Your mouth” (Ps 119:13).
The word “ordinances” here means “regulations”—it’s talking about the laws of God. When we learn of God’s standards, we should want to share them with others.
The author of Hebrews echoes this in his letter: “let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds” (Heb 10:24).