Psalm 119:104

Psalm 119:104

Learning to hate wrong paths

What is “understanding”, in biblical terms? It’s obviously far more than just reading the instruction manual that goes with the new washing machine or grasping the way that gravity works! This verse refers to something deeper and something life-enabling. The precepts of God are His rules and commands that put Him in His rightful place in our lives, as our mentor, our guide and our overseer. His precepts teach us that we are accountable but also protected. If we obey them, life will generally go well for us and we won’t take the countless wrong turns and diversions that beckon along the way. The precepts of God, in the psalmist’s opinion, keep us on the right path. 

Let’s face it, life is full of options, from what to watch on TV, to how to spend our day, to who we will build relationships with, to which task on the “to do” list we will tackle next, and so it goes on. The precepts of God guide our moral decisions and frankly that covers almost everything! To know that we are acting in accordance with the will and purpose of God is incredibly comforting but not always easy. Those wrong paths keep beckoning, the lures of the world are plentiful and often appealing, so it may take a lifetime of bitter experience before some of us can say, “I hate every wrong path.” But that is how the Lord would have it, to bring us to that place where we find such peace and contentment in doing His will that nothing else satisfies us. 

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