Nineteen Proper Responses to God and His Word

In his musings on practical atheism, Stephen Charnock reminds his readers why they must prize and study the Scriptures: “When the revelation is despised, the revealer will be of little esteem.”*

This captures the basic truth that esteeming the Scriptures is the means by which we esteem God. Furthermore, how we regard God’s word is how we regard God himself. In fact, it is impossible to honor God more than we honor his word. This axiom is echoed throughout the Scriptures and has been abundantly clear during our corporate study of Psalm 119. What follows in this post are nineteen proper responses to both God and His word.

1. Believe God and his word (Psalm. 119:66)
2. Obey God and his word (Ps. 119:9, 17, 60)
3. Love God and his word (Ps. 119:47-48, 113, 127; Deut. 6:5; Matt. 22:37-38)
4. Fear God and his word (Ps. 119:120)
5. Trust God and his word (Psalm. 119:42)
6. Wait for God and his word (Ps. 119:43, 49, 74, 81-84)
7. Justify God and his word (Ps. 119:75, 128, 137, 142)
8. Desire God and his word (Ps. 119:20, 131-132)
9. Rejoice in God and his word (Ps. 119:162)
10. Follow God and his word (Ps. 119:30, 101-102)
11. Remember God and his word (Ps. 119:54, 61-62, 109)
12. Consider God and his word (Ps. 119:23, 27, 48)
13. Cling to God and his word (Ps. 119:8, 10, 31)
14. Submit to God and his word (Ps. 119:125)
15. Esteem God and his word (Ps. 119:68, 72, 96)
16. Seek God and his word (Ps. 119:2, 10)
17. Treasure God and his word (Ps. 119:11)
18. Enjoy God and his word (Ps. 119:103)
19. Delight in God and his word (Ps. 119:16, 47)

Acknowledging each of these binding obligations to both God and the Scriptures, we would do well to heed J. C. Ryle’s counsel, “Let us resolve to prize the Bible more. Let us not fear being idolaters of this blessed book.”**

* Stephen Charnock, The Existence and Attributes of God (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2005), 173.

** J. C. Ryle, How Readest Thou? (Moscow, ID: Charles Nolan Publishers, 2002), 62.