The Ring Of Truth

TO READ: Psalm 119:73-88

I know, O LORD, that your regulations are fair; you disciplined me because I needed it.

Psalm 119:75

Our Bible is unique. It claims to be inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16). Jesus endorsed it, saying, “People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

Its writers wrote history before the events they wrote about had ever happened. We call that prophecy.

Its stories tell us about real people who struggled as we struggle, and hurt as we hurt. It introduces us to people who lived and died, had children or couldn’t, doubted God or displayed great faith in him.

But the Bible not only declares the events in God’s plan for time and rings true, it also works in our lives when we put its wise advice into action, claim its promises, or heed its warnings.

For eighteen years my life was a bed of roses. Then I felt the thorns. I landed in a hospital where a fellow patient caused me to come face-to-face with the Christian gospel. I came to faith in Christ and knew the trust of the writer’s words in Psalm 119:67, “I used to wander off until you disciplined me; but now I closely follow your word,” and in Psalm 119:75, “You disciplined me because I needed it.” I would say Amen to that.

Since that day I have seen other affliction, and I now fully understand that sentiment of Psalm 119:92, “If your instructions hadn’t sustained me with joy, I would have died in my misery.” My sheer delight in his law in those times of affliction has sustained me.