Psalm 119:7 | “I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules.”

The psalmist desires to learn the rules of the Lord, knowing that God’s law is holy and righteous and good (Romans 7:12). The Hebrew word translated “rules” is mishpatim, referring to God’s just decisions or righteous ordinances. Matthew Henry observed, “We cannot keep them unless we learn them, but we learn them in vain if we do not keep them.” True learning involves more than gaining knowledge. It means submitting both heart and life to what God says, for knowledge without obedience is empty. The psalmist’s promise to praise God with an upright heart reminds us that true worship is not only spoken, but sincere.. An upright heart is whole and undivided; a divided heart cannot truly worship.In his book, The Path of Life, Stephen Yuille writes, “A divided heart indicates that we esteem something more than God. It indicates that we aren’t really God-centered, but self-centered.” True praise flows from a heart that is honest before God, one that learns his word, treasures his truth, and chooses to walk in humble obedience. Let us examine our own hearts. Where are we divided, and what have we quietly placed above him? May we ask God to help us both learn and keep his righteous rules today.