Psalm 119:40 | “Behold, I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life!”

The psalmist ends the he stanza with a heartfelt expression of longing for God’s precepts. His desire is not simply to know them but to see them lived out in his life. Matthew Henry beautifully observes, “Tastes of the sweetness of God’s precepts will but set us a longing after a more intimate acquaintance with them.” Once we have experienced the goodness of God’s word, we cannot help but crave more of it. Yet our hearts easily grow weary and sluggish in obedience, so we must continually ask God to revive us. It is the Holy Spirit who breathes new life into our souls, stirring us to greater love and deeper obedience. When you sense your desire for Scripture fading, do not ignore it or excuse it. Turn that dullness into prayer. Ask the Lord to restore your appetite for his word. May our longing for God’s word be evidence of the life he has already begun in us, and may that life ever increase until it is one day perfected in his presence.