Psalm 119:48 | “I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes.”

The phrase “I will lift up my hands” expresses deep longing for God’s law. While the gesture can signify prayer, here it conveys a fervent desire for God’s revelation. The psalmist’s heart and actions are both directed toward the commandments he loves, showing that love for God’s word naturally produces worship and meditation. Christopher Ash notes, “It is striking that what I lift up my hands toward should be your commandments. Far from bibliolatry, this gesture recognizes that we know and worship God only through his revealed word.” Though some may claim that Christians give too much attention to Scripture, the psalmist reminds us that there is no such thing as loving the Bible too much, for it draws us closer to the Lord himself. What do you instinctively reach for each day? Do your hands lift toward affirmation, toward distraction, toward escape– or toward the word that reveals the living God? Let your love for his commandments be visible in both your posture and your practice.