Wiser than my enemies....

From Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, comes these words from verses 97-100:

Oh, how I love your law!
    I meditate on it all day long.
⁹⁸ Your commands are always with me
    and make me wiser than my enemies.
⁹⁹ I have more insight than all my teachers,
    for I meditate on your statutes.
¹⁰⁰ I have more understanding than the elders,
    for I obey your precepts.

In a story from a seminary class, students were asked to take opposite positions on a Bible topic. There were always those which could take a stance on one side of a Bible topic, explain their position, and wait for someone to have an opposing idea as to what the text meant.  Soon the friendly debate was on, the professor would sit back and listen to the arguments of the opposing views, then step in declare a winner, based on which side more accurately proved their point. 

After one such event, a Bible student wanted another chance to prove he was right and  the opposite side of the issue was wrong, including the professor.  Then the professor challenged those which opposed him and asked for a student to give chapter and verse which could prove his position. 

The student quoted the scripture above, from Psalm 119:97-100, with emphasis on verse 99, "I have more insight than all my teachers."

While this section of the Psalm means exactly what it says, I rather doubt the intended meaning from the psalmist had anything to do with winning seminary debates. Rather, the writer of these words is opening our eyes to one of the greatest blessings for the followers of God.

Note again, these verses explain the need for us to love the law of the Lord, with reverent meditation both night and day.  God's commands are always with us making us wiser than our enemies.  We will have more insight from God, even more than those who teach us, because we meditate on God's statutes.  Then, the last statement, we have more understanding than the elders when we obey God's precepts.

In this is the word picture of the will of God, and the blessing of "straining" issues through the power of God's will, and receiving the intended understanding.  It's our chance to see life, with all its challenges, as seen through the eyes of God. We could buy all the books (and I am not opposed to book learning), we could attend all the lectures (again, not opposed to lectures), but the point of Psalm 119 is this:  We gain the greatest wisdom......and insight......and understanding when we immerse ourselves with God's word while seeking and desiring the wisdom, insight and understanding from the Father himself.

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