In the first two stanzas of Psalm 119, we saw the psalmist reject his own selfish ways in favor of God’s ways because God’s ways are better. He came humbly to God, asked God to train him, and beseeched his Lord not to forsake him utterly. Stanzas 3 and 4 (ג , ד) sound very similar. The psalm, though it uses different words and images throughout, repeats the same idea. To sing in repetition is fine, but I think it would be too redundant of me, and tiring for you, if I were to teach every single line of the psalm in an exegetical way.
Leading up to verse 32, there is much more of the same thing we have already seen. God, grant me your Law. Please remove my selfish ways from me. Your ways are better. I have chosen your ways. Then, we get to verse 32.
I shall run the way of Your commandments, For You will enlarge my heart (Psalm 119:32).
The psalmist commits again to following God’s commandments in His Law. He is not walking in them casually but running with purpose. He tells us why he resolves to run the way of God’s commandments. He has already said they are better ways. Here, he also sings about how he runs after God’s commandments because God will enlarge his heart.
It is almost as if the psalmist believes God provided His Law because He desires people to be happy, or to have full hearts. If this is true, God did not give the Law as some arbitrary rule book to make sure people simply did what He wanted. Instead, He gave it to show us how we can actually live happy and fulfilled lives on this earth—to enlarge our hearts.
After giving Moses the Ten Commandments, the people were terrified of God.
Then they said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, or we will die.” Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin.” So the people stood at a distance, while Moses approached the thick cloud where God was. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘You yourselves have seen that I have spoken to you from heaven. You shall not make other gods besides Me; gods of silver or gods of gold, you shall not make for yourselves. You shall make an altar of earth for Me, and you shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen; in every place where I cause My name to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you’” (Exodus 20:19-24).
God gave the Law in order to teach people how not to sin. The Law produced a fear of God in the people so they might not sin. By the end of Exodus 20, we see God coming to the people to bless them. Presumably, the end result of the Law is blessing for the people. God doesn’t need people to obey. He gave the Law for our benefit. The Law was never meant to make anyone righteous. It was to bring blessing as the people learned to reject selfishness and embrace the ways of God. The whole Law, then, is meant for our edification, not restriction. We find freedom, not slavery, in God’s Law.
Moses’s description of the Law’s purpose in Exodus 20 confirms the psalmist’s statement in Psalm 119:32. Through His Law, God enlarges our hearts. So, we consider the way many people try to make their hearts full on the earth. They seek to gain for themselves. They try to identify themselves according to their own preferences or seek the pleasures of this world. They try to make more money, have nicer things, and get more attention. They seek power, status, more prestigious degrees, positions, and accolades. They are still sad. The whole time, the answer has been right in front of people. The secret to true satisfaction in life is not found in trying to gain for self. It is found in the Law of God. Every command in Scripture is the pathway to true blessing in life—not worldly prosperity but true blessing, which is worth infinitely more.
In this post, you read about how God’s Law, rather than our ways, brings us happiness and fulfillment. If you have any questions about how God’s Law as a whole or certain Laws bring happiness and fulfillment in life, feel free to get in touch.
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