Psalm 119: 161-168 NLT

“Powerful people harass me without cause, but my heart trembles only at your word. I rejoice in your word like one who discovers a great treasure. I hate and abhor all falsehood, but I love your instructions. I will praise you seven times a day because all your regulations are just. Those who love your instructions have great peace and do not stumble. I long for your rescue, Lord, so I have obeyed your commands. I have obeyed your laws, for I love them very much. Yes, I obey your commandments and laws because you know everything I do.”

Have you ever been forced to talk about your feelings, whether to a friend or therapist?

I’m married to a therapist. We talk about feelings daily. She teaches me about how emotions work, and it’s actually pretty logical.

It’s weird to think that there is logic behind emotions. But emotions can also lead to some logical decisions.

The psalmist has a healthy balance of logic and emotion when talking to and about God.

You can feel his desperation, joy, sadness, anger throughout Psalm 119. But there are many moments of logic. The previous devotional talked about the argument, “because of this… then this…”

There are a few takeaways I want to reflect on from Psalm 119: 161-168:

Feel Your Feelings, But Surrender Them to God

V. 166-167: I long for your rescue, Lord, so I have obeyed your commands. I have obeyed your laws, for I love them very much.

Feelings the psalmist feels:

• desperation - “long for your rescue”
• love - “I love [your laws] very much”

Psalmist’s logic in these version

• obeying your laws = leads to rescue.

You don’t obey something without surrendering your own desires. While the psalmist feels his feelings, he ultimately surrenders them to God. If we hold on to our feelings, that’s a sign of selfishness.

Should Christians Hate Things? Yes.

V. 163: I hate and abhor all falsehood, but I love your instructions.

You can hate things as a Christian. For example:

I hate war.

I hate bullying.

I hate anarchy.

You can hate evil things. The Bible says you should hate things that are evil and that do not honor God.

BUT, don’t let love take a backseat. There are many churches that practice more hate than love. And that is not what Jesus, or this psalmist, does.

Journal Questions

1. What are some things you hate? Should you or should you not hate them?
2. How can you give God your emotions today?