WEEKLY REFLECTION by Pastor Lap Dinh on Psalm‬ ‭119‬:‭65‬-‭68‬

“You have treated Your servant well, Lord, according to Your word. Teach me good discernment and knowledge, For I believe in Your commandments. Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word. You are good and You do good; Teach me Your statutes.” ‭‭Psalm‬ ‭119‬:‭65‬-‭68‬

Who does not want to be treated well by the Lord? No one! But perhaps there are some who do not want to be treated well. And likely, sometimes we subconsciously self-harm our lives. Why? Because of the rebellious nature of fallen humanity. Sinners by nature do not want to be taught by God. They think they know better than God. They do not want to learn God’s statutes because they know they will be responsible to act accordingly. Going astray or wandering will be the natural outcome of those who lack discernment and knowledge.

But where do discernment and knowledge come from? They come from keeping and practicing God’s Word, not just hearing it only. And the only way they are able to do that is by having faith in God’s commandments. If we observe our own and others’ lives, we will see that having no faith in God’s Word is the same as having faith in ourselves. People do not want to hear His Word because they have no love for His Son—Jesus—who fulfilled everything God’s commandments require.

So instead of living in Him and under His grace, people choose to live in their own way and expect to be affliction-free without consequences. So how can one be treated well by the Lord? The above passage instructs us to ask the Lord to teach us good discernment and knowledge of His Word. And we can be certain that He will do that as we believe in His commandments.

This is my prayer—that every sincere believer will experience it. And when you do, tell others about it.