Applying David's Example of Storing Up Scripture in Hearts
David's example of storing up Scripture in his heart is a powerful model for Christians. According to Matthew Henry, David "hid [God's word] in his heart, laid it up there, that it might be ready to him whenever he had occasion to use it" [4]. This practice is rooted in biblical wisdom literature, where the psalmist writes, "Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart" [1]. The idea is to internalize God's word, making it a part of one's very being.
The Nonconformist/Puritan tradition, as represented by Matthew Henry, emphasizes the importance of loving and delighting in God's law. David's love for God's testimonies is described as "inexpressible" and "superlative" [5, 6]. Henry notes that David's love for God's word was not just a superficial affection, but a deep-seated commitment that guided his actions and decisions [5]. This love is not limited to the promises, but extends to the law itself, which David delights in "after the inner man" [6].
The practice of storing up Scripture in one's heart involves more than just memorization; it requires a deep understanding and application of God's word. According to Henry, David's heart was "fixed" on God, and he was able to praise God with fervor because his heart was "erect, or lifted up" [7]. This fixing of the heart is a result of God's work in the individual, as Sirach 6:37 notes: "Let thy thoughts be upon the precepts of God, and meditate continually on his commandments: and he will give thee a heart, and the desire of wisdom shall be given to thee" [2].
The biblical concept of the heart is central to this practice. Torrey's Topical Textbook highlights the various aspects of the heart, including its role in pondering, understanding, and being influenced by God's word [3]. The heart is seen as the seat of one's being, where thoughts, emotions, and intentions reside.
In applying David's example, Christians can learn to cultivate a deep love and reverence for God's word. By internalizing Scripture and allowing it to shape their thoughts and actions, believers can develop a strong foundation for their faith. As Henry notes, "We must make heart-work of it or we make nothing of it" [5]. The result is a life characterized by obedience, trust, and praise, as David's example demonstrates.
The Jewish tradition, as represented in Sirach, also emphasizes the importance of meditating on God's precepts and commandments. This meditation is not just a mental exercise, but a means of receiving a new heart and the desire for wisdom [2]. By following David's example and the wisdom of the Jewish tradition, Christians can deepen their understanding and application of God's word, leading to a more vibrant and obedient faith.
Sources
- Proverbs “Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart. -- Proverbs 7:3”
- Sirach “Sirach 6:37 (DRC) — Let thy thoughts be upon the precepts of God, and meditate continually on his commandments: and he will give thee a heart, and the desire of wisdom shall be given to thee.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Heart, The — Issues of life are out of -- Pr 4:23. God Tries. -- 1Ch 29:17; Jer 12:3. Knows. -- Ps 44:21; Jer 20:12. Searched. -- 1Ch 28:9; Jer 17:10. Understands the thoughts of. -- 1Ch 28:9; Ps 139:2. Ponders. -- Pr 21:2; 24:12. Influences. -- 1Sa 10:26; Ezr 6:22; 7:27; Pr 21:1; Jer 20:9. Creates a new. -- Ps 51:10; Eze 36:26. Prepares. -- 1Ch 29:18; Pr 16:1. Opens. -- Ac 16:14. Enlightens. -- 2Co 4:6; Eph 1:18. Strengthens. -- Ps 27:14. Establishes. -- Ps 112:8; 1Th 3:13. Should be Prepared to God. -- 1Sa 7:3. Given to God. -- Pr 23:26. Perfect with God. -- 1Ki 8:”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 119:11: Here is, 1. The close application which David made of the word of God to himself: He hid it in his heart, laid it up there, that it might be ready to him whenever he had occasion to use it; he laid it up as that which he valued highly, and had a warm regard for, and which he was afraid of losing and being robbed of. God's word is a treasure worth laying up, and there is no laying it up safely but in our hearts; if we have it only in our houses and hands, enemies may take it from us; if only in our heads, our memories may fail us: but if our hearts be delivered i”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 119:167: David's conscience here witnesses for him, I. That his practices were good. 1. He loved God's testimonies, he loved them exceedingly. Our love to the word of God must be a superlative love (we must love it better than the wealth and pleasure of this world), and it must be a victorious love, such as will subdue and mortify our lusts and extirpate carnal affections. 2. He kept them, his soul kept them. Bodily exercise profits little in religion; we must make heart-work of it or we make nothing of it. The soul must be sanctified and renewed, and delivered into the”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 119:97: Here is, 1. David's inexpressible love to the word of God: O how love I thy law! He protests his affection to the word of God with a holy vehemency; he found that love to it in his heart which, considering the corruption of his nature and the temptations of the world, he could not but wonder at, and at that grace which had wrought it in him. He not only loved the promises, but loved the law, and delighted in it after the inner man. 2. An unexceptionable evidence of this. What we love we love to think of; by this it appeared that David loved the word of God that ”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 57:7: How strangely is the tune altered here! David's prayers and complaints, by the lively actings of faith, are here, all of a sudden, turned into praises and thanksgivings; his sackcloth is loosed, he is girded with gladness, and his hallelujahs are as fervent as his hosannas. This should make us in love with prayer, that, sooner or later, it will be swallowed up in praise. Observe, I. How he prepares himself for the duty of praise (Psa 57:7): My heart is fixed, O God! my heart is fixed. My heart is erect, or lifted up (so some), which was bowed down, Psa 57:6. My he”