The Lodestar

Delighting in the Word of God is a prominent theme in this and other parts of the Book of Psalms (Psa 112:1; 119:35, 47, 92).

The Hebrew word for the verb "delight" indicates a stronger emotional attachment than what "like" or "enjoy" conveys.

Most of its occurrences in the Bible express the attraction men have towards beautiful women. For example, Shechem, son of Hamor, had "delight" in Jacob's daughter Dinah (Gen 34:19). The contestants in King Ahasuerus's beauty contest did not return to him after the first viewing unless he had "delight" in them (Esther 2:14).

However, it could also indicate the emotional attraction between people of the same gender. For instance, when King Saul wanted David to marry his daughter, Michal, he instructed his servants to inform David that the king had "delight" in him (1 Sam 18:22).

When used with the Word of God, this word signifies the state of mind of the person who keeps going to the same book repeatedly for the pleasure of reading it. Readers find it difficult to part with some of the books they read in the past; these books have a long shelf-life. Though their contents are well known, these titles do not gather dust.

Many people find reading the Holy Bible tedious, like eating the same food on the same plate with the same cutlery.

Familiarity breeds contempt. This saying may be true in the case of the Bible. But if we turn its pages with curiosity to find out what it has to say about God, us, and our world, then the Bible offers fresh insights that compel us to return to its pages repeatedly.

We must believe that the Bible has more than what we know to reveal and challenge us; that makes reading it a delightful experience.