This episode closes out detailing the positive encounter with God's law that believers should ideally experience. Many unfortunately rarely get beyond the first encounter with God's law, which brings conviction and crisis as they grapple with the demands of God on their lives. While the psalmist clearly wrestled with God's law, ultimately resulting in confession and repentance, the vast majority of his descriptions are very positive. The psalmist describes the law as his delight (v. 77) as he anticipates discovering "wonderful things" in God's law.(18) The psalmist at one point is starving for God's law (v. 20) and considers the Law his food. Christ Himself noted that "His food" was to do the will of the Father. (John 4:34) Such expressions underscore the path to true fulfillment. When we cultivate our longing for God and His law/His will, we discover that this second encounter with God and His Law/will results in incomparable satisfaction.
Starving for and Filled with the Law of God
The Christian life is all about the transformation of self-centered desires into truly satisfying God-honoring desires. This episode cites several verses in Psalm 119 in which the psalmist's desires are consumed with God and His law, even to the point the author sounds famished for them: "I am crushed with longing after your ordinances at all times." (20) This language signals the transformation of desire available to all Christians. God deposits in every believer a holy relish for God and His law (Romans 7:22), and saints who cooperate with the process of sanctification discover the beauty and excellency of God's law, which expresses God Himself. True lasting fulfillment is the reward of all those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Their desperate longing is satisfied in Christ Himself.