Is Thy Heart Right With God?
The beloved hymn for which this article is entitled was written by Elisha Albright Hoffman in 1899—one of many lovely hymns that he wrote. In examining the answer to this important question today, we will do so by noting the section of Psalm 119:129-136, which gives us some wonderful insight into what the heart of a child of God should be. Notice with me some proper characteristics for your consideration and application.
Is your heart submissive? “Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them” (119:129). The psalmist submits to the testimonies of God. What does that mean? It means that I will obey without question (cf. Eve questioned with Satan about what God said concerning the tree of knowledge of good and evil and Naaman questioning the Jordan River). It means that I will obey whether I see any apparent connection of the action and the desired results (cf. no connection between blood on the doorposts and the salvation of the firstborn in Egypt and no connection between baptism and salvation). It means that I will obey no matter what the cost (cf. Abraham offering his son Isaac; Luke 9:23; Gal. 2:20).
Does your heart hunger and thirst after righteousness? “I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments” (119:131). Jesus would say in the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled” (Matt. 5:6). As such, the Bible describes God and His righteousness with such terms of necessity as food and water (cf. Isa. 55:1; John 4:14; 6:35; 7:37).
Does your heart love God? “Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name” (119:132). When one questioned Jesus about the greatest commandment, Jesus did not bat an eye, but immediately quoted Deuteronomy 6:5, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matt. 22:37). In fact, the book of Deuteronomy stresses the need for God’s children to love God (Deut. 10:12; 11:1).
Is your heart dependant upon God? “Order my steps in thy word” (119:133a). The psalmist earlier wrote, “My steps have held fast to thy paths, my feet have not slipped” (Ps. 17:5 ASV). He also underscored our dependency upon God when he wrote,
Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. (Ps. 19:13)
Does your heart want to do right? “…and let not any iniquity have dominion over me” (119:133b). As servants of righteousness, we are seeking to please our Master by obeying his will: “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof” (Rom. 6:12).
Does your heart desire divine approval? “Make thy face to shine upon thy servant” (119:135a). The psalmist wrote earlier, “There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us” (Ps. 4:6). Moses prayed for the Israelites, “The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace” (Num. 6:26). Paul closes his second epistle to the Thessalonians by stating: “Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all” (2 Thess. 3:16).
Is your heart such that yearns to learn? “…and teach me thy statutes” (119:135b). This attitude is essential toward God’s word, as he earlier stated in this very psalm (119:12, 26). We should not be surprised that we find this same essential quality in the New Testament:
It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. (John 6:45)
The great invitation of our Lord says, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me” (Matt. 11:29).
Does your heart care? “Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law” (119:136). He later said, “I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word” (119:158). Jeremiah was known as the weeping prophet for displaying this very attitude of heart:
Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people! (Jer. 9:1)
Is thy heart right with God?