GOD’S WORD IS SWEETER THAN HONEY

“How sweet are YOUR WORDS to my taste, SWEETER THAN HONEY to my mouth!” – Psalm 119:103

In terms of value and desirability, GOD’S WORD IS SWEETER THAN HONEY: “How sweet are YOUR WORDS to my taste, SWEETER THAN HONEY to my mouth!” (Psa.119:103). Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible, famous for its teaching on God’s law or Word. This is more about how God’s Word deepens our relationship with Him. In today’s meditation verse, His words are described as “sweeter than honey.” Honey is a natural sweetener. Similarly, God’s word brings sweetness to our lives. In ancient times there was no such thing as sugar; the only sweetening agent was honey. This sweetness consistently applies to God’s Word in Scripture. Nothing is sweeter than knowing God, who – through Jesus – will work to bring restoration and to make all things new!

Psalm 19 also cele­brates and elaborates on the value of living by God’s Word always: “More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb” (Psa.19:10). Here, the Psalmist praised God's Word in a way that challenges us to reassess our values. These truths invite us to conduct an audit of our life style and to assess where God's word fits in our order of priorities. It's easy to say that God's Word is precious to us; that we value and treasure it, but can we honestly say that it is more important to us than Gold – financial success and material pleasures? That's what the Psalmist implied. Even today, gold remains the symbol of material wealth. Do we really think God’s Word is more significant than riches?

There are so many pressures on us today which in subtle ways distort our scale of values. But God is willing to help us value His Word, spoken through Scripture, above even the best of what this world has to offer. Just as like we crave sweet treats, our lives should crave the sweetness of God’s words if we are followers of Jesus: “Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (1 Pet.2: 1-3). This desire to read God’s Word does not come from good works or going to church, but from the One and only giver of sweet things, God: “Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law” (Psa.119:18).

While we can learn much from God’s word as we listen to a pastor preach or musician sing we shouldn’t rely on just these as our honey. We should learn to enjoy God’s Word by ourselves also. But without the desire to read His Word, even the most self-disciplined efforts will fail. To fall in love with God’s Word requires that we fall in love with the Author Himself; it means loving Scripture – the Word, Jesus Christ Himself. His words are sweeter than honey because everything that comes from Him is good.

Whoever is struggling with a lack of desire to spend time in the Bible should not start by trying to manufacture that desire. Instead, such should begin by asking these two questions: Do I love God? And do I desire to spend time in His presence? The sweetness of God’s Word compels us to share it with urgency and passion, everywhere with others, even if they choose to reject it.