How does Jeremiah 15:16 connect with Psalm 119's view of God's Word? Jeremiah 15:16—The Prophet’s Feast “When Your words came, I devoured them; Your words were my joy and my heart’s delight. For I bear Your name, O LORD God of Hosts.” Echoes in Psalm 119 • 97 – “Oh, how I love Your law! All day long it is my meditation.” • 103 – “How sweet are Your words to my taste—sweeter than honey in my mouth!” • 111 – “Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart.” • 162 – “I rejoice at Your word like one who finds great spoil.” Shared Themes: The Word as Spiritual Food • Both writers “devour” or “taste” God’s words—picture language for taking Scripture deep inside. • Deuteronomy 8:3 and Matthew 4:4 reinforce the idea: God’s people live on “every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.” • Ezekiel 3:1-3 shows the same prophetic call to “eat” God’s scroll before speaking it. Delight and Joy in Scripture • Jeremiah: “my joy and my heart’s delight.” • Psalm 119 repeatedly sings, “the joy of my heart,” “I rejoice,” “sweeter than honey.” • Joy is not abstract; it rises from real engagement with words God has spoken. Identity Shaped by the Word • Jeremiah anchors his calling—“I bear Your name.” • Psalm 119 ties obedience to belonging: “I am Yours; save me, for I have sought Your precepts” (v. 94). • Embracing Scripture is inseparable from embracing God’s own character and mission. Practical Takeaways • Make Scripture your daily meal; schedule unhurried time to “chew” on a passage. • Read until delight awakens—linger where your heart warms. • Let God’s Word define who you are and how you speak, just as it did for Jeremiah and the psalmist. |
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