How does Psalm 119:167 connect with Jesus' teachings on loving God's commandments?

◄ Psalm 119:167 & Jesus: Love God's laws? ►

“My soul keeps Your testimonies, and I love them exceedingly.”

Jesus Echoes the Same Love for Commandments

• John 14:15: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”

• John 15:10: “If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.”

• Matthew 22:37-40: Jesus links wholehearted love for God with obeying the Law and the Prophets.

• Matthew 5:17-19: He affirms every “iota” of God’s Word and calls His followers to practice and teach it.

Shared Themes Between the Psalmist and Jesus

• Inner affection fuels outward obedience

– The psalmist’s “soul keeps” God’s testimonies.

– Jesus insists love precedes and sustains obedience.

• Obedience is comprehensive, not selective

– “I love them exceedingly” mirrors Jesus’ insistence that nothing in the Law is discarded.

• Relationship, not mere rule-keeping

– For the psalmist, commandments are treasured because they come from the LORD.

– Jesus frames obedience as abiding in His love and fellowship with the Father.

• Continuity of covenant love

– Psalm 119 stands in line with Deuteronomy 6:5 (“love the LORD your God with all your heart”).

– Jesus quotes that same verse as the “great and foremost commandment,” showing that the ethic of loving obedience never changes.

Practical Takeaways for Today

• Cultivate affection for Scripture—read, meditate, memorize until you can echo, “I love them exceedingly.”

• Let obedience spring from your relationship with Christ, not from pressure or legalism.

• Evaluate daily choices by John 14:15: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”

• Depend on the Spirit (Romans 8:4) to translate love into consistent, joyful obedience.