The Hiding of God's Word

“I have hidden you words in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11).

This is a common enough verse – a verse, which we learn at an early time period. The question is: how does God’s word keep us from sin? Don’t our actions keep us from sinning? Isn’t the word of God supposed to tell us what is sinning?
But then, this verse is not telling us to learn the word or memorize it, it’s saying to hide it in our hearts. Have we not at one time or another been on the brink of sinning and suddenly a verse from the Bible, no matter how fragmented, pops into our heads causing us to feel ashamed of what we have done? I think this is the secret to the verse.
We need to let the words of God, and this can only be done through the guidance and help of God himself, go into us in such a way that it will be a part of our every day.
In the Old Testament days, the Israelites were told to put verses from the Torah on their doors and foreheads, to talk about it while they ate, and think about it when they couldn’t sleep. It isn’t a matter of memorization but a matter of deep soaking in, contemplating, and knowledge of God’s word. It must become a part of our every day.
I don’t know about you, but that is commitment in it’s deepest form.