What is the barometer of our soul? Psalm 119

What we "long" for tells us what is in our heart.  Our longings are the barometer to our soul.   Christ told us not to "seek" what is on earth but what was "in heaven" (Matthew 6).   We only have to watch what happens when we are denied our longing to see the focus of our heart.    In this Psalm on God's Word, the writer uses the word "longing" or "longed" at least four times that I saw in this reading.   The first instance is below:

Psalms 119:20

My soul is crushed with longing

After Your ordinances at all times.

You can also find the word in 119:82, 123 and 132.   In verse twenty we see that the writer's longing is so strong for God's Word that his soul feels crushed.   As I write this devotional it is the morning after a bitter loss in a soccer game with my high school boy's team.   We not only lost the game we lost, to injury, a key player (a captain and a senior).   After the game many of the boys wept.  Some struck the game in pain.   But, it was a game.   Their hearts were crushed for their teammate and the score.   Oh, to have that same crushing feeling in pain for the Word.  To be so hungry that we are in pain when we don't read it, can't read it, fail to read it.   Our souls are not often crushed in such a manner.   What does our soul long for if not His Word?   Silver? Power? Possessions? Position? Pleasure? Ease? Comfort?   Our longings are a barometer for our souls.