Psalm 19 Continued…
Psalm 19:8 The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
“The precepts” or proclamations or statutes “of the Lord,” those things He has commanded us to do, are of course, “right.” Therefore, they are the kind of things that should cause us to rejoice and obey. We are grateful even for the “Thou shalt nots,” which God has said in His Word, for we all need to be bridled like a horse. Someone says, “There are certain commandments I don’t like.” Well, maybe you don’t like them, but God does. They are right.
“The commands of the LORD” has the idea of issuing orders. The Word is, therefore, also perceived as divine orders. They are pure because they come from the mind of God which has no impure thoughts. They will do something for you—enable you and lift you up.
It is the Word of God which brings “joy to the heart.” God’s Word cheers us, and it rejoices the heart. Joy and guidance fill the soul of one who meditates on and follows God’s commands. Because “the precepts of the LORD are right,” they produce in the heart the joy that springs from the inner sense of being in the right. Can you imagine having to face death and eternity without God’s Word, without even so much as John 3:16. The Word of God takes away all uncertainty and fear. It provides guidance for today and promises glory for tomorrow.
“The commands of the Lord” are like a lamp, “giving light to the eyes” so that the believer can see the right path through life.
Psalms 19:9 The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous.
The Old Testament has no word for religion. David’s definition of true religion is this: It is living before God in a proper sense of awe, reverence, and obedience. And now he claims that that attitude belongs actually in eternity. “Fear” is used here as a synonym for the Law, for its purpose was to put fear into human hearts (Deuteronomy 4:10). Such honest “fear” is clean, that is to say, it is completely uncontaminated by our dirty human minds. The word “fear” reflects the reality that Scripture is the manual for worshiping God. The Law is “pure . . . sure, and righteous:”
• Pure (clean)—we are told that the word fear means “reverential trust.” I believe it means more than that. It means fear. It is a good idea to fear God, my friend.
• Sure (true)—the judgments of the Lord are true. Do you want to know what truth is? Pilate wanted to know. He asked our Lord, “. . . What is truth? . . .” (John 18:38), and Truth was standing right in front of him in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Righteous—the judgments of the Lord are “. . . righteous.” They are right. This is a tremendous section. We ought to learn to love all the Word of God—all of it.
The ordinances, of which there are many in the Torah, and that includes the Ten Commandments—are the most desirable things in life, because they convey His judicial decisions—not the pursuit of wisdom, not heaping up riches, not owning the expensive toys and thingamajigs that money can buy. The ordinances were designed to cause believers to obey God and lead righteous lives.
PRAY
Thank you heavenly Father for your Word. Create in me a passionate desire to know, meditate upon and deeply love your Word.