The Light of the Law

September 15, 2021

The authority of the Word of God

The Light of the Law

By guest writer, Julia Phillips

“The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” - Psalm 19:7-11

Psalm 19 is one of three Torah psalms which describe the blessing of orienting our lives around Scripture. In the preceding verses of this psalm, David describes how the created elements speak of God’s glory. Now we read that not only did God form the sun to illuminate life for all of mankind, he also gave the light of his law.

While creation offers a general revelation of God, Scripture is a specific revelation that produces an effect. The end results of God’s perfect law are listed over and over in this passage: it revives the soul, makes wise the simple, gives joy to the heart, and gives light to the eyes. What a beautiful description of abundant life that is for our good!

The original Jewish readers received these blessings through reading and meditating on the Torah and responding with their lives, and we do too. As Christians, we also have the benefit of living within the new covenant. In the book of Jeremiah, God speaks of a time when he will make a new covenant with his people: “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts” (Jeremiah 31:33). Through the Holy Spirit, the Lord impresses thoughts on our minds and hearts. We can respond with obedience or with some rationalization to do things our own way. When we choose to obey the Holy Spirit and to align our lives with Scripture, we receive the blessing described in these verses.

Sometimes, when we find ourselves feeling stale spiritually or we recognize that we have become complacent in an area, it is because we have ignored something the Lord spoke to us. It could have been last month or years ago. Perhaps his specific word addressed an aspect of your life that you didn’t think was a big deal or maybe it was something that you didn’t feel ready to face. (“Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults.” - Psalm 19:12)

Reflection:
How much authority does the Word of God have in your life? What was the last specific word, precept, or command he impressed on your heart and mind? Have you responded with obedience? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Related Resource:

Why is trust so difficult? Unlike all the broken promises of this world, God’s redeeming promises are absolute, trustworthy, and true. The covenants of God afford us with abundant reasons to trust God with his plan for our lives. Trusting God: Redeeming Promises of the Word small group Bible study explores the six major redeeming promises of God found in his Word. Learn more about God’s commitment to his people, the nature of a covenant, and how you can find your security in being a child of God’s redeeming promises. Learn more about God’s promises today.