Today, I want us to walk through a famous passage from Psalm 19 about delighting in God’s law.
“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.” Psalm 19:7–9
The psalmist declares that the law of God is perfect; there is no flaw in it. In giving us the law, God shows us what kind of God he is and what it looks like to walk in his ways. “The testimony of the Lord is sure” means that what God says about himself and about us is true and can be trusted.
“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 19:10–11
Here we see that the writer’s heart is engaged by God’s law. Humans were meant to live in a certain way, the way that God has laid out for us. When we keep God’s law, it is satisfying to our souls. When we walk in true righteousness, it is sweet and desirable. When we spend time with God’s people, particularly those who seek to honor him in everything, it is encouraging to one another. However—and this is important to see—the next verses show us that nobody can keep God’s law perfectly. The next verses highlight our need for grace.
“Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:12–14
Even a man who claims to love God’s law that much still realizes that he needs to be kept blameless by God.
He acknowledges that it doesn’t matter how much he loves God’s law if his heart and speech are not kept in check.
Only God can give the kind of heart that delights in his law. We don’t keep God’s law so that we will be accepted by God; we receive grace from God to empower us to live a godly life.
So today, as you pray, ask God to show you his grace. Ask him to help you live a life that is in line with his design for humanity. Ask him to show you sins that you may not even be aware of. Thank him for his forgiveness in all the times you stumble and fail. Give him praise for his glorious grace revealed in Jesus Christ.
