Psalm 1:1-3
The law of the Lord is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
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.
9 The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
and all of them are righteous.
10 They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
They are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the honeycomb.
11 By them your servant is warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
What speaks to us in Psalm 19:7–11? What does it “say”?
How is God’s Word described?
Reflect
As we saw yesterday, the creation points us to the Creator. Yet, the creation alone doesn’t reveal everything about God. It reveals a deity who is creative, powerful, and worthy of honor, but it doesn’t teach us what is expected of us, if anything. Many people over the centuries have imagined a god who set the universe into motion and then stepped away, or theorized that the divine is just an impersonal life force that pulses in and through everything. According to these views, there is nothing out there that cares about us or helps us in our journey through life. But Psalm 19 offers us a very different view.
Starting in this section of the Psalm, David begins using God’s personal name, Yahweh (translated here as Lord). God has revealed himself in his Word and has provided instructions on how we can relate to him, and how we should live. The Psalmist makes six statements describing the Word of God. “Law,” “statutes,” “precepts,” “commands,” and “decrees” are roughly synonymous, yet each has a certain character of its own. Through repetition the Psalm emphasizes the goodness of God’s revelation. It is perfect, trustworthy, radiant, pure, right, and firm. “Together, these terms show the practical purpose of revelation, to bring God’s will to bear on the hearer and evoke intelligent reverence, well-founded trust, detailed obedience.”[1]
Too often the Bible is viewed as a dry book of rules that if followed would take all the fun out of life. Christians can treat reading the Bible as something that’s good for them, like taking their vitamins, but not something they really enjoy. David challenges that kind of thinking. The benefits of God’s Word are tremendous! Who doesn’t need their soul refreshed? Who doesn’t want more wisdom and a clearer perspective? Who couldn’t use an infusion of joy straight into their heart? All of this comes from God’s Word.
If someone offered a million dollars to never open a Bible again, how many people would leap at that deal? How many Christians would consider it? According to David, they would be giving up something more far more precious than pure gold. Why? Because there is nothing that you could buy that would benefit you more than the Word of God.
The Creator who scattered a billion galaxies across the universe, who placed the sun and the Earth at the precise distance so that our planet thrives, who designed every cell in your body and knows every thought in your head has revealed himself to you in his Word. The God who is love and who created you to love and be loved shows you in his Word how much he loves you.
God knows how you will flourish and thrive on life’s journey, and has given you instructions to guide you. He’s marked the obstacles and dangers on the road and handed you the map so you can avoid them. Your life will be infinitely better if you know, believe, and trust in God’s Word and live according to it. How is that not worth more than any amount of money?
We don’t always recognize the sweetness of God’s Word. Our taste buds can become desensitized by gorging on the things of the world. Scripture takes time, effort, and prayer before the sweetness can be savored, and we’ve become accustomed to processed and packaged treats. Yet through his Word, God is offering to revive our souls, guide us through life and bring joy to our hearts. May he persuade us by the power of the Spirit that following his Word will bring a very great reward!
How does the Word of God tend to “taste” to you? Dry and bland, sweet and savory, or somewhere in between? Why do you think that is? How would you like to change that?
[1] Derek Kidner, Psalms 1–72: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 15, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1973), 117.
Respond
Praise God for gift of his Word. Ask the Spirit to give you a greater taste for it and invite him to reveal himself through it.
