The Word of God

[Psalms 19]

               As God's people, we Christians must draw close to God and keep the world away.  We should live close to the Word of God and not be paired with the world.  One of the reasons is that when we live in harmony with the world, we will leave God's Word and lean left or right to sin against God.  What is terrifying is that when we leave the Word of God, we do not regard sin as sin.  As a result, we commit more and more sins.  In habitual sin, we are no longer drawn to God's Word, but to sin. The frightening thing is that this degeneration of faith is so rapid.  The faith that falls so quickly, ultimately, is due to the rapid departure of the Word of God.  According to Deuteronomy 17:19, in order to be a king of Israel, he had to read His Word all the days of his life so that he might learn to fear the Lord his God, by carefully observing all the words.  We are kingly priests. Therefore, we also must keep God's Word aside and read it throughout our lives.

               If we look at Psalms 19, especially from verse 7, the psalmist David speaks about “The law of the Lord.”  So under the heading “The Word of God,” I want to think about what the Word of God is and what our reactions to it should be.

                What is the Word of God?  David teaches four things:

              First, the Word of God is perfect, restoring the soul.

Look at Psalms 19:7 – “The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul ….”  Here, the word “perfect” means perfection in God's Word, which refers to the supernatural nature of God's Word (Park).  In other words, the Word of God can regenerate a dying soul with supernatural powers.  This is the purpose of truth.  The Word of God saves the dying soul, and has the power to revive the dead soul who has left God.  It also has the power to raise and build a discouraged soul of the imperfect believers.  Therefore, we experience the restoration of our discouraged souls by the perfect Word of God.

              Second, the Word of God is sure, making wise the simple.

Look at Psalms 19:7 – “…  The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.”  When the Word of God, which is the truth that allows us to know God, is ‘to be sure’, it means to be true (Park) and it makes wise the simple.  Here, the word “simple” refers to the one who is opened in the original Hebrew.  In other words, the true Word of God works in those who have opened their hearts, making them wise.  When the seeds of the word are sown in an open mind like the field of the soil, they bear the fruit of wisdom.  Therefore, we must open our hearts and receive the Word of God by faith and obey it.

              Third, the Word of God is right, rejoicing the heart.

Look at Psalms 19:8 – “The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart ….”  The Word of God is right and it pierces the sinner’s heart and makes him to repent.  People are happy when they repent (Park).  The heart that is not right or bent can be corrected by repenting through the word of God that pierces the heart.  The Word of God right.  When our hearts are right, our hearts can be truly happy.  True joy is in the right heart.  There is no doubt that there will be no true joy in a crooked heart.

Fourth and last, the Word of God is pure, enlightening the eyes.

              Look at Psalms 19:8 – “…  The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.”  Here, the word “pure” means “clean.”  In other words, the Word of God is clean.  With that pure Word, our spirit is brightened when our souls are washed away.  Then we will see God (Mt. 5:8).  We will experience God.  A good example is Job.  Job made this confession after walking through the affliction: “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You” (Job 42:5).  The lesson we learn from this confession is that we hold onto the pure Word of God and endure the path of suffering, so that in the purity of the soul, we who hear God with our ears will see God in bright spirit.  We must purify our souls by obeying the Word of God (1 Pet. 1:22).  Then we can experience God in our suffering life.

                So what should be our reaction to the Word of God?  We can think of four things:

First, we must fear God.

Look at Psalms 19:9 – “The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether.”  The Word of God allows us to know God who is holy and just (“The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether” refers to the God’s certain righteous judgments).  As a result, we fear God and obey God's Word. In doing so, we are purified by the Word of God.  There can be no sin in a pure heart that fears God.  In the end, those who are pure (v. 8) live a life away from sin by fearing God as they see their holy and just God with their spiritual eyes.

              Second, we must desire the Word of God.

Look at Psalms 19:10 – “They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.”  Gold can bring the wealth of the world, but not the wealth of the soul.  The Word of God enriches our souls (Park).  Gold may bring the wealth of the world, but too many times it makes our souls poor.  Therefore, we must desire the Word of God that brings the wealth of our souls.  The more we taste the sweetness of God's Word that brings the rich of our souls, the more we will desire the Word of God.  In the end, those who are right (v. 8) cannot but desire His Word.  Therefore, the right people can taste the joy of the heart and enjoy it.

              Third, we must keep the Word of God.

Look at Psalms 19:11 – “Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward.”  David was warned by the Word of God.  He kept the Word of God to avoid sin.  The reason is because there is “great reward.”  In other words, the reason why David kept the Word of God is because the person who keeps the Word has the great reward.  We also shouldn’t ignore God’s boundary.  We must keep the Word of God to the end, so that our soul can be saved.  Eventually, the one who has an open mind is a wise person who keeps the Word of God.

            Fourth and last, we must pray. 

Look at Psalms 19:12-13: “Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.  Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins; Let them not rule over me; Then I will be blameless, And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.”  David prayed to God so that he could realize his errors through the Word of God.  In particular, he wanted to realize his “presumptuous sins” and to stop sinning them.  That was why his prayer was “Acquit me of hidden faults” (v. 12) and “I shall be acquitted of great transgression” (v. 13).  If we keep on sinning the presumptuous sins, then that sins will have control over us (Park).  In other words, sins will rule over us.  That was why David prayed to God “Let them not rule over me” (v. 13).  The Bible says that the perfect and mature Christians are people of prayers.  I hope and pray that as we pray to God by faith in the word of God, our souls can be restored (v. 7).

                David, who was close to God, wanted the words of his mouth and the meditation of his heart be acceptable in the sight of the Lord who was his rock and his Redeemer (v. 14).  He was a man of prayer.  He was the one who desired the Word of God and kept His Word.  He was a man who feared God.  A saint who lives a life centered on the Word fears God, desires the Word, keeps the Word, holds onto the Word and prays.  He experiences the perfect Word of God, the sure word, the right and pure Word of God, that restores the soul, becomes wise, brings joy to the heart, and brightens the soul.  I hope and pray that all the blessings of the Word of God be upon us all.

Sola de Scriptura!

James Kim (With gratitude for enjoying the blessing of being led by the Word of God’s promise)