The day before I started the first full week of my new job, I walked and prayed for the Lord to take away my anxiety. He reminded me of all He’s done in my life and everything I’ve accomplished with His guidance and help. He has always been there, the ever-present constant. I have been the variable that has changed from one situation to the next. Sometimes I’ve trusted and other times I was overcome by fear. As I prayed this time, I had to decide who I want to be: a light for the Lord or a person who cowers in fear. After that day I went to work with the determination not to be anxious but to learn and try to the best of my ability. It doesn’t mean there aren’t trials and obstacles. It means that when those moments come, I choose to trust the Lord to help me through them and also ask for help. He has blessed me with a great team of people who are quick to provide assistance and guidance. I just have to be willing to ask.

A routine I’ve started each morning to help with anxiety and to get my mind right is reading the Psalms. The Psalms remind me of the humanity of each author as he faces trials and experiences moments of thanksgiving and joy. Even when there is despair, there is often a recollection of the Lord’s lovingkindness, strength, and wisdom. One of the Psalms I read this past week that stood out to me is Psalm 19, particularly verses 7-14 (NASB1995):

⁷ The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul;

The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

⁸ The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;

The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

⁹ The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;

The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.

¹⁰ They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;

Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.

¹¹ Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;

In keeping them there is great reward.

¹² Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.

¹³ 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.

¹⁴ Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

Be acceptable in Your sight,

O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.

Prior to these verses, David writes about how creation itself tells of the glory of the Lord. Then he proceeds to explain why we can trust in the Lord’s law to lead us into righteousness. What captured my attention were the adjectives. The Law of the Lord is perfect (v. 7); His testimony is sure (v. 7); the Lord’s precepts are right (v. 8); the commandment of the Lord is pure (v. 8); the fear of the Lord is clean (v. 9); His judgments are true, righteous, and more desirable than gold (vv. 9-10). Each adjective is followed by a participial phrase, explaining how God’s laws and judgments impact us. David (the author of this particular Psalm) doesn’t just share God’s goodness for its own sake (which is enough in itself) but how His goodness changes us. 

The Law of the Lord restores the soul (v. 7). When we’ve gone astray from God’s will, His law restores us back to obedience. The testimony of the Lord makes wise the simple (v. 7). Too often our culture thinks wisdom is marked by how much education one has. But the Lord has been gracious to not only give us His testimony in writing but in His very creation. All people have the opportunity to gain wisdom as they remember what the Lord has done–whether disciplining the wicked (Ex: plagues in Egypt) or liberating the righteous (Ex: winning battles against Israel’s numerous enemies)–and learning from those moments. The Lord proved Himself repeatedly to the Israelites, but many perished who walked their own way instead of trusting in His testimony. Those who remembered what the Lord had done and trusted Him were blessed.

The precepts of the Lord make the heart rejoice (v. 8). Whenever we think about rules, our first reaction is probably not to rejoice. Rules imply following someone else’s directions rather than our own. But David, the ruler of Israel, describes the Lord’s precepts as right, rejoicing the heart. What makes our hearts rejoice is that we don’t have to guess what the Lord wants. His precepts are to help us remain in right standing with Him, and because of this, our hearts rejoice. Many other religions have “gods” who want to be appeased. Other nations in the Ancient Near East even sacrificed their own children, or they mutilated themselves to try to make themselves right with their “god(s).” But the true, living God has given humanity righteous precepts to be a blessing, not a burden, to us. For He is not a god who is far off but has chosen to live within those who have made the decision to follow Him.

The commandment of the Lord enlightens the eyes (v. 8). When the world has blinded us from righteousness by declaring its own set of rules and guidelines, the Lord’s commandments help us to see clearly. While the world says to place our hope in man, one of the Lord’s commandments says to have no other idols whether that’s money, fame, a physical object, work, or anything that is placed above the Lord in our lives. Many of us are more guilty of this than we probably realize. We are also bombarded with messages from the world each day that it becomes easier to believe them when we fail to dwell on the Lord’s commandments. After Israel split into two kingdoms, it became more wicked in the northern kingdom as they forsook God’s commandments. But even the kings of Judah had lost their way. It wasn’t until the reign of King Josiah (2 Kings 22) that the book of the law was found after many years of being lost. When the book was read to Josiah, he responded by tearing his clothes (as a sign of humility and mourning) and commanded men he trusted to inquire of the Lord concerning the words of the book (vv. 11-13). He said, “for great is the wrath of the Lord that burns against us, because our fathers have not listened to the words of the book, to do all that is written concerning us” (v. 13). The result was that the Lord would bring evil on them because the people have forsaken Him, but because Josiah humbled himself after hearing the words, the Lord gave him peace the rest of his days. King Josiah also made reforms in response to the commandments in the law (2 King 22:16-23:27). The people thought they were doing right until God’s law was revealed. These commandments opened King Josiah’s eyes to see the wickedness around him and responded with sincere reverence and humility before the Lord. While the law had been lost and then found, God still held the people accountable. They were the ones who asked for a king when God was already their King. Many times those kings led the people astray, and even when a righteous king came to power, not everything was made right until Josiah. How much more are we held accountable when we have the law of God at our fingertips and choose to ignore it? Will we choose to be blind or to have our eyes enlightened to the truth of God even if it means humbling ourselves and making changes?

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever (v. 9). At first I was surprised to read the word translated as “clean” to describe the fear of the Lord, but as I dug a little deeper, the meaning of “clean” came to be understood as “undefiled” or “uncontaminated” in a spiritual sense, leading to the idea of holiness. Because it is undefiled, it will not decay, causing it to endure (or stand) forever. I believe a clear distinction is between fearing God or fearing man. David often makes that comparison in the Psalms, and Jesus also says in Matthew 10:28, “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” When the Lord spoke to the people at Mount Sinai, they trembled at “the thunder and lightning flashes and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking” (Exodus 20:18) and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, or we will die” (v. 19). Moses’ reply, along with what Jesus stated in Matthew, help us to understand the importance of fearing the Lord: “Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin” (v. 20). There are two uses of fear in this passage. The first is telling the people not to be terrified that they shrink back from the Lord. The second is telling the people to have the fear of the Lord to remain with them so they do not sin. To fear the Lord means to remain in righteousness just as a child fears a loving father who disciplines his children when they do wrong. That discipline leads to repentance which leads to righteousness. Jesus, the Son of God, clearly states that it is the Lord who destroys both body and soul of those who have chosen not to fear Him. Too often people exchange “respect” for the word “fear” because it sounds nicer, but that is not accurate. The Lord chose to speak to the Israelites and show a glimpse of His glory so that they would not sin. They were truly terrified. “Respect” does not induce the same kind of fear. But if one maintains the fear of the Lord that keeps himself or herself from sinning, then he or she will endure with the Lord forever no matter what man tries to do. The fear of the Lord has eternal rewards. The fear of man is temporary, leading to a false sense of security.

The judgments of the Lord provide warnings and lead to great rewards by those who keep them (vv. 9-11). When we think of judgment, we don’t often get warm, fuzzy feelings. But Scripture describes the Lord’s judgments as true, righteous, more desirable than gold, and sweeter than honey. His judgments aren’t tainted by human error and emotion. He also provides opportunities for change and gives warnings. When Israel asked for a king, He gave them what they wanted but not before telling them exactly what would happen in 1 Samuel 8:10-18. However, the people refused to listen and asked for a king anyway. In 1 Samuel 12, Samuel reminded the people of past choices made and the outcomes for their rejection of the Lord. In sharing this he made it clear that if the people and the king fear the Lord and follow Him, the Lord will be with them. But if they do not fear Him, He will be against them. As generations went on, God’s judgments were righteous as the people took turns rejecting and repenting. We don’t want a Judge who is biased but who upholds His law for the sake of righteousness. Are we willing to submit to His authority and listen to His warnings so that we can be in right standing with Him?

In Psalm 19:12-13, David not only asks the Lord to acquit him from hidden errors–sins unknowingly committed–but also to keep him from presumptuous sins. These are sins committed with a person’s full knowledge of what he or she is doing. In other words, they are acting in rebellion to God’s commandments. David writes that he does not want his sins to rule over him so that he will be blameless before the Lord. What keeps our sins from ruling over us is following the Lord’s commands and fearing Him as this particular Psalm describes. The Lord is both loving Father and an all-consuming fire.

The final verse brings back memories as it was the benediction after every chapel during my undergraduate years: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer” (v. 14). While constant repetition of a passage can lead to lack of meaning, reading this verse again in light of verses 7-13 restores the appropriate response. When our hearts and minds are fixed on the Lord’s commandments that lead to righteousness, our words and thoughts should be a reflection of those precepts. The Lord delights when we dwell on the truth of His Word and our actions show it. We are a people without excuse, and we are a church in danger of the consequences of ancient Israel. Too often we forsake the Lord’s commandments for more palatable translations that allow us to maintain our sinful tendencies. We listen to people who tickle our ears rather than be convicted by the Lord’s double-edged sword: His Word. Will we be a church who fears the Lord who can destroy the soul, or will we ignore the numerous warnings and seal the fate of our own downfall? The Lord’s judgments are not hidden or encrypted. They are clearly stated, and as an effective Teacher, He has given us many examples of what we should and should not do. We have one choice to make as the body of Christ: Will we follow the law of our King, or will we be a church of anarchists?

©Lauren Demuth