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.

1) Why are so many various adjectives used to describe the law?
Each of these adjectives serves a specific purpose in telling us about the Lord Jehovah who is referenced with every single description.
Perfect – Utterly flawless, entirely without fault and able to withstand any criticism. To live your life by the standards of the Lord, is to insure a life above reproach.
Sure – Steadfast and trustworthy in all aspects. Living according to God’s plan for life allows for a stability that cannot be shaken.
Right – Regardless of the passing of time, culture shifts, or fashion trends, the truths of Yahweh are altogether righteous.
Pure – Unlike much of what we hear or read today, the Lord’s path for life is 100% pure, having not a drop of defilement in it. We can know beyond all possible doubt that following Jesus will lead to a pure life.
Clean – They way of the Lord is not only “clean” by definition, having no crooked way about it, but it also makes us clean. It cleans our lives from the core of our souls to the very actions of our fingers and tongue.
True – Solid. Unshakeable. Not a single lie. Zero deception. No hidden fine print to catch you up later. Just, solid truth.

2) What are the law, testimony, precepts, commandments, and rules of the Lord?
What is references here are all the commands given to Moses on Mt. Sinai, which include the Ten Commandments and a myriad of other laws. Today, the importance of each individual law has already been fulfilled in Jesus Christ, what we can takeaway from the Old Testament law giving and this passage is a lifestyle that honors the Lord. God gave Israel these laws in order to set them apart, to be holy like He Himself is holy, to make the nations see and glorify God because Israel “looked different”.

3) What is the reward for “keeping” the laws of the Lord?
The reward for living a life that follows the precepts of the Lord is deep satisfaction, a life that exhibits every description mentioned here, and ultimately, the greatest reward is a deeply delightful and abundant relationship with the Lord God who has pursued our souls by paying the ultimate price: death on a cross. The reward is our inheritance!

1) Why are so many various adjectives used to describe the law?
There are quite a few different types of writings throughout the Bible: historical, prophetic, records of law, personal letters, as well as books of poetry. The Psalms richly intertwine all of these by using literary devices. Often the Psalms are written with rhythm and cadence, alliteration, metaphors, or acrostics to help the audience remember the truths of God. In biblical times, paper (or papyrus) was scarce, so while they did indeed use scribes to write down the books that make up the Bible you have in your hands or on your phone today, that culture relied heavily on verbal dictation. The Psalms is a perfect example of what parents would teach their children in a melodic fashion the ways of the Lord God and His calling for His people. How can you take the adjectives here and apply them straight to your day today? What do you need that the Lord gives here? How you can share these with someone else today?

2) What are the law, testimony, precepts, commandments, and rules of the Lord?
While every requirement to be perfect according the law was fulfilled in Christ, we are still commanded to live that lifestyle that sets us apart from those around us who don’t know Jesus. The lifestyle that sets us apart isn’t a lengthy list of rules and regulations, but a live that ebbs and flows with the love of Christ. Jesus said, “they will know you are mine if you love one another.” Just as in the Old Testament, the purpose for these laws was for others to know God and glorify Him, so it is for us today. We live love out loud with our everyday choices that others might see and know that our God fits every single description in this passage. That He is worthy of glory and honor. That He can be trusted with life and ultimately, the safekeeping of our souls for eternity.

3) What is the reward for “keeping” the laws of the Lord?
A life that follows rules for the sake of “being good” will lead to an empty life, a frustrated person, and an endless feeling of never being good enough. On the contrary, a life that follows God’s paths for living well because they’ve been fulfilled with the love of Christ Jesus offered through salvation, leads to a satisfaction that runs deeper than anything else this world can offer. The loving Father has pursued you, are your pursuing Him with everything you are? The Father longs for depth of relationship with you, will go “all in” to find that deep delight?

Don’t miss today’s other Journey Study, Deeply Delighted!
Sign up to receive every Journey to your inbox!

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources.  Just type in the verse you’re looking at and Boom! It’s right in front of you in English and Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament), which are the original languages the Bible was written in.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Find super awesome stuff like “origin”, “definition”, and even all the different ways that single word has been translated into English! If you want to be geeky, you can even click the word and hear its original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want to get more background on a word or phrasing or passage? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus.
Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
See all past studies in Inheritance!