The Laws Of The Lord Are Like Pure Gold
The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. Psalm 19:9-10
I’ve wondered how much gold God put on the earth. The latest estimate stands at 171,300 tons of it in the world. At its current price, its value comes to almost 12 trillion dollars.
I don’t know if gold is God’s favorite precious metal, but the Bible mentions it quite a bit. According to Revelation, God even made the streets in heaven out of gold.
In Exodus, the people of Israel gave Moses over a ton of it for the Tabernacle and all its furnishings. It consisted of jewelry the Egyptians gave them when they left Egypt.
The Psalmist says that today’s Psalm puts a high value on the laws of the Lord. In other words, His Word is worth more than even the finest gold.
Let’s go back to the beginning of this Psalm. Let’s find out how the laws of the Lord got into this conversation. David began by praising God and recognizing His creation.
The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. Psalm 19:1-2
He continued by saying that the days speak without a sound. He said their message has gone throughout the earth.
The Sun
One evening close to sunset, I commented on it as my wife and I traveled home. I said, since creation the sun has made the same journey every day as the earth orbits it.
Our sun sits in the center of the solar system. David gave this ball of fire special recognition even though it doesn’t compare in size to some other stars. He said;
God has made a home in the heavens for the sun. It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding. It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race. The sun rises at one end of the heavens and follows its course to the other end. Nothing can hide from its heat. Psalm 19:4-6
Even on a cloudy day, we can’t hide from the effects of the sun. The same holds true with the laws of the Lord. We can’t escape their effects if we try to hide from them.
David described in detail the characteristics of God’s Word. He laid out four ways the Lord enhances our lives through His laws.
- The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul.
- The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
- The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart.
- The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. Psalm 19:7-8
Because of the benefits of God’s laws, we can see why David called them true and fair. Don’t view them as a hindrance to what we can’t do, but see them for their main purpose.
They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them. Psalm 19:10-11
The Laws of the Lord Help Us
The Apostle Paul mentioned in Romans that the law shows us when we sin. Therefore, we should desire the laws of the Lord more than anything else, including gold.
Am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.” Romans 7:7
God saved us by His grace, cleansing us through His Son Jesus. Sin, however, continues to sneak up on us. David called it lurking. The laws of the Lord direct us away from sin.
How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. Psalm 19:12-13
What does this mean? Should we study the laws of the Lord to be free of guilt and innocent of sin? Jesus informed a religious leader of the most important laws.
Jesus replied, ” ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew 22:37-38
Then our Lord condensed all of His laws, every one of them from the Old Testament, into those two laws.
The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:40
Our Demonstration of Love
In fact, we demonstrate our love for the Lord when we do what He wants us to do. In the fourteenth chapter of John, He said, “If you love me, obey my commandments.”
After writing about the importance and benefits of the laws of the Lord, David concluded with this commitment.
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14
Lord, thank you for the warnings in your laws that help us walk the straight and narrow. Also, for the Holy Spirit, during those times, we tend to veer off the path.
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