Let us again look at Psalm 19, and this time verses 9 and 10 where we will not only find four more dynamic powers of the Holy Bible, but also a few surprises. We will also see the power that activates the other powers.

All that the Holy Bible has that points to Eternal Life which can be activated in our lives by the Word of God Himself. Psalm 19:7-10 gives us eight facets of God's Word that will give us dynamic spiritual power when we commit to God through Christ and live by the Holy Spirit. We saw four of those powers in a previous article that covered verses 7 and 8 {1}. Here are four more from verses 9 and 10.

 

I. Enduring 9a (American King James Version, AKJV*)

 

The fear of YHVH (The Existing One) is clean, enduring for ever:

 

Admonitions and encouragement to fear YHVH are throughout the Holy Bible. Without this dynamic power none of the others will work to their fullness.

And the fear of YHVH stands in contrast with the fear of man mentioned in the Holy Scriptures. Psalm 27:1 states, “YHVH (The Existing One) is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? YHVH (The Existing One) is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?”

 

In most phrases that state “. . . fear of YHVH (The Existing One)” the word “fear” means {2} “to fear from an apprehension of danger and a sense of our own weakness, joined therefore with trembling . . . to be timorous; to fear, venerate, religiously reverence . . .”. I sense from this definition given by William Wilson that each person needs to keep a very humble attitude before God.

 

James Strong {3} expresses the meaning of the word as “fear (of God), respect, reverence, piety”. Thus, we are admonished and encouraged from God's Word to respect God first and foremost, including as to what authority you lean upon and refer to. Far too many Christians in making a point refer to individuals, thoughts of society, and areas like science or philosophy as if what God says does not matter. However, we must reverence God first and foremost. Reverence shown to others must be based upon the written Word of God and directed by His Holy Spirit.

 

“Is clean” means “pure, clean, clean (ceremonially-of animals)”, and “. . . clean (morally, ethically). In regard to ceremonially clean animals I must devotionally think of spiritual discernment. In regard to purity, Wilson mentions clean teeth for an example in part of his definition, but what he has could be condensed to say free from all impurity.

 

“Enduring” can mean “stand upright, remain standing . . . remain, continue, abide, endure, persist, be steadfast. “Stand” reminds me that the ungodly will not stand in the judgment (Psalm 1:5), and God's judgments are about to be spoken of in this verse. And, simply the fact that the fear of YHVH within us will endure forever should be encouragement enough to reverence Him.

 

And the fear of God should lead us to the mercy of God. This, in turn, should give us a “saving” fear of God which should develop into pure love for Him – a love for Him that cleans the sin out of our life! So, the true disciple will put into action passages like verses 11 to 14 of Psalm 19. The mercy of God is available because Christ was righteous, and righteous to where He paid our penalty to declare, and to make, us righteous before the Father.

 

II. Enforcement 9b

 

The judgments of YHVH (The Existing One) are true and righteous altogether.

 

While “judgments” in this sentence could rightfully be translated as “ordinances”, as I look at the flow of the passage it is more likely enforcement. The fear of YHVH should move us to appropriate action and portions of verses 11 to 14 show enforcement in a true Christian's life. The word can mean, “justice, . . . the act of deciding a case . . . sentence, decision (of judgment), . . . execution (of judgment)”.

 

The force of the word “altogether” at the end of the sentence indicates complete unity between “true” and “righteous”, but we still need to look at the meanings of both in this sentence.

 

True means “firmness, faithfulness, truth, . . . sureness, reliability, . . . stability, continuance, truth as a body of ethical or religious knowledge, true doctrine”. Wilson also has “. . . constancy in oneself in keeping and executing one's promise . . . “. Much can be devotionally said on each of these descriptions, but one thing I will state at the moment is that be absolutely sure that God will execute judgment in all lives and in every matter. “Righteous” in this context means God has “a just cause, is in the right, and is justified” in all of His judgments.

 

Here are some prime judgments of God:

 

• The unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9).

 

• No one is righteous (Romans 3:10) and all have sinned (Romans 3:23).

 

• Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins (Hebrews 9:22).

 

With just these three judgments we see all of mankind {6} is in a most dismal shape and each person faces damnation unless there is some sort of remedy. After Adam and Eve sinned (Genesis 3), YHVH God clothed them with animal skin to cover their nakedness. We might assume that in order to clothe Adam and Eve that YHVH had demonstrated a sacrifice before them. This, coupled with His statement to satan {7} recorded in Genesis 3:15 that the seed of the woman would crush his head, indicated that God would provide the all sufficient remedy.

 

Animal sacrifice to YHVH was then instituted. Though the Word of God indicated that it would not actually remove sin, it pointed to the time when the proper propitiation would be made. Again, without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins (Hebrews 9:22). Here, “remission” means, “release from bondage or imprisonment” and “forgiveness or pardon, of sins (letting them go as if they had never been committed), remission of the penalty”. But not only would such a propitiation be made, a whole new start would be provided for Hebrews 10:5 notes, “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me.”

 

The Holy Scriptures indicate {8} that Jesus Christ was all man and all God (hence, He is termed “the Son of God” and “the Son of man”). God subsists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with the foundation of the salvation provided for all being the victorious life and the ultimately atoning death {9} the Son, along with Christ's resurrection and ascension. Jesus Christ bridges the gap between man and God because He is all God and all man.

 

Every sin of every person that ever lived was actually given to Christ while on the cross. As a result, the wrath of the Father came upon Him, the very wrath we were to rightfully receive. Because of His atonement for our sins, passages like Colossians 1:14 declare that in Christ, the beloved Son, “. . . we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Christ paid our penalty in full, but in order to receive salvation we must surrender to God through Christ.

 

With that in mind, let us return to the start of the passage that I used for this message, that start being the first part of verse 7: “The law of YHVH is perfect, restoring the soul.” Along with what I have already had from Strong on the definition for the Hebrew word for “restoring” he has it can also mean, “to bring back, make requital, pay (as recompense)”.

 

Not only did Christ pay the full penalty for our sins, but He fulfilled the righteousness that the Law of YHVH required in OBEDIENCE, fulfilling the written Word and making alive its principles in His own person. Therefore, it is written in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

 

Therefore the disciple of Christ is bound by the judgments of YHVH, such as, but not limited to Romans 8:2, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death” and 6:14, “For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”

 

This is a great and glorious salvation! However, it must be received into one's life (John 1:12). All who do not surrender to the salvation of YHVH in Christ will face the true and righteous judgment of damnation because they are already condemned (John 3:18). As it is written (Hebrews 2:3), “how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?”

 

III. Enriching 10a

 

More to be desired are they than gold, yes, than much fine gold:

 

Pow! Up to this point we have seen contrasts between Psalm 19:7-10 and Genesis 3:6. Not here. “To be desired” is the very same word the Holy Spirit used in regard to the tree of knowledge: “the tree was desirable to make one wise.”

 

You have a choice: Eat the perishable fruits of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, or of the cross of Christ (termed “tree” in Galatians 3:13) whereby you will have both real life and spiritual fruit, now and for eternity. You have a choice -- man's wisdom from man's word or God's wisdom from God's Word. Which is more important to you, God's Word or material wealth?

 

“To be desirable” denotes a state of being each disciple of Christ should have and nourish. Develop a desire for the Word of God, always keep it, and always increase it. Wilson {10} states the word here means “to desire strongly; to take delight in”. Many have trouble at first to really enjoy the Word of God. If that is the case, sincerely ask God to help you to love it, and keep reading it whether you feel like it or not. Also, increase your love for God through worship of Him, and eventually you will develop a love for the written Word.

 

“Are they” points to all the aspects of the Word of God from verses 7 to 9, viz., the law of God, testimony of God, the statutes of God, commandment of God, the fear of God, the judgments of God. Every aspect of the Word of God ought to be most desirous in our lives.

 

“They” are contrasted with gold, a lot of it and very much refined. When we surrender to God through Christ we become spiritually alive and we realize the things of God and not of this world are most valuable. The Word of God exposes us to the tested pure life of Christ which can be in us if we fully yield to Him. Gold does not last forever, but Eternal Life, the Life of Christ, does.

 

IV. Empowering 10b

 

sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

 

All the aspects of the Word of God mentioned in verses 7 to 9 are contrasted with the sweetness of honey and a honeycomb. Wilson notes the Hebrew word for “sweeter” here is derived from a word that means “to suck as a child”, “Hence to feed upon with relish.” Although “desire” is not used in this last clause, I must think of 1 Peter 2:2-3, “like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.” All the aspects of the Word of God must be sweeter to us than all the sweet things this world has to offer, including spouse, children, grandchildren, friends and all else.

 

Two words meaning “honeycomb” conclude the verse and most translations I have seen translate them together as one word. The first is “nopheth” (no’-feth) and means “flowing honey, honey from the comb, a dropping down, honey, honeycomb”. The second is tsuwph (tsoof) and means {12} “honey spontaneously flowing from the comb; or comb, honeycomb, from which it flows.”

 

When I see the word “honeycomb” I must think of its structure of cells of honey. Devotionally that can speak to me of things like one's work, religion or personal life. No matter how sweet those things might be to us, all the aspects of God's Word and our loving obedience to them ought to be the sweetest. The two words to double the enticing sight of a juicy honeycomb indicate we should desire the Eternal Life of God's Word over everything this life (bios) has to offer.

 

It is written in Psalm 119:103, “How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Natural honey gives natural energy – God's Word gives us the energy to Christ's life now. Natural honey will help sustain our body, but the Word of God and all its aspects can give us real vibrant life, now and for eternity!

 

About The Lead Picture

 

The lead picture for this article features a minister of the Gospel of Christ preaching and holding a Holy Bible. The minister pictured is brother John Lichi who has since graduated to glory. The picture was taken during an “Agape Fest” held Sunday, February 14, 2010 in the meeting room of the Dorchester County Public Library (Cambridge) by Cornerstone Assembly Independent Pentecostal, Cambridge, Maryland, United States of America.

 

Notes:

 

{1} Please see Dynamic Powers Of God’s Word -- Part 1 at https://newsandsociety.expertscolumn.com/dynamic-powers-of-gods-word-part-1 .

 

{2} Wilson, William: Wilson's Old Testament Word Studies (MacDonald Publishing Company, McLean, VA) p159

 

{3} From an electronic version of Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance by James Strong incorporated in the Online Bible program, and so throughout the article whenever the ancient language is referred to and no other authority is cited.

 

{4} Wilson p78 {5} Wilson p456

 

{6} Used in the proper traditional sensible sense, denoting all people, male and female. I could not care less about being politically correct.

 

{7} Not capitalized on purpose. Experts Column gives me the freedom to express myself in that way.

 

{8} There is actually a host of Holy Scriptures that show Jesus Christ is YHVH God in our flesh. For starters, please see Eight Passages That Plainly Show The Deity Of Christ at https://newsandsociety.expertscolumn.com/eight-passages-that-plainly-show-the-deity-of-christ and The Deity Of Christ Proved By The Attributes Of God at https://newsandsociety.expertscolumn.com/the-deity-of-christ-proved-by-the-attributes-of-god . Now I have a “hankering” to write more articles on this!

 

{9} The Word of God clearly shows that death is not cessation of existence. Please read You Still Exist After Death at http://sapphirestreams.com/T/You%20Still%20Exist%20After%20Death.pdf  (PDF) or http://sapphirestreams.com/T/You%20Still%20Exist%20After%20Death.rtf (RTF).

 

{10} Wilson p118           {11} Wilson p432           {12} Wilson p221

 

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Unless otherwise noted all Holy Scripture is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) changing LORD to YHVH as it rightly should be when the text so indicates and adding “(The Existing One)” to readily express the meaning of His Name without making repeated explanations in articles. * = For other versions the spelling of some words is updated for our time in addition to changing LORD to YHVH as it rightly should be when the text so indicates. Usage of the NASB does not mean I condone the entire work of the NASB. I use the NASB in articles partly because its Copyright directives are less cumbersome than those of the New King James.

 

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