LAMED. Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides. They continue this day according to Your ordinances, for all are Your servants. Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction. I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have given me life. I am Yours, save me; for I have sought Your precepts. The wicked wait for me to destroy me, but I will consider Your testimonies. I have seen the consummation of all perfection, but Your commandment is exceedingly broad.

In last week’s article, we noted the heavy measure of affliction which the Psalmist endured. Even amidst this weight of trial, the writer here gives great words of praise and trust to the Lord. Indeed, the Word of God is settled in heaven from everlasting. The promise of comfort, of victory, of eternal life has existed from before time, and has always belonged to those who would faithfully follow the Lord. The Lord’s promises and faithful fulfilment of the same falls upon the faithful in the Lord of all generation, He is as much a faithful God and Father to us today as He was to Abraham, David, Paul, and countless other servants of God.

As he praises the Lord, the writer acknowledges Him as creator of both heaven and earth. He has settled and established them. On account of His care, the earth continues to abide. Not only is the Lord the creator, He is the sustainer. Men rise each morning and conduct themselves through each day because the Lord has allowed it to be. Friend, do you see how encompassing the sovereignty of God is? He is in control. The world and all who are in it are His. This is great consolation for the child of God, for our Father, our God, is in control. That certainly doesn’t mean nothing bad will happen to us — recall, the context of these words is amidst persecutions — but we can endure, we can persevere, we will overcome, for the Lord is with us.

How important is God’s law to His people? The writer confesses to the Lord, “Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction.” When troublesome times come, what do the people of the world have to support them? Where do they go to receive comfort? What assurance do they have that all will work out fine? On more than one occasion, I have heard people who are outside of Christ express how desperate life is, that it’s not worth living, that they wish it would just end. Some people, expressing these types of things, end up taking their own lives. Granted, there can be circumstances in life which are disheartening; at times, the weights of life can load heavily upon us. Let me say bluntly, those who do not have Christ have nothing of substance to sustain them in difficulties. The Christian however, has the comfort of God’s word. We have the support and attention of the Lord Himself! And through His promises, He has assured us that all will work out. The apostle Paul wrote, “...we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28). Rather than fretting over the hardships we go through, we should, trusting in the Lord’s word, stand in awe at how God is working such things for our own benefit. It is a completely different disposition when one is in relationship with the Lord.

To the believer, the word of God is life. Every precept is designed by God for our eternal benefit. It is God’s handbook for man on how to live this life, that we might attain to the next life. Remove God’s word from the child of God, and you remove his life source. The Psalmist boldly declares, “I will never forget Your precepts...” In another place, it is written, “...Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee...” (119:11). We must ever cling to each statute the Lord has given to us, they are for our benefit, for our learning, for our life.

What shall we do when our enemies have encompassed us? How shall we react when they lie in wait, seeking to bring destruction upon us? The writer again declares his intention to always appeal to the law of God. Let the wicked do what they will do, but as for the child of God, may his conduct always be fashioned according to the will of God. When the wicked spitefully use us, we must react as the Lord gives command. When evil men mistreat us and lash out at us, our response is to be directed by the council of God. Our place is not to take vengeance, but to humbly serve our God. He shall defend us, He shall supply our needs, He shall give us the victory.

In the final verse of our text today, the writer says, “I have seen the consummation of all perfection, but Your commandment is exceedingly broad.” Young’s Literal Translation renders this, “Of all perfection I have seen an end, broad is Thy command – exceedingly!” Though I do not recommend the Bible In Basic English as a text for one to use in daily Bible study, perhaps it adequately captures the thought of the writer here. Notice, “I have seen that nothing on earth is complete; but your teaching is very wide.” Earthly things always come to a close, a consummation, or have borders and limits so far as time. Even the best of things this world has to offer fail, for they will inevitably have an end. However, God’s law is not so. His commandment is “exceedingly broad!” That is, His law is without end, without a border of time, it is infinite and eternal. The apostle Peter wrote, we have been “...born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.” (1 Peter 1:23). The Greek word rachab, which is translated “broad” also carries with it the idea of liberty. God’s word is that which will make free; nothing supplied by man is capable of such. Only God can supply the means whereby we have true freedom, and notice, it is “exceedingly” so!

What a wonderful God we serve. He lifts us up in sorrows, He protects us in trials, He bolsters our faith through the life-giving word, He showers blessings and promises upon us! Let us serve the Lord, regardless of the circumstances which surround us – He will be faithful!

Click here for this week's Answering The Atheist
PART 2 – Is lying wrong? Some verses seem to approve lying, while others seem to condemn it. This week we will look at 1 Kings 22:21-23 and 2 Kings 8:10. Is there a contradiction?