Thu, Feb 14, 2008
Submit Gladly to the Law
This is one of my favorite Psalms. When I first Read it, I didn't understand it--or at least, I didn't understand all of it very well. On the surface it seems simple enough, but very disjointed. The author jumps around from topic to topic in what could be construed as a rambling mess. Verses 1 – 6 contain descriptions of the natural world. 7 – 11 switch to describe how good is the law of the Lord. But then the Psalm changes dramatically to convey a lamenting, remorseful tone in 12 & 13, before closing with a prayer in verse 14.
During the first few times I read it, I didn't understand how the different sections related to each other. Eventually, it dawned on me. If you read it like a stream of consciousness, the Psalm conveys a powerful message. It uses a tangible example to persuade the audience on the great benefits of following God's law.
Read the Psalm again and notice how, in the first section, the Psalmist describes the beauty of the world around us. Each part of nature has a role to play, a job to fulfill; & each part completes the task joyfully. "The sun,/ like a champion rejoic[es] to run his course." Nature is an example of God's law working as intended. The beauty of a waterfall, the joy of birds singing, the majesty of the mountains are all examples of the peace and harmony found in honoring the law of God.
Following this section, the Psalmist explains that "The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy" "the commands of the Lord are radiant." If there's any question of this, look to the world around you. Are the fields and the lilies not beautiful? The whole world is subject to the law of God, and nature has no choice but to adhere to it.
As I mentioned earlier, the shift in verse 12 didn't make a whole lot of sense to me initially. But looking at it in this context—reading it as a stream of consciousness that follows naturally from the previous sections—brings meaning to the Psalm as a whole. It seems reasonable to me that after meditating on how well the natural world honors the law of God, the Psalmist would feel condemned by the tragic actions of man. When it comes to the law, the primary difference between nature and man is free will. Man has been created with a choice to follow or ignore the law of God. There is abundant evidence that we repeatedly choose to ignore it. Because of this, we often harm ourselves and others. Man hates, murders, lusts, covets and steals. Man is greedy. Man is vicious. The realization of this difference causes the Psalmist to plead for his forgiveness. He begs to be absolved of both his "hidden faults" and "willful sins."
Certainly we can be kind from time to time. It is in precisely those moments when we see the great benefits of following the law of God.
During the first few times I read it, I didn't understand how the different sections related to each other. Eventually, it dawned on me. If you read it like a stream of consciousness, the Psalm conveys a powerful message. It uses a tangible example to persuade the audience on the great benefits of following God's law.
Read the Psalm again and notice how, in the first section, the Psalmist describes the beauty of the world around us. Each part of nature has a role to play, a job to fulfill; & each part completes the task joyfully. "The sun,/ like a champion rejoic[es] to run his course." Nature is an example of God's law working as intended. The beauty of a waterfall, the joy of birds singing, the majesty of the mountains are all examples of the peace and harmony found in honoring the law of God.
Following this section, the Psalmist explains that "The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy" "the commands of the Lord are radiant." If there's any question of this, look to the world around you. Are the fields and the lilies not beautiful? The whole world is subject to the law of God, and nature has no choice but to adhere to it.
As I mentioned earlier, the shift in verse 12 didn't make a whole lot of sense to me initially. But looking at it in this context—reading it as a stream of consciousness that follows naturally from the previous sections—brings meaning to the Psalm as a whole. It seems reasonable to me that after meditating on how well the natural world honors the law of God, the Psalmist would feel condemned by the tragic actions of man. When it comes to the law, the primary difference between nature and man is free will. Man has been created with a choice to follow or ignore the law of God. There is abundant evidence that we repeatedly choose to ignore it. Because of this, we often harm ourselves and others. Man hates, murders, lusts, covets and steals. Man is greedy. Man is vicious. The realization of this difference causes the Psalmist to plead for his forgiveness. He begs to be absolved of both his "hidden faults" and "willful sins."
Certainly we can be kind from time to time. It is in precisely those moments when we see the great benefits of following the law of God.
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