Psalm 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
David was directed by God to make an interesting transition here in this Psalm. The opening verses talk of the heavens. Man has been trying to mess around with God’s creation for years. Man has tried to interfere with weather patterns that God has put in place. There are some horrific accounts of the disaster that “scientists” have caused because they have tried to defy God’s laws of nature. God does allow man to think he is smart for a time. He also shows man that he is very limited and very short sighted in his efforts. The sad reality is that most people are too proud to reflect on their actions and acknowledge they were wrong.
God shows us in the heavens that He is in charge and that man cannot fundamentally change what God has made. The sun still shines and it will shine until God stops it. The firmament will be in place for the same time. Man will still be able to breathe the air and the rain will still fall from the sky until God says it is no longer needed. God will not only change this earth, but He will destroy it by fire in the future. He will create a new heavens and a new earth.
Having shown us His control over this entity that we can observe and study, God now shows us another aspect of His design that is of critical importance.
The devil started tampering with God’s Word back in the Garden of Eden. Man foolishly picked up on this evil plan and over the centuries man has tampered with God’s Word. We have many perversions of the Word of God on the market today. God’s Word was never designed to be something that man should profit from. God’s Word is far too precious to put a dollar figure on it. It is true that there are costs to print God’s Word. However, those costs are not reflected in some of the high prices set on some Bibles. Then there are the many perversions which are sold solely for human profiting. They do nothing to minister to the need of the soul of man. Just because some people like the way a certain perversion reads, does not mean it is good for their soul.
As we look at the next several verses God is going to use different descriptive words to describe His Word. He began here with the word “law”. The Hebrew word translated as “law” here speaks of a “precept or statute.” It refers to something that is absolute and unchangeable.
In the days of Daniel, the Medes and the Persians had a rule that their laws could not be altered. King Darius found out just how foolish that law was. He agreed to a very foolish law that was developed by his advisors. He sentenced Daniel, the only wise counsellor he had, to death by cruel death in a lions’ den. King Darius did not know that God was able to intervene and protect Daniel from a very evil and unjust law. King Darius and his foolish advisors learned an important lesson. God’s law supersedes human laws.
God’s law is perfect. We would be wise to pay attention to that fact. There is no need for the many perversions today. They do not improve at all on God’s law. In fact, they seek to weaken God’s law. They create confusion and cause people to mistrust God’s Word. The multiplicity of perversions and the false doctrines they promote have done much harm, and no good. There is a perversion designed to suit the wants of many lost people who want to justify their sin.
The J.Ws prefer the NIV over the KJV because it is closer to their false doctrines. Those who want to find support for divorce and remarriage also find the NIV and many other perversions to be very helpful to their cause. The sodomites also like the perversions because they greatly distort what God says about that wicked lifestyle.
David was told to write that the law of the Lord is perfect. The word translated as “perfect” means “entire”. You cannot improve on perfect. There is nothing missing and there is nothing that needs to be re-written to make it more understandable. God’s Word is perfect for all generations. God’s Word addresses every need that man has in any generation. There have been many “counselling” books written over the years. Some have been revised and others have been debunked. The only complete counselling book we need is the Bible. It addresses every need that man has.
The design of God’s law is to convert the soul. The word translated as “convert” means “turn back”. Adam sinned against God and he needed to turn back to God. Cain sinned against God and he needed to turn back to God. Cain chose not to listen to God and he did not turn back to God. Noah and his family were blessed in listening to God’s law. Those outside of the ark chose not to listen and they perished. The solution to every problem that man faces is properly addressed when the soul of man is converted. When a person is turned back to God, he or she will be directed to walk in the right way. He or she will then be able to put in place those actions needed to fix the mess they have created by wrong choices.
God also tells us that His testimony is sure. We do not need to second guess what God says. Proud people doubt what God says. Peter doubted Jesus’ declaration in Matthew 16. Peter tried to interfere with Jesus’ purpose in coming to this earth. Jesus rebuked him and addressed him as Satan. Peter was acting in the manner that the devil would act.
When a person is saved and takes God’s Word as the sure word that it is, It will make that person wise. It is amazing what we can see when we take God at His Word. It is amazing how “complex” human problems have such straight forward solutions when we take God at His Word. He knows all things.
God told Noah to build an ark to the saving of his family. The world was steeped in wickedness at that time. Noah was a righteous man who had been seeking to live a godly life in the midst of a wicked world. His sons were living in that same wicked world. They were not caught up in that wickedness. God had the answer. The rest of the world did not want to listen. God would provide the way for Noah and his immediate family to be saved out of this mess. God would resettle them in a somewhat cleaned up world. His way was the only solution that would work. Noah listened and obeyed. He was given the opportunity to start fresh without all the wickedness that was permeating the world. Noah soon proved that his own heart was not where it needed to be. God continued to show man that His way is the only way that works. He has been showing us through the ages that His way is the only way.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
We cannot come to the Father for help except we come through Jesus Christ. We cannot know God’s wisdom except we come through Jesus Christ. We cannot enter heaven except through Jesus Christ. It is through believing God’s Word that we learn this and so many other important truths.
Life is not complicated. God judged Adam when he sinned. God also provided the way for Adam to be forgiven. Adam’s descendants have been given all we need to know the true God and walk in peace. We need to listen to God’s law. We need to submit to Him and be converted. Then our hearts and our eyes will be opened to see the truth.
Pastor Bartel
