As those who lovingly sought God, the psalmists treasured the law of God. Psalm 119:14 says, “I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.” The psalmists treasured God’s testimony as their wealth. Psalm 119:72 continues, “The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.” Then in 119:127 the psalmist goes on to say, “Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.” These verses reveal that the psalmists not only loved God, but also treasured His law, which was to them the word of God and the testimony of God. They valued God’s law more than silver and gold. They treasured the word of God.
Psalm 119:103 says, “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth.” This verse indicates that the psalmists tasted the sweetness of the law. How precious to them was the sweet taste of the word of God!
The psalmists also hoped in the word of God, the law, and dwelt on it. Psalm 119:147 and 148 indicate this: “I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word. Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word.” Early in the morning, before dawn, the psalmists would hope in God’s word and dwell on it. By this we see that the psalmists enjoyed God’s word in the morning watch.
All these verses show that the psalmists were loving seekers of God. Spontaneously they were infused with God and lived out the law of God. The same should be true of us today. If we are infused with Christ, we shall live Christ. As the law was God’s word, so Christ, typified by the law, is the Word of God. As the psalmists loved God’s law, treasured it, tasted it, hoped in it, and meditated on it, so we today should love Christ, treasure Him, taste Him, hope in Him, and dwell on Him and even in Him. Far from being negative, the law as the living word of God is very positive.
Simeon and Anna were also among those who lovingly sought God. As they waited for Christ, the Holy Spirit was upon them (Luke 2:25). They also had the revelation of the Holy Spirit (Luke 2:26) and walked by the Spirit (Luke 2:27). Dwelling in the temple, they served God with fastings and prayers (Luke 2:37). They thus enjoyed God and received His infusion. Like the psalmists, they spontaneously lived the law of God, and their living corresponded to God’s expression. Because they had been infused with the substance of God, they could live a life which corresponded to the law as God’s expression.
Now we come to an altogether different category of people who dealt with God’s law, the Judaizers. When the law was in the hand of the psalmists, it was lovable. But when it was in the hand of the Judaizers, it became something negative. According to Matthew 15:8, the Judaizers did not have a heart for God. According to Galatians 6:12-13, they were legal and dogmatic in the letters of the law. How different they were from the psalmists, who loved God and had a heart for God! Because the psalmists were living and rich in the experience of God, they were not legal or dogmatic, as the Judaizers were.
Before he was saved, Saul of Tarsus was zealous for the law (Phil. 3:5-6). As a Judaizer, he was even a blasphemer of God and a persecutor of man (1 Tim. 1:13). When he was Saul the Judaizer, he did not truly love God. Instead, he was zealous for the law according to religious tradition. For this reason, when Saul was converted to Christ, he repudiated the law. Therefore Paul belittled the law misused by the Judaizers.