This message continues the “day” aspect of the law. In fact, we may even say that we have come to the “noontime,” for, as we shall see, through the law as God’s living word we have the enjoyment of God Himself as our portion. To be sure, this is the highlight of all the blessings we receive through the living Word of God.
In Psalm 119 the psalmist uses different expressions to refer to the law. One of these terms is the testimony, or the testimonies (vv. 88, 24). The law is God’s testimony. As the testimony of God, the law describes God and presents a picture of what He is like. A law is always a testimony, or expression, of the person who makes the law. For example, if bank robbers could make laws, they would no doubt legalize the robbing of banks. A law is always the expression of the legislator. In like manner, the law given by God on Mount Horeb is the testimony of God as the divine Law-giver. God’s law is His portrait. As the expression of God, the law shows us what kind of God He is. This is the reason the word testimony is used in the Old Testament with respect to the law. The Ten Commandments inscribed on two stone tablets were called the testimony (Exo. 34:29; 31:18; 32:15). Because these tablets were placed in the ark, the ark was called the ark of testimony (Exo. 25:22; 30:6). Furthermore, the tabernacle in which the ark was located was called the tabernacle of testimony (Exo. 38:21).
Other terms for the law in Psalm 119 are statutes, ordinances, precepts, and judgments. The law truly judges us. Apart from God’s law, there is no yardstick of judgment. The law tells what is right and what is wrong, what is of God and what is not of God, what is for God and what is not for God. As the law judges, it measures and exposes. It also accuses and excuses, justifies and condemns. For all these reasons, the law is called God’s judgments.
According to verse 91, the law is also called God’s ordinances. Ordinances are regulations or rules. For example, in the city where you live there are ordinances about where you may park your car and where parking is prohibited. Every city has its own ordinances. Likewise, the law is the divine ordinances.
In Psalm 119 the law is also called God’s statutes (v. 12). Each of the commandments is a statute.
The psalmist also referred to the law as God’s precepts (v. 4). A precept is instruction given as a proverb in which people are taught concerning their behavior.
In the foregoing message we covered ten aspects of the blessing received by the loving seekers of God through His law as His living word: enlightenment, life supply, watering, restoration, deliverance, strength, comfort, nourishment, upholding, and safeguard. The first blessing we receive is that of enlightenment (119:130, 105; 19:8b). If our condition is right when we come to the Word of God, we shall enter into a realm of light and thus be enlightened. Then we shall receive the life supply and experience the watering. These three items go together and bring in restoration, deliverance, strength, comfort, nourishment, upholding, and safeguard. This sequence is according to spiritual experience, not according to doctrine.
We praise the Lord that the word spoken by God has been written and printed. The invention of the printing press was for the distribution of the Word of God. Millions of copies of the Scriptures have been printed and circulated around the world. Although the Bible is so available, whether or not we receive blessing from it depends on our condition. As we have pointed out, we need a proper heart. If our heart is proper when we come to the Word, we shall enter into the realm of light. God is light (1 John 1:5), and this light is consolidated in the Word. This means that the Word of God is the embodiment of God as the divine light. This is the reason verse 130 says, “The entrance of thy words giveth light.” Because the Word of God is light, the entrance, the opening, of the Word gives light. Actually, there should be no need for us to say that we receive light from the Bible concerning certain points. We should enter into a sphere of light and not just receive a particular kind of light.
Light brings in life. However, it is also true that life brings light. It is difficult to say which comes first, life or light. According to the Old Testament, light comes before life (Gen. 1:3). But according to the New Testament, life precedes light (John 1:4). Although we may not be able to say accurately which comes first in our experience, we know that as long as we have the one, we also have the other. We have light and life, and then the life supply becomes water. As we have seen, light, life, and watering bring in many other blessings.