I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me. My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.
- Psalm 119:19-20
These comments relate to us today.
We, like David, are also strangers in the earth. It’s is an interesting statement from this Old Testament warrior. David understood how different his heart was from those around him; how different his thoughts and passions were; how different the pinnacle of his love was.
His soul breaketh, not for riches or fame, but to understand the Lord’s judgments. His desire was to be taught by the Lord about how His divine judgments work and to see them operating in his world.
When our soul breaks like David's we are in a state of deep desire for something.
What is in the Lord’s judgments that created so much passion in David? Psalm 19:9 says, “the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.”
In today’s world, it is difficult to find true legislation, as it is drafted by lawyers and can mean the opposite of how it reads.
Exodus 21:1 shows us what judgments God put before the Israelites to create the unity, equity, and sense of community that was so needed after their experiences in Egypt — the very same judgments David seeks.
Until Mt Sinai and the giving of the Law, the Israelites in Egypt lived under similar laws to what we have today; laws of wickedness with mere inklings of goodness, and very oppressive toward righteousness. Laws honouring other gods. With their new freedom came God himself sharing His judgments with them — how He would judge if He were human, “Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them.” That is why the Law of the Lord is perfect (for its duty) converting the soul (Psalm 19).
Deuteronomy 6:20-21 says, "And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord our God hath commanded you? Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt; and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand:"
We often don't grasp the deep yearning in our souls for righteous statutes and judgments, because we have not yet lived in a world that has them. All we have is that imaginary world in our minds of when we might be able to implement God’s opinions into society.
God rescued the Israelites from Egypt, but what was the worst thing they had to endure in that corrupted country? The uneven laws and the self-absorbed judgments of Pharaoh; judgments which changed daily upon the wave of his hand. They were rescued from those ever-moving pseudo laws to righteous judgments which never change. Judgments that could be relied upon for equity, truth and longevity.
Presently, we live in an Egypt-type world where anti-God decisions are made. Where legislation is hastily drafted and seems to be ever-changing by degrees toward wickedness. We live righteously in an unrighteous world.
Envisage living righteously in a righteous world, where a believer’s heart is aligned with all legislation. Where everyone up and down the street follows the same God and believe the same rules. Where the leaders lead in righteousness and major legislation is altered very little. Where judges could be trusted to deliver judgments according to the law we would all know and understand. Where honesty is demanded by all members of society, and the few wicked are punished quickly and properly, stamping out repeat offending.
When we comprehend the wonders of God’s judgments, statutes and laws, our own souls yearn like David’s for the day we can experience the supernatural elements contained within them.
Today’s prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for the beauty contained in your law, and the undercurrent of safety for all followers. Thank you for the relief those few obedient Israelites experienced when they were given your laws to replace those of Egypt. Please help me desire your judgments as keenly as David did.
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