Read Psalm 19 at Bible Gateway.
The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;
The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. Psa 19:7-9
The words, law, testimony, statutes, commandment, fear, and judgments are all different words in Hebrew, but all refer collectively to the body of God’s instruction and teaching in righteousness and sin, found in Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament. David praises the excellency of the Torah, and by the Holy Spirit, exhorts us to desire His law, testimony, statutes, commandments, fear, and judgments more than fine gold!
The Torah is the foundation of the Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament), upon which the Prophets and the Writers depend. The Torah is perfect, sure, right, pure, clean, and true. In keeping them there is great reward – conversion (in Hebrew, bringing to repentance), making wise, bringing joy and enlightenment!
One of the rewards of keeping the Torah is not salvation, but its rewards are many and great none the less.
Notice that the fear of the LORD is included among the law, testimony, statutes, commandment, and judgments. In the Hebraic worldview, those who fear (reverence) the LORD also keep His law, testimony, statutes, commandments, and judgments. Those who fear the LORD do so because they know that God keeps His word, and He has promised blessings for obedience upon those who keep His word, and curses for disobedience upon those who do not keep His word (Deu 28). They are afraid of receiving curses for disobedience, therefore they fear the LORD and obey Him. In other words, those who fear the LORD, believe what He says – they are believers – and because they believe, they keep His word, i.e., they obey law, testimonies, statutes, commandments, and judgments.
Now those who love and keep the LORD’s Torah are not sinless – who can perceive his errors? – but sinlessness is not God’s purpose for Torah keeping. If the Torah was able to make sinless, then it would not have prophesied of the Messiah who would save by grace. However, as pure- hearted children, we obey our Father because we love Him, and our obedience delights, satisfies, and pleases Him (the Hebrew for acceptable in Psa 19:14).
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