Psalm 119:4

"You have ordained Your precepts,

That we should keep them diligently."

 

Your precepts are not simply for our knowledge or interest, though they are truth and inexhaustibly interesting (Proverbs 2:1-5).  What is interesting (pun intended) is that they cannot be fully explored or enjoyed without walking in them, as vv. 1-3 bear out.  The word is supremely powerful and effective!  ‘Ordain’ is the Hebrew צָוָה, ṣāwāh: A verb meaning to order, to direct, to appoint, to command, to charge, to be ordered, to be commanded.  So we see here that ‘ordained’ speaks not merely to its purpose, but to its authority and power.  As an example of authority, see God’s first command to man in Genesis 2:16.  As to power, see Psalm 33:9, Psalm 148:5 where God commanded creation into existence, as He also commands the new creation into existence (2 Corinthians 4:6, 1 Peter 2:9-10).  Precepts is the Hebrew פִּקּוּד, piqqûḏ, פְּקוּדִים peqûḏiym: A masculine noun meaning precept, instruction. The root expresses the idea that God is paying attention to how He wants things ordered (see pāqaḏ [H6485]).  How He wants things ordered is how things should be done, for He is the King!  I noticed the obvious but profound truth in Ecclesiastes 8:4: ‘the word of the king is authoritative’.  His commands are not optional, merely the best advice available.   He is the one and only Sovereign!  1 Timothy 6:15.  ‘Diligently’ is the Hebrew מְאֹד, me’ōḏ: A substantive, adverb, or adjective in function, very, greatly, great, abundance; might, power.  How can I, a mere human, have the power to obey?  Here is the wonder of it all: the power is the word itself.  Hebrews 4:12, 1 Thessalonians 2:13.  Amazing. 

 

‘God's precepts require careful obedience: there is no keeping them by accident. Some give to God a careless service, a sort of hit or miss obedience, but the Lord has not commanded such service, nor will he accept it. His law demands the love of all our heart, soul, mind, and strength; and a careless religion has none of these…As a man diligent in business arouses himself to do as much trade as he can, so must we be eager to serve the Lord as much as possible. Nor must we spare pains to do so, for a diligent obedience will also be laborious and self-denying…So should we serve the Lord. Such a Master deserves diligent servants; such service he demands, and will be content with nothing less. How seldom do men render it, and hence many through their negligence miss the double blessing spoken of in this Psalm.’[1]


[1] Spurgeon, Charles Haddon, Treasury of David, on Psalm 119:4, e-Sword edition

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