Reading: Psalm 19
Verses 7 and 12: The Law of the Lord is perfect… forgive my hidden faults.
Our Psalm for today begins by recognizing how the natural world shines forth God. When one looks to the sky at night, one gains a sense of the vastness and power of God. As the sun moves across the sky, we can sense God’s perfect plan at work. The earth was placed at exactly the right distance from the sun – much closer or further and we could not have life on our planet. The sun is described as a bridegroom bringing light and heat to all. This is much like the Son who brings light and love to all.
In verse seven, the psalmist begins comparing God’s beautiful and perfect creation to God’s Law. He writes, “the Law of the Lord is perfect”, trustworthy, right, and radiant. The psslmists says the Law revives the soul, makes wise the simple, gives joy to the heart and light to the eyes. These ordinances of God are “sure” and “righteous” and are “sweeter than honey”. Reading all these descriptives the Law is much like the perfection and beauty of nature. It is a wonderful thing to keep and a great place to be. Verse eleven summarizes this: “By them is your servant warned, in keeping them there is great reward”. All who walk daily with the Lord know this is true.
Even though we live in the beauty and wonder of God’s creation and even though we know the law and have Jesus’ example, there are times when we choose to walk outside of God’s law and love. There are times we sin. In verse twelve we read, “forgive my hidden faults”. The next verse seeks protection from “willful sins”. Within the perfection of creation and beside God’s perfect law reside us humans. Just as the psalmist does, so too must we recognize our absolute need for God’s grace and forgiveness. Out of His perfect love God brought us Jesus Christ, so that through His perfect love we could be redeemed. Each day may we choose to stand upon our Rock, seeking God as we dwell imperfectly in His perfect love.