Scripture Reading: Psa. 119
Ⅰ
Christ is the reality of the law:
A
Christ is the reality of the law as the testimony of God, signifying Christ as the living portrait of what God is—Col. 2:9; 1:19.
B
Christ is the reality of the law as the word of God, signifying Christ as the living word of God breathed out by Him—Rev. 19:13b; 2 Tim. 3:16-17.
Ⅱ
There are two aspects of the law—the aspect of the letter and the aspect of the Spirit—2 Cor. 3:6.
Ⅲ
There are two aspects of the function of the law:
A
The law has a negative aspect:
１
As God's commandments, the law exposes man's sin—Rom. 7:7b; 3:20b; 5:20a; 4:15b.
２
As God's regulations with statutes, ordinances, and rituals, the law functioned to guard God's chosen people in its custody that they might be conducted to Christ—Gal. 3:23-24.
B
The law has a positive aspect:
１
As God's living testimony, the law functions to minister the living God to His seekers—Psa. 119:2, 88.
２
As God's living word, the law functions to dispense God's life and light into those who love the law—vv. 25, 116, 130.
Ⅳ
There are two kinds of people in relation to the law:
A
The first kind is the letter-keepers, illustrated by the Judaizers and Saul of Tarsus—Phil. 3:6b, 2.
B
The second kind is the God-seekers, illustrated by the psalmists, especially by the writer of Psalm 119:
１
They seek God with all their heart—v. 2.
２
They love God's name and remember it—vv. 132, 55.
３
They entreat God's face—v. 58.
４
They ask for God's face to shine on them—v. 135.
５
They walk in God's presence—v. 168.
６
They consider God's law to be God's word—vv. 17-18, 28-29.
７
God's word is sweeter than honey to their mouth—v. 103.
８
God's word is more precious than fine gold to them—v. 127.
９
God's word is a lamp to their feet and a light to their path—vv. 105, 130.
Ⅴ
Psalm 119 expresses the attitude of the God-seekers toward God's law as God's testimony and God's word:
A
They choose God's word—vv. 30, 173.
B
They believe God's word—v. 66.
C
They lift up their hand to God's word—v. 48a.
D
They love God's word—vv. 47-48, 97, 113, 119, 127, 140, 159, 163, 165, 167.
E
They delight in God's word—vv. 16, 24, 35, 47, 70, 77, 92, 174.
F
They taste God's word—v. 103.
G
They rejoice in God's word—vv. 14, 111, 162.
H
They sing God's word—v. 54.
I
They regard God's word—v. 6.
J
They have a perfect heart in God's word—v. 80.
K
They incline their heart to God's word—v. 36.
L
They seek God's word (vv. 45, 94), long for it (vv. 20, 40, 131), and hope in it with prayer (vv. 43, 74, 114, 147).
M
They trust in God's word—v. 42.
N
They muse on God's word—vv. 15, 23, 48, 78, 99, 148.
O
They consider God's word—v. 95b.
P
They esteem God's word to be right in all things—v. 128a.
Q
They learn God's word—vv. 73, 71.
R
They treasure God's word—vv. 14, 162, 72, 127, 111.
S
They treasure up God's word in their heart—v. 11.
T
They remember God's word and do not forget it—v.v. 52, 93.
U
They stand in awe of God's word—vv. 161b, 120.
V
They cling to God's word—v. 31.
W
They do not forsake God's word, do not swerve from it, do not turn aside from it, and do not stray from it—vv. 87, 51, 157, 102, 110.
Ⅹ
They turn their feet toward God's word—v. 59.
Y
They keep, observe, and do God's word—vv. 33, 69.
Z
They walk in God's word and run the way of God's word—vv. 1, 32a.