Page 57 - The Poetic Books - Student Text

Later psalms underscore the essential nature of Torah for living a righteous life. “The law of the LORD is
perfect, refreshing the soul (Ps, 19:7).” For the righteous “the law of their God is in their hearts; their
feet do not slip (Ps. 37:31).” “I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart (Ps. 40:8).”
Blessedness comes from being taught by God’s Torah (Ps. 94:12). The purpose of God in bringing Israel
out of Egypt and giving them the land was “that they might keep his precepts and observe his laws (Ps.
105:45).” The fullest picture of a righteous person keeping God’s Torah comes in Psalm 119, the longest
of all psalms, where Torah appears 25x. “The Psalm begins: “Blessed are those whose ways are
blameless, who walk according to the law [Torah] of the LORD (119:1-8).” Almost at the end a ringing
testimony is given. “I long for your salvation, LORD, and your law [Torah] gives me delight (119:174).”

We can understand this opening emphasis on the law of God guiding us to the righteousness that God
requires for a full life. We do not want to wander into wickedness and end up chaff. We need God’s
instructions. This is serious stuff affecting every aspect of life. Even small variations from what is right
can ruin. God’s law is like global positioning telling us where we are with Yahweh.

“The Pennsylvania state highway department once set out to build a bridge, working
from both sides. When the two crews of workers reached the middle of the waterway,
they were 13 feet to one side of each other. Alfred Steinberg, writing some time ago in
the Saturday Evening Post, went on to explain that each crew had used its own
reference point….The government [today] can build no dams nor can it shoot off a
missile without the National Geodetic Survey using the global positioning system to tell
it exact locations – to the very inch.”
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Psalm 2 begins with a description of the wicked. They plot against Yahweh, wanting to rebel against him.
Although the wicked are described as nations and peoples and kings and rulers, their rebellion sounds
strangely like “standing in the way of sinners” and “sitting in the company of mockers.” These are people
who do not like God’s law and certainly do not get up at night to meditate on Leviticus (2:1-3). The
wicked seem to be aware that God is not alone. He has an “anointed.” The people collectively are
rebelling against God and his earthly representative. “Let us break their chains and throw off their
shackles (2:3).”

God’s reply is strong. He laughs at them and gets angry. The writer uses the word “wrath.” Yet God’s
concern is not simply about the wicked and their rebellion against Him. His anger centers on their
reaction of his king. God has given the nations to him. The entire earth is his possession. One day sinners
will not be able to rebel. They will be smashed like a simple clay pot struck by an iron tool (2:4-9). God’s
king is more important to Yahweh than anything or anyone else. This king seems to be the center.

92 Ruth Graham Bell, “The Reference Point,” Decision, March 2006, back page.
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