Salmos 19

Salmos 19:7-14

Barnes writes that the law of the LORD being perfect means that… It is absolutely true; it is adapted with consummate wisdom to the wants of man; it is an unerring guide of conduct. There is nothing there which would lead men into error or sin; there is nothing essential for man to know which may not be found there. Spurgeon… The law of the Lord is perfect; by which he means not merely the law of Moses but the doctrine of God, the whole run and rule of sacred Writ. The doctrine revealed by God he declares to be perfect, and yet David had but a very small part of the Scriptures, and if a fragment, and that the darkest and most historical portion, be perfect, what must the entire volume be? How more than perfect is the book which contains the clearest possible display of divine love, and gives us an open vision of redeeming grace. The gospel is a complete scheme or law of gracious salvation, presenting to the needy sinner everything that his terrible necessities can possibly demand. There are no redundancies and no omissions in the Word of God, and in the plan of grace; why then do men try to paint this lily and gild this refined gold? The gospel is perfect in all its parts, and perfect as a whole: it is a crime to add to it, treason to alter it, and felony to take from it. (Ps19:7 Treasury of David) Restoring (reviving, converting, refreshing) (1Pe1:23, 24, 25) Hebrew = "restores life." Elsewhere the Hiphil of ("return") when used with ("life") as object, means to "rescue or preserve one's life" (Job 33:30; Ps 35:17) or to "revive one's strength" (emotionally or physically; cf. Ru 4:15 La 1:11, 16, 19). Here one point seems to be that the law preserves the life of the one who studies it by making known God's will. Those who know God's will know how to please Him and can avoid offending Him (Ps 19:11a). The Word converts the sinner from his ways and restores the saint when he wanders. It refreshes and heals. The Good Shepherd uses His Word to feed me and restore my soul (Ps 23:3) back to the point of departure from His leading. Shuwb also carries the idea of repentance & conversion when revelation is received (cp Nineveh Jon3:8). Contrast revelation rejected & its effects in (Ho 4:6) While the "revelation" in God's creation will condemn the soul, only the written revelation can convert the soul. Adam Clarke… Turning it back to God. Restoring it to right reason, or to a sound mind; teaching it its own interest in reference to both worlds. E W Bullinger and Joseph Seiss have both written books describing the "gospel" in the stars but these interpretations have been seriously questioned by others (Is There a Gospel in the Stars). Without choosing sides on whether this theory is Biblical or not, let us continue to hold fast to and boldly proclaim the faithful word (Titus 1:9-note) of the written gospel of Christ (Mk 1:10). The restorative quality of the Word gives healing to the whole person by assuring forgiveness (the NT words for forgiveness are aphesis and aphiemi which literally describe a sending away of the offense [cp the shadow of the scapegoat - Lev 16:20, 21], and in secular Greek referred to canceling a debt, paying for it in full [cp Jesus' payment in full Jn 19:30-note]) and cleansing and by giving life to the godly. It unleashes the promises of God by his gracious redemptive acts (Ps 80:3, 7, 19). Restoring (07725) (shub/shuv) in the Hiphil (continual causative action) describes movement back to place of departure; commitment to a faith and way of life that involves turning from a previous way, to "repent." (Lxx = epistrepho in the present tense depicts that which continually turns about or around! That's probably why we don't want the Word when we are rebelling and walking our own path… we don't want to be turned around!) The idea in this context is a definite turn to God in conduct as well as in one's heart. The effect of the law is to turn the soul from the ways of sin to holiness. Stated another way, shub/shuv describes a genuine change in heart is reflected by a movement back to the place of departure spiritually speaking (cp Mt 9:22} The idea is turning back the soul to His Maker or bringing the prodigal back home. The basic meaning of shuv is movement back to the point of departure (Ge 3:19; 33:16). A good example of reversal in direction is found in 2 Kings. 20:10 concerning the sundial. In a number of places, shuv referred to the return from Exile (Ezra 2:1; Neh. 7:6; Isa. 10:22; Jer. 22:10; Zech. 10:9). Shub/shuv… Better than any other verb it combines in itself the two requisites of repentance: to turn from evil and to turn to the good. The basic meaning of shuv/shub is one of movement, spatially or spiritually. It is sometimes translated "restore" but is also translated as "return" and "repentance." One of the main themes of the OT is expressed with this verb--the prophets' promise that Israel would one day return from their exile to the Promised Land (cp God's promises in Dt 30:1,2, 3, Dt 30:8KJV - which will be fulfilled at the Second Coming which God will "circumcise" their hearts [Dt 30:6], turning their heart of stone to a heart of flesh [Ezek 11:19, 20] and fulfilling His New Covenant [see New Covenant in the Old Testament] first promised to Israel [Jer 31:31, 32, 33, 34]). In that future day Israel will be restored to relationship with God. But the return will come only after judgment (The final future judgment is referred to as the Great Tribulation, the last 3.5 years before Messiah returns, during which the world will see the climax of the anti-Semitism of Satan through his human "beast", the Anti-Christ, which will result in 2/3's of Israel dying [Zech 13:8, 9] but the salvation of the remaining 1/3 [Zech 12:10, Ro 11:25, 26, 27-note]). As the prophet Isaiah foretold For though your people, O Israel, may be like the sand of the sea, Only a remnant within them will return; A destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness." (Isa 10:22). Shub/shuv can expresses the biblical concept of repentance. This verb is found >1000x in with a wide range of meanings. In 164x shub is used in a covenant context, it indicates turning from evil to God, from evil ways to God's ways, or from God to idols. Shub is that commitment to a faith and way of life that involves turning from a previous way, and this is to "repent." (See related study: metanoia = Greek for Repentance) From death… 1Ki 17:21 Then he stretched himself upon the child three times, and called to the Lord, and said, “O Lord my God, I pray Thee, let this child’s life return (shuwb/shuv) to him.” 22 And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah, and the life of the child returned (shuwb/shuv) to him and he revived. The LAW'S restorative quality gives HEALING (cp Ps 107:20-note) to the whole person by assuring forgiveness and cleansing and by giving LIFE to the godly. The Word converts (TURNS) the sinner from his ways and restores (TURNS) the saint when he wanders. In secular Greek literature it was used of setting upright an object that had fallen down and of helping a person back on his feet after stumbling. (cp "for correction" - 2Ti 3:16-note) After exposing and condemning false belief and sinful conduct in believers, Scripture then builds them up through its divine correction… putting them back on their feet so to speak so that they can continue on the pilgrim path of growth in Christlikeness, holiness, sanctification. David uses shuv/shub in Psalm 23… He restores (shuv/shub) my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. (Ps 23:3)