Episode 1913 Lesson 3 Thursday January 18: your testimonies are very sure

Read Psalm 19:7; Psalm 93:5; Psalm 119:165; Psalm 1:2, 6; Psalm 18:30; and Psalm 25:10. What common thread runs through them all?The Lord’s supremacy in the world as the Sovereign Creator, King, and Judge has theological implications for the reliability of His testimonies. The testimonies (Hebrew ‘edut, “decree,” “law”) refer to the body of laws and ordinances with which the Lord governs the religious and social life of His people (Exod. 32:15). They are “very sure” (Ps. 93:5), reflecting the stability and permanence of God’s throne and the world that God created and sustains (Ps. 93:1, 2). The Hebrew word translated as “sure” (the English word amen derives from this word) conveys the notion of reliability, faithfulness, and firmness (2 Sam. 7:16, 1 Chron. 17:23). God’s laws are unchangeable and indestructible.God vouches for the integrity of His promises and commands. God’s faithfulness is both wholly reassuring in guaranteeing the unchangeable character of His rule and wholly demanding in asking the people’s responses of trust and obedience to God.At the same time, the lack of justice in the world is poetically described as a shaking of earth’s foundation (Ps. 18:7, Isa. 24:18–21). God’s law instructs the people in the way of righteous life that can withstand God’s judgment. The righteous, thus, shall not be shaken because they are firmly rooted in God’s law, which provides stability and security, and their hearts are steadfast (Hebrew kun, also, means “be firm,” “be secure”) in the Lord (Ps. 112:1, 6, 7). Nothing causes those who keep God’s law to stumble (Ps. 119:165), which signifies God’s protection and guidance in life (Ps. 1:2, 3, 6).God’s Word is depicted as the lamp to the psalmist’s feet, and so, it protects him from the enemies’ hidden snares (Ps. 119:105, 110). Great peace, which is enjoyed by those who love God’s law (Ps. 119:165), obviously does not result from a total absence of trials (Ps. 119:161). It rather derives from abiding in God’s presence and having a wholesome relationship with Him.What are practical ways that keeping God’s laws and rules and testimonies have helped you in your life? On the other hand, what have you suffered from violating them?