0561. Precepts

Precepts

"Consider how I love Thy precepts: quicken me, O Lord, according to Thy lovingkindness" (Psa_119:159).

The word "precepts," is from a Hebrew word, which suggests a mandate under which we are to move. It comes from the Hebrew word which means "to take oversight of," or, "charge of." The word occurs only in the Book of the Psalms. It is used twenty-one times in Psalms 119. It is certainly a blessed thing for a believer to step in under the precepts of God, and to realize that His Word is taking charge of him; enjoining upon him the way in which he should walk.

There is a beautiful expression in Proverbs, which is applicable here: "My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother. Bind them continually upon thine heart; and tie them about thy neck. When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee." It is a blessed thing for one to realize that by day or by night, whether sleeping or waking, he is under the watchful care and the guiding hand of God’s holy precepts. Some of the more beautiful passages setting forth this word, are as follows:

1. Psa_119:128 : "Therefore I esteem all Thy precepts." This is the first step. It behooves each one of us to look deeply within our heart and to find out our attitude toward the precepts of our God. Are we willing to yield ourselves to His holy purposes? Yea, more, do we go beyond and esteem them? There are some perhaps who do not like to think of themselves as chaperoned by the precepts of God. They would throw off every restraint and walk in their own way. But those whose eyes are opened, will esteem and love the precepts of their God. Yea, they will, by choice, accept them as the expression of God’s loving care and guidance.

2. Psa_119:15 : "I will meditate in Thy precepts." The word "meditate" goes back of speech, and back of well-formed thought. The word "meditate" expresses the inner moving of the mind. We may be ever so busy, our mind may be ever so occupied, and yet back of all this, there is the constant thinking, concerning the precepts of our God.

3. Psa_119:40 : "I have longed after Thy precepts." In Portuguese we have a wonderful word, it is "saudade." It is a word that is difficult to translate. It includes the yearnings, longings and passionate desires of the heart. All of this the Psalmist felt when he said, "I have longed after Thy precepts."

There is a little Hebrew word, "Dabeg" which is used in the Psalms to express the panting of the hart, after the water brook. The same word is used when we are told that "Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clave (dabeg) unto her." This is what David meant–I followed hard after, I clave to Thy precepts. They were the great concern of his life.

4. Psa_119:63 : "I am a companion of all them that fear Thee, and of them that keep Thy precepts." When we love, long after, and keep God’s precepts, we will certainly seek the fellowship only of such as have a like mind. God has written unto us to not have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. We are to "enter not into the path of the wicked and to go not into the way of evil men." It is impossible for the one who longs after the precepts of God, to have intimate fellowship with those who despise them. "How can two walk together, except they be agreed?"

5. Psa_119:45 : "I will walk at liberty: for I seek Thy precepts." Some might imagine that a believer, who is daily under the charge of God’s precepts, is a bond slave; but, not so. The slave is the one who steps out from under the command of God, who throws off the yoke of the Divine precepts. The slave is the one driven of the devil, dominated by the world, conquered by the flesh. Believers walk in a large place. They move in the will of God. The aroma which they breathe is fragrant with the perfume of Heaven. They are not driven as a quarry slave, but are sons, under the protection of the holy precepts of a Father. God’s precepts are their delight and not their dread.

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free."

6. Psa_119:87 : "They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not Thy precepts." When the enemy seeks to overwhelm us, and to make an end of our faithfulness; when he would consume us upon the earth; then is the time for us to keep close to God, and to walk in His precepts. If we forsake them, we will be as foolish as the one who runs out of the covert, in the hour of the cyclone.

7. Psa_119:110 : "The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from Thy precepts." This passage is much like the former, but it has a distinct meaning. To err means to sin against. Psa_119:87 said, "I forsook not." Psa_119:110 says, "I erred not." Psa_119:110 means: I did not turn into impiety; I did not wander away from the truth and follow untruth; I did not leave Thy precepts and perform that which was against them.

The wicked will seek to lay many snares and tanglements, they will seek subtly to deceive, but if we cling to God’s precepts, He will deliver us.

8. Psa_119:100 : "I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Thy precepts." This verse is much in line with Psa_119:104, "Through Thy precepts I get understanding." The precepts of God are full of Divine wisdom, and when we understand them, love them, keep them, and walk in them, we are made wise. This is not a mere figure of speech, this is literally true.

Illustration: Gypsy Smith was an uncouth, untutored and untaught gypsy. Yet, we have been told that his language is superb, because the chief book of his study has been the Word of God. It is always true that those who really live in the Word of God, are made wise in their minds, and fluent in their speech.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR