GREAT REWARD OFFERED
Psalm 19:7-11 NKJV
7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.
The FBI offers rewards for information that leads to the identification, arrest, or conviction of fugitives and wanted criminals. Depending on the serious nature of the crime, the rewards can range from $100,000 to $250,000. A quarter of a million is a significant reward. Reward offerings are often seen in neighborhoods when pets are missing. One was: Lost Dog, 3 Legs, blind in left eye, missing right ear, broken tail, answers to the name "Lucky." Just kidding, but you get the point: rewards are offered for things of value. In our verses for today, God offers a reward, a great reward, for doing something that has value.
This is a psalm of David, and in our verses for today, David is describing the value and importance of God's Word and God's ways. He starts with the law of the Lord being perfect and converting the soul. We could say God's Word is perfect and can have a powerful effect on our lives. By God's Word, we have been born again, and God's Word is the agent that is most vital in renewing our minds. David goes on to relate that God's Word rejoices our hearts and enlightens our eyes. There have been times after a challenging day that I have sat down and just read my Bible. I may go over a passage numerous times, but I can sense it bringing relief and comfort to my heart. And, of course, God's Word can enlighten our eyes so that we are able to discern things not necessarily visible or obvious to others.
The fear of the Lord is clean—interesting use of words. The word "clean" in Hebrew is the word translated as "clean, pure, and genuine." The scriptures have a lot to say about the fear, the great reverence and respect for God. A fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, and then by the fear of the Lord a person departs from evil (Proverbs 16:6). The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous. Again, we must return to God's word to find those things that are true and righteous, including when we see things that we don't understand. When we see God's judgments, we have to stay on His side. His ways and judgments are always true and right.
God's words and way are more desirable than gold. More desirable than a lot of fine gold. It is fascinating that gold was of great value in David's day and still has value today. At the time of this devotional, gold is trading at around $4,100 per ounce. It was around $2,600 per ounce a year ago. Gold has value, but keeping God's Word is more valuable. And God's Word never diminishes in value. In a day when there wasn't candy, honey was the sweet of choice. God's words and ways are considered sweeter. They do not leave a bitter aftertaste and can brighten us spiritually without the cavities or pounds.
David had a high regard for God's Word and God's ways. He knew by the Holy Spirit and by experience that by them he was warned of traps of the enemy and the pitfalls to avoid. And David knew that in keeping God's Word and walking in God's ways, there was great reward. Not great anguish. Not great sorrow because of all the fun that was missed. Great reward. Great benefits for this life and for the next. Paul would later write that godliness, living for God and putting His word into practice, is profitable in this life and the life to come.
PRAYER
Lord, thank You so much for revealing Your ways to us and giving us Your word. It's more valuable to me than money and gold. Your words and ways do something good for me on the inside, and my life is far richer because of them.