Mensa Otabil - A Perfect Law
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We're in Psalm 19, verse 7: The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. Psalm 19 makes a distinction between God's works and God's word, transitioning from general revelation- the heavens declaring the glory of the Lord - now to the law and the commandments of the Lord speaking to us.
This is special or specific revelation; God is now specifically conveying words to us. When you look at this Psalm, the distinction between the heavens speaking to us and God's words speaking to us is also shown by the name of God used in the two descriptions. When the Psalm talks about God and the heavens declaring the glory of God, the word used is "God," and the Hebrew word is "El." But when it starts talking about the law of the Lord, it doesn't refer to God but to the Lord.
In your Bibles, it would be capital L-O-R-D; in the Hebrew, it is a four-letter name we normally call Jehovah or Lord - God's personal name. So we move from general knowledge of God to a personal knowledge of God; that's what it's saying. It states that the law of the Lord converts us. The scriptures are described as the perfect revelation of the Lord. It is perfect, meaning that it is sufficient; there is perfection; it is complete. There is nothing left out that God wants us to know about Him that He has not included in His law. In that sense, it is perfect. It is a complete revelation of God.
As we embrace this perfect revelation of God, the passage says it converts us. What does that mean? It means that it changes us; it makes us better people. It helps us to grow, improve, and become the people that God wants us to be. God moves from general revelation to special revelation, and the way to achieve special revelation is to have the law of the Lord, which is perfect and transforms us. Then it discusses the word of God, using another term: it says the word of the Lord is also His testimony, and it states that the testimony of the Lord is sure, making us wise. What does that mean? It means the scriptures testify of God.
The testimony of God is God's evidence to us; it's like going to a law court where someone presents a witness statement, and this testimony supports a fact. That is what the word of God does; it is God's witness statement of Himself to us, affirming who He is. When we read the Bible, we receive God's own testimony of Himself and His law. When we encounter the testimony of the Lord, it says it makes wise the simple. Isn't that amazing? The word of God can take people who are simple and make them wise.
Jesus chose common fishermen and turned them into world changers. That is the greatness of God's word: it can take you from where you are, change you, convert you, and make you a wise person. It makes you brilliant, helps you think properly, and process your ideas correctly. When you encounter God's special revelation, you are encountering God Himself, beyond His creation, through His words. That is the evidence that God gives us; His word is superior to His creation because His word is He Himself, directly speaking to us.
Let's pray. Say with me: Heavenly Father, Your word is perfect and reliable. Thank You for revealing Yourself to me. In Jesus' name, amen and amen.