Ps 119:33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, And I shall keep it to the end.
As I read this
portion of Scripture I found myself wondering why are statutes plural and “way”
singular? Why didn’t the Psalmist say I shall keep “them” (the statutes) to the
end instead of I shall keep it? Same thing in verse 35 concerning the
commandments!
The answer is
fairly simple. The “way” or “path” of the Lord is love! The statutes and
commandments are guidelines to keep us on the path of love!
In Mt 22:37 Jesus
said to him," 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with
all your soul, and with all your mind.'
38 "This is the first and great
commandment. 39 "And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor
as yourself.' 40 "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the
Prophets."
Jesus narrowed the
ten commandments from 10 to 2, and the two can be summed up in one word….love!
1Co 13:1 Though I
speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become
sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and
understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so
that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the
poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me
nothing.
Obedience without
love is ice cold pharisaical legalism and it profits nothing. No wonder the
Psalmist asks the Lord to keep him on
the path of love!
Similarly, love
without commandments is no holds barred hedonism.
Do you want to know
how you are doing concerning the way of love? Look in the mirror of God’s Word.
Jesus said “if you love Me keep My
commands.”(Jn 14:15)
The commandments are
a measuring stick of your love of God and love of man. They show us how to
demonstrate love to both.;
