“Great peace have those who love your law, And nothing causes them to stumble” (Psalm 119:165).
Context is everything when we are seeking to understand the true meaning of scripture, and this passage is no exception. Two critical points come out of this verse: finding peace with God and maintaining a relationship with Him.
The psalmist minces no words for either of these points. Simply put, we find “great” peace by loving God’s law. Of course, a love for God’s law, by the very nature of the statement, includes following the instruction found in it. So, peace with God comes when we obey His Word.
The wording about maintaining a relationship with God could cause some to have a false sense of security. It cannot mean we can do nothing to disrupt our relationship with God; otherwise, much of the teaching in the New Testament is foolish and unnecessary.
It can mean that, through loving God’s law and internalizing it within our hearts and minds, we can develop a strong faith. This strong faith, then, becomes a spiritual fortress against giving in to Satan’s wiles and doing things that will break our relationship with God.
Comments