I’ve been exploring some of the very modern worship songs as an old guy 😀. But now, I’ve decided to alternate between very modern hymns, old hymns, and in-between hymns, namely the worship songs from the 60s to the 90s that feature in hymnbooks such as Mission Praise. Today it’s the turn of the in-between hymns.
Today’s song is The Law of the Lord is Perfect from 1969.
This one is based on the following passage:
Psalm 19:7-11
Yahweh’s law is perfect, restoring the soul.
Yahweh’s covenant is sure, making wise the simple.
8 Yahweh’s precepts are right, rejoicing the heart.
Yahweh’s commandment is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of Yahweh is clean, enduring forever.
Yahweh’s ordinances are true, and righteous altogether.
10 They are more to be desired than gold, yes, than much fine gold,
sweeter also than honey and the extract of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover your servant is warned by them.
In keeping them there is great reward.
This is from the World English Bible (WEB). I often use that if I quote a long passage because it doesn’t have copyright restrictions. I generally use the NIV for shorter passages. Interestingly, the WEB Bible uses Yahweh, which is often translated as “the Lord”. Some versions transliterate the word instead – so they use Yahweh rather than “the Lord”. And some use the word “Jehovah”, another transliteration of the Hebrew word. I did look into all that some years ago, but I prefer to just think of Him as “my Lord”.
What’s meant by “The Law of the Lord”?. I think that the Psalmist and hymn writer are probably speaking of God’s revelation in general rather than the specific Old Testament civil and ceremonial laws. These didn’t carry over into the New Testament, but the broader principles did. And even in the Old Testament, the general principle was to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself. Many of the specific Old Testament laws were made to match the circumstances and culture of the time. Even by the New Testament times, things had changed.
So the hymn is really about the joy of the Bible which is conveyed directly by reading the Bible and indirectly by listening to hymns and sermons or talks and though reading, fellowship, evangelism, worship and so on. The writer delights to be in God’s world and in communion with God.
Two New Testament verses that emphasize the importance of God’s word are the following:
Matthew 4:4
But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of God’s mouth.’”
These are the words that Jesus spoke to Satan when Satan tempted him to turn stones to bread when He was fasting. It’s notable that He dealt with Satan by quoting from the Scripture – setting us an example. And it’s a reminder that Jesus endorsed the Old Testament.
The Apostle Paul reminded Timothy that Scripture (though written by humans) can be seen as coming from God Himself:
2 Timothy 3:16
Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,
Here are some other versions of the hymn:
