This verse belongs to a psalm that exalts the sacredness of God's law. David the speaker rejects vain thoughts and loves God's law. Those vain thoughts are empty thoughts to be rejected. They are the thoughts of the deceitful heart, rejected by the truly penitent. For the obedient child of God the commandments are a delight.
The law so loved is to guide life and define the difference between right and wrong, truth and error. Loving the law means taking God's testimonies as an everlasting heritage and rejoicing of the heart, and inclining the heart to always perform His statutes to the end. It means taking God as hiding place and shield and hoping in His word. It means separating from evildoers in order to keep God's commandments.
That love leads to desiring to understand and keep the law with the whole heart and to serve God without reserve. Seeing others disregard and despise the law does not weaken loyalty to it but strengthens reverence for it. The psalm's teaching on love for the law and hatred of vain thoughts is to be held up with solemn earnestness as a witness that the wickedness of the world and transgression of God's law have reached the point where, after long forbearance and merciful warnings, the Lord will certainly intervene to bring divine judgment on the wicked.
This verse belongs to a psalm that exalts the sacredness of God's law.
David the speaker rejects vain thoughts and loves God's law.
Those vain thoughts are empty thoughts to be rejected.
They are the thoughts of the deceitful heart, rejected by the truly penitent.
For the obedient child of God the commandments are a delight.
The law so loved is to guide life and define the difference between right and wrong, truth and error.
Loving the law means taking God's testimonies as an everlasting heritage and rejoicing of the heart, and inclining the heart to always perform His statutes to the end.
It means taking God as hiding place and shield and hoping in His word.
It means separating from evildoers in order to keep God's commandments.
That love leads to desiring to understand and keep the law with the whole heart and to serve God without reserve.
Seeing others disregard and despise the law does not weaken loyalty to it but strengthens reverence for it.
The psalm's teaching on love for the law and hatred of vain thoughts is to be held up with solemn earnestness as a witness that the wickedness of the world and transgression of God's law have reached the point where, after long forbearance and merciful warnings, the Lord will certainly intervene to bring divine judgment on the wicked.