Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.
God Himself has laid the command to guard and keep His precepts with careful, earnest diligence. It belongs to the blessed life of the undefiled who walk in His law, keep His testimonies, seek Him with the whole heart, do no iniquity and walk in His ways rather than human ways, praying for a directed path and having respect to all His commandments so as not to be ashamed. That keeping is not bondage but liberty, the delight and language of every truly obedient and sanctified heart, honoring His holy name and testifying to love for Him. It stands within the covenant of grace as a source of strength and exceeding great reward, with His Word studied to reveal righteousness and to distinguish right from wrong and truth from error. Loyalty to it shines brightest when the law is despised and defied, as Christ showed in refusing to yield to companions who pressed Him to conform, and because the law is perfect, sacred and binding, persistent transgression after long forbearance will surely meet His judgment.
Command and Its Context
Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently means that God Himself has laid careful, earnest, diligent keeping of His precepts upon His people as His own command. Faithful obedience is therefore not optional or casual, but diligent attention to all His commandments.
That command belongs to the blessed life of the undefiled who walk in the law of the Lord, keep His testimonies, seek Him with the whole heart, do no iniquity, and walk in His ways and not in human ways. Such walking in His ways, seeking Him wholeheartedly, and giving heed to His way expresses the desire to obey His word, especially urged upon the young. Those who receive Christ walk thus in God's law with wholehearted obedience, and keeping His commandments in this setting brings an exceeding great reward.
That life prays for the way to be directed to keep His statutes and has respect unto all His commandments so as not to be ashamed. Diligent keeping further means praising with uprightness of heart while learning righteous judgments, observing the law with the whole heart, delighting in the path of the commandments, and keeping the law continually for ever and ever. It means walking at liberty by seeking the precepts, speaking the testimonies without shame, loving the commandments, meditating in the statutes all the day, and gaining wisdom and understanding above enemies, teachers, and ancients.
The law whose keeping is thus commanded is perfect, converting the soul, and it is sacred with binding claims.
Nature of True Obedience
To the obedient child of God the diligent keeping commanded is a delight, not a burden. Such full, diligent obedience is the language of every truly obedient and sanctified heart. Keeping His commandments honors His holy name and testifies to love for Him. Obedience is not a restriction on liberty but a walking at liberty that gives cause for praise and uprightness of heart.
Keeping God's commandments brings an exceeding great reward. Those who receive Christ walk in God's law with wholehearted obedience. Keeping God's law belongs to the covenant of grace and is a source of strength. Those who unite to do God's will can be led by Him as David was led. His law is to rule life, and studying His Word reveals the principles of righteousness and distinguishes right from wrong and truth from error.
The young are urged to heed the Lord's way and to cultivate a desire to obey His word. Young men and women are to study these words to encourage a spirit that desires to heed that way. They belong to the prayer that reveals the consecration of heart and mind that God asks His servants to offer continually.
Loyalty Amid Opposition
Diligent keeping of the precepts is commanded by God Himself, and loyalty to His law shines more clearly when that law is despised, for faith is then expressed by loving and obeying His commandments. The psalm in which the command stands is set amid defiance of His commandments, presenting obedience to God's law in direct contrast to rebellion. That obedience belongs to the blessed, undefiled walk described in the surrounding verses, and Christ Himself met pressure from His companions to conform to their course by holding to this commanded diligence. His example teaches the young to remain faithful to God's ways even when others call them narrow or odd.
The church that keeps the commandments is to honor every one of God's commandments with careful diligence. It is to hold His law distinct and separate from human rules whenever those rules conflict with it. Bitterness against the law follows the leadership of Satan, who brought sin into the world. No multitude on his side can change the nature of sin, which remains transgression of the law of God.
God's law is sacred and its claims are binding, for He has commanded His precepts to be kept diligently. The wickedness of the world in transgressing it has reached the point where the Lord will certainly intervene. He will not acquit the wicked, but after long forbearance and merciful warning He will bring judgment upon persistent disobedience.
God Himself has laid the command to guard and keep His precepts with careful, earnest diligence. It belongs to the blessed life of the undefiled who walk in His law, keep His testimonies, seek Him with the whole heart, do no iniquity and walk in His ways rather than human ways, praying for a directed path and having respect to all His commandments so as not to be ashamed. That keeping is not bondage but liberty, the delight and language of every truly obedient and sanctified heart, honoring His holy name and testifying to love for Him. It stands within the covenant of grace as a source of strength and exceeding great reward, with His Word studied to reveal righteousness and to distinguish right from wrong and truth from error. Loyalty to it shines brightest when the law is despised and defied, as Christ showed in refusing to yield to companions who pressed Him to conform, and because the law is perfect, sacred and binding, persistent transgression after long forbearance will surely meet His judgment.
Command and Its Context
Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently means that God Himself has laid careful, earnest, diligent keeping of His precepts upon His people as His own command. Faithful obedience is therefore not optional or casual, but diligent attention to all His commandments.
That command belongs to the blessed life of the undefiled who walk in the law of the Lord, keep His testimonies, seek Him with the whole heart, do no iniquity, and walk in His ways and not in human ways. Such walking in His ways, seeking Him wholeheartedly, and giving heed to His way expresses the desire to obey His word, especially urged upon the young. Those who receive Christ walk thus in God's law with wholehearted obedience, and keeping His commandments in this setting brings an exceeding great reward.
That life prays for the way to be directed to keep His statutes and has respect unto all His commandments so as not to be ashamed. Diligent keeping further means praising with uprightness of heart while learning righteous judgments, observing the law with the whole heart, delighting in the path of the commandments, and keeping the law continually for ever and ever. It means walking at liberty by seeking the precepts, speaking the testimonies without shame, loving the commandments, meditating in the statutes all the day, and gaining wisdom and understanding above enemies, teachers, and ancients.
The law whose keeping is thus commanded is perfect, converting the soul, and it is sacred with binding claims.
Nature of True Obedience
To the obedient child of God the diligent keeping commanded is a delight, not a burden. Such full, diligent obedience is the language of every truly obedient and sanctified heart. Keeping His commandments honors His holy name and testifies to love for Him. Obedience is not a restriction on liberty but a walking at liberty that gives cause for praise and uprightness of heart.
Keeping God's commandments brings an exceeding great reward. Those who receive Christ walk in God's law with wholehearted obedience. Keeping God's law belongs to the covenant of grace and is a source of strength. Those who unite to do God's will can be led by Him as David was led. His law is to rule life, and studying His Word reveals the principles of righteousness and distinguishes right from wrong and truth from error.
The young are urged to heed the Lord's way and to cultivate a desire to obey His word. Young men and women are to study these words to encourage a spirit that desires to heed that way. They belong to the prayer that reveals the consecration of heart and mind that God asks His servants to offer continually.
Loyalty Amid Opposition
Diligent keeping of the precepts is commanded by God Himself, and loyalty to His law shines more clearly when that law is despised, for faith is then expressed by loving and obeying His commandments. The psalm in which the command stands is set amid defiance of His commandments, presenting obedience to God's law in direct contrast to rebellion. That obedience belongs to the blessed, undefiled walk described in the surrounding verses, and Christ Himself met pressure from His companions to conform to their course by holding to this commanded diligence. His example teaches the young to remain faithful to God's ways even when others call them narrow or odd.
The church that keeps the commandments is to honor every one of God's commandments with careful diligence. It is to hold His law distinct and separate from human rules whenever those rules conflict with it. Bitterness against the law follows the leadership of Satan, who brought sin into the world. No multitude on his side can change the nature of sin, which remains transgression of the law of God.
God's law is sacred and its claims are binding, for He has commanded His precepts to be kept diligently. The wickedness of the world in transgressing it has reached the point where the Lord will certainly intervene. He will not acquit the wicked, but after long forbearance and merciful warning He will bring judgment upon persistent disobedience.