Misery or Mercy? (Psalm 19:7-14; LD 2)
Introduction
The Heidelberg Catechism teaches that the law of God reveals our sin and misery. This becomes even more disheartening when we see that by nature we hate God and our neighbor. This raises an honest and uncomfortable question: if God's law only exposes how badly we fall short, why would anyone want to study it? And how can Psalm 19 celebrate the law as life-giving when it seems to do nothing but condemn us?
Why Celebrate the Law?
At first glance, the law of God seems like a setup for failure. The standard is total love for God and neighbor. This means we are not allowed a single distracting thought. There is a bar set that none of us consistently meet. Yet Psalm 19 describes the law as perfect, right, and pure, with benefits including a revived soul, wisdom for the simple, joy in the heart, and enlightened eyes. How do we hold both realities together?
The key is understanding that the law here is not simply a list of commandments designed to expose our inadequacy. The Hebrew word Torah carries a broader meaning. Think of Torah as the Lord's instruction for life. When we study God's instruction, we are not just measuring ourselves against an impossible standard. Ironically, we are instructed in how to live.
Life is not found in our obedience, but in Christ’s obedience. We live in the power and grace of God. The commands do reveal to us how we ought to live, but we must remember that we live in his promises rather than our perfect obedience. The celebration of the Torah is the celebration that we get to live for Christ, and in Christ. It is Christ who secures us. We have the joy of living as living sacrifices out of thanksgiving for him.
Why Fear God?
The phrase "fear of the Lord" can easily be misread as cowering before a tyrannical God who delights in punishing his people. But that misreads both the psalm and God’s character. The fear of the Lord is not a call to be terrified of God. Rather, it is honoring him, humbling oneself, and a right ordering of our relationship with God as Creator and Redeemer.
God is not a distant sovereign looking for reasons to strike us down. Scripture consistently shows a God who warns before he acts. He is a God who is bigger than his people. His people cannot annul his purpose. He is not confined to a single land or place. We see this because He communes with his people and protects them even in exile. Christ weeps over Jerusalem. To fear God rightly is to recognize who he is and who we are: We are his creatures who have been redeemed. He is our God and redeemer. We revere his name accordingly.
Why Discern the Truth?
Psalm 19 closes not with confidence in our own faithfulness, but with a prayer of dependence. The Psalmist raises the question, “Who can discern his errors?" The question highlights the problem that we have. We are unable to clearly see all our sins. In fact, the prayer is the request that the Lord keep us back from willingly and joyfully rushing into sin. We do not want to be presumptuous and rush into sin.
Discerning the truth means coming before God honestly. We are continually asking him to search us, convict us, and keep us from the sins that would have dominion over us. The psalm ends not with a pledge of personal grin-and-bear-it resolve, but with a cry: "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer." Discernment flows from dependence. The goal is not moral self-improvement but a life continually oriented toward the God who has redeemed us.
Conclusion
The catechism is correct to say that the law shows us our sin and misery. But it does not leave us in misery. Psalm 19 invites us to see the law as a gift from a God who loves us enough to give us his instruction. He is gracious enough to keep us even when we fail to keep his law. We must remember our need for our redeemer. We must also remember we are called to live for our redeemer. It is by God’s grace, his power, and mercy that we will prevail in him.