Psalm 19:7-9b  
The laws of God
      As we meditate upon the next few verses of this Psalm we will need to ask, "What is the difference between laws, commands, precepts, commandments, decrees, and statutes?" In Deuteronomy 6:1-3 we read of laws, commands, commandments, decrees, and statutes as Moses addresses the nation of Israel. “These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing Jordan to possess.” A look at the various Hebrew words used helps highlight some of the differences:-

“Commandments” (mitzvah): This is the general Hebrew term for “commandment” and usually refers to the comprehensive list of laws or body of laws given by the Lord in the Books of Moses. This is also the Hebrew term often used when the Lord spoke directly in the Old Testament.

“Statutes” (choq): This word means “statute, prescription, rule, law, regulation” and can refer to laws of nature [Job 28:26, Jeremiah 5:2, Jeremiah 31:35-36] or what is allocated, rationed, or apportioned to someone. 

“Rules” (mishpat): A judicial verdict or formal decree. In the Law of Moses, some of the legal types of rules would fall under this category.

“Statutes/Commands” in verse 2 (chuqqah): Chuqqah has a more specific meaning than choq. It refers to a particular law related to a festival or ritual, such as Passover (Exodus 12:14), the Days of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 12:17) or the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:41).

All four of these Hebrew words are used throughout the writings of Moses to refer to commands from God to be obeyed by God’s people. Distinctions are sometimes made regarding one word from the other, yet the overall principle is one of obedience to all that the Lord commands, whether it’s a general command, a prescribed law, a legal verdict, or a religious festival or ritual.

The beauty of these verses is not so much in the meaning of the nouns but in the adjectives that describe them! Let’s just highlight them shall we?
·      The law of the Lord is                         perfect, refreshing the soul.
·      The statutes of the Lord are               trustworthy, making wise the simple.
·      The precepts of the Lord are              right, giving joy to the heart.
·      The commands of the Lord are          radiant, giving light to the eyes.
·      The reverence of the Lord is               pure, enduring forever.
·      The decrees of the Lord are               firm, and all of them are righteous. 

With each adjective comes a descriptive phrase that demonstrates the value of the Word of God to His people; refreshment, wisdom, joy, light, endurance and righteousness are all qualities that are only found in the truth of God’s Word and the experience of those who read it, meditate upon it and then live it. 

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