Psalm 103:18

Psalm 103:18

Keeping the covenant

The previous verse told us that the Lord’s love is with those who fear or revere Him. For these godly men and women, the righteousness of the Lord spills over to their grandchildren and thus their family is blessed by their devotion to the Lord. This is not quite the end of it for the sentence has not finished! Further conditions are now added, for if we want the blessings of the Lord upon our families and our children we must “keep God’s covenant and remember to obey His precepts.” The Lord God made a number of covenants with various people, Noah, Abraham and David for example, but the one overriding Covenant that affected all of Israel was that which was given to Moses at Sinai. With that Covenant came a promise, “Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” Exodus 19:5-6. 

These promises are fulfilled in Christ Jesus so that all the terms and conditions are embodied in Him and have become part of the foundation of His Holy people, the Church. Peter picks up on this when he reminds us that we are a “chosen people” and God’s “holy nation.” 1 Peter 2:9. All the promises and conditions of God’s covenant still apply but instead of outward religious practice and endless sacrifices for sin, He has embedded His laws and His salvation in our hearts. It is still a responsibility and a joy to understand and to keep the precepts of the Lord, nothing has changed so far as the 10 commandments are concerned, in fact they are more relevant today than ever. Who are His people if they are not those who will have no other gods before Him and who will not bow down to or worship any idol or image, those who will not blaspheme or abuse His name? He is our God, and we are in a covenant relationship with Him, let’s make every effort to obey His precepts.  

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