PSALM 119
This exceedingly beautiful and well-known Psalm appears to me to be this — other Psalms testify of the circumstances surrounding the Remnant, as having the Spirit of Christ — this of their state, i.e., the Spirit of Christ in them expressing that state, the law written in their hearts, judgments being executed, so that there is what shows the Lord’s interference, so that the sense of this is expressed; but, not yet delivered finally from the oppressor, their estimate of their whole condition under and as connected with their circumstances — the mind of the Spirit of Christ in them. It is most interesting in this point of view — all the holy yet humble thoughts and feelings of this poor people, expressed in the now returning righteous confidence of their delight in God, breaking forth to God who has put His law in their hearts when He is interfering for their deliverance.
Its moral depth too is admirable and blessed in instruction and joy, if we delight in His holy will — the expression and commandments and holy roots of His will — for we know His law is spiritual and we carnal. The condition, however, prophetically in strict application is a Jew, a godly Jew, in that day.
This Psalm gives then the law written on the heart in the fullest and most perfect way; in the midst of trial, after failure and in view of deliverance and blessing, which softens the heart and makes God in goodness an object to it in confidence — opens it to God, and God necessary to it. But these are merely means, the law written there in its full moral aspect — it is not grace, not sovereign goodness, though He who is sovereignly good alone could give it. It is not promise. It is the whole judgment of God as to what is good — the expression [p. 228] of good by Him, in respect of good, moral good, according to His own nature (but not what is essential in Him) but revealed in His word, applied in commandments, precepts, statutes to man and man’s circumstances, but the perception of what is agreeable to God, as revealed by Him and revealing Him, not in the essence of His nature but in the judgment of His mind. In His nature He is Light and Love — but He knows good and evil. It is the necessity, the necessary judgment of His nature, applied to all capable of apprehending it to make known good, and now livingly produced in the affections of man’s nature, yet objectively present to it as what God wills — His law written in my heart. It is not conscience — that is a very real thing obtained by the Fall, but the will remains what it was; thus no law is written on the heart. It is not sovereign grace, which makes us dwell in love and so in God and God in us, and makes us Light, partakers of the divine nature, with the Holy Spirit filling our hearts with it and fixing them on the divine Object, and finally placing us in glory, though there will, in downward manifestation, be the effect of producing what is conformable to it. But, in itself, it is not union.
The law written on the heart supposes a new nature no doubt, but it is delight in that in which God morally delights, with reference to Him as willing it, but not simply in nature or capacity of nature, but as He has revealed it — in obedience as commandment, delight as statutes and ordinances, heart-approbation as judgments, intelligence by the revealed Word in all as good in itself, but good as God’s will, and referred to God as His delight in His nature, but a link with God because the heart delights in it, and in it as His expressed mind and will. It is a moral delight within the circle of circumstances, i.e., not within their reach — littleness allows of it — scorn does not hinder it — princes may sit and speak against it. This does not change moral delight, and the thought of God makes others’ disapproval simply nothing. It is blessing to the heart, cleanses, is the heart’s delight as of God, guides, is sought when the heart is broken. He who thus relies, leans on, the truth of God’s revealed will, according to His moral nature, can count on it for result.
We need divine teaching to apprehend it, showing it is more than conscience, though the measure of it for what is right in man. It gives God His authority in the soul, so that we are the willing companions of them that fear Him. In man, as he [p. 229] is, it makes affliction a blessing, to break him into this law, setting aside his will. The heart so taught will look for liberty and largeness of moral room to keep it, but delights in it and is comforted when in trouble — it sustains the soul in affliction because it gives a moral joy which affliction cannot touch, and a heart-reference to God. The Word has the stability of God’s unchangeable perfection and nature — it has fixed creation, judges wickedness, and is itself delighted in and counted on. It gives divine wisdom as to our path, wisdom beyond man s, though in simple obedience, confidence as to the power of enemies against us, because the path leads as the way to His results in power. It judges the vanity of all mere human thoughts, and leaves the spirit tranquil and unpretending. It brings in intelligence (indeed life and courage practically) but we need to be guided and held up ever in it. It engages the earnest affections of the soul. Its purity is a delight to the renewed spirit. It abides for ever, but the wicked, the pursuers of man’s thoughts and will, will perish. Following it, engages the mercy of God. The desire of the heart is to it. In this mixed scene, the heart is characterised by the desire of it; when full deliverance comes, the heart will praise because of it, formed morally according to the character of God Himself. What an immense blessing, that the divine mind as to good and evil (good morally in God, and evil in man) is fully revealed! Eternal right and good, according to the thoughts and nature of God, revealed in the heart of this world! Christ showed it livingly, but then Christian ground and motive is beyond all this. It is founded on and expresses sovereign grace, though in the children after Christ this will be accomplished. But this is law in the highest sense — the divine estimate of good and evil according to the divine nature and character; but, I repeat, it is a judgment — not what is in God. And here is the difference besides sovereign grace, but this will be produced in us when we are made partakers of the divine nature. We shall judge as it judges, approve, love (morally) and abhor as it loves and abhors.
This Psalm is the judgment of Christ’s Spirit (of man as in His Spirit) concerning the law under the circumstances in which the Jews were placed, and that not without reference,
[p. 230] distinct reference, to the latter day. It is the application of all that we have learned previously, of the identity of Christ and the Jews, to the Law. This will account for the expressions of perfection and the expressions of error as nothing else, properly speaking, does, as it does also of the analogous language; Isaiah 42:19, 20, et seq., is directly connected with thus; compare Isaiah 43:8, et seq. It is not the experience of a Christian, but of one having the Spirit of Christ under the law, and therefore not properly applicable, save to a Jew, one who knew the law, though in many instances practically we are no more servants but sons, Galatians 4:7, but here we have no mention of sons but servants, as frequently may be observed in the Psalm, hence its character to those, who know the difference between the Law and the Gospel, may be clearly seen and ascertained. But as the estimate of the Law in spirit, oidamen gar hoti ho nomos pneumatikos estin by the Spirit of Christ, it is a most blessed and beautiful Psalm, and, as showing the spirit of the restored Jews as acted in by the Spirit of Christ, a most affecting one, for the real proper application of the Psalm is of the restored spiritualised Jews (Remnant), expressing (as acted in by the Spirit of holiness and of Christ) in faith, according to the faith of Deuteronomy, therefore not in the full reign of restoration, their estimate of the Law and the Lord, and thus expressing itself partly as regarded Christ who kept, partly as regarded themselves, i.e., corporate Israel, who had gone astray like a sheep, and went astray before they were afflicted. The Spirit of Christ, the body of the Jews have. Much may be applied to a regenerate believer, but it is not resurrection power nor expression of liberty, which is properly Christianity. It is Christ and His people under the Law, not under resurrection liberty or deliverance. The spirituality of the Law, and God’s faithfulness in it, is the portion of the delight of the Remnant during the latter-day trouble and difficulties of the Jews. When the Lord appears there is actual deliverance into liberty of joy, and joy of deliverance and liberty — their oppressors gone. There may be analogy in our case. It is then the expression of Jewish faith before their deliverance after their restoration, partly true only in Christ. Other Psalms have given their outward circumstances, and Jesus’ sympathy with them in this; here their moral position and Christ’s way of filling up this, for He is “The Undefiled in the way”. But it is the expression of the restored Jew [p. 231] about it, as speaking by the Spirit of Christ, and therefore expressing what was true in Christ, the real Remnant, only in part, and of them as planted in Him.