Day Five: Precept

"The Twelve Days of Christ" series looks at Psalm 119's twelve Hebrew words for God’s Word, and a connection to the church for each one.

"The Bible is alive, it speaks to me;
it has feet, it runs after me;
it has hands, it lays hold of me."
~ Martin Luther

Day Five: Precept
piqqud: masc noun, "mandate, precept, instruction"
from paqad: verb, "to oversee, attend, search out; to commit to, that is, to cause people to attend to something placed under their care"

I will never forget Your precepts,
For by them You have given me life...
I understand more than the ancients,
Because I keep Your precepts...
Consider how I love Your precepts;
Revive me, O LORD, according to Your lovingkindness.
~ Psalms 119:93,100,159 (NKJV)

"You revealed to Me paths of life;
You will fill Me with joy with Your face."
~ Acts 2:28 (LITV)

In the English, "precept" can mean a general rule regarding behavior and thought, or an actual order of law. That's not too far off the Hebrew, which is somewhere between an instruction or mandate and a stewardship or trust.

Forgive me for being overwhelmed with this trust. Who are we that the Lord should entrust to us revelation of Himself in what He prescribes? The passage from Acts (a quote of Psalm 16:11) puts the above verses from Psalm 119 in exactly that context. In understanding what God instructs, we understand God.

I define knowledge as acquisition of information, wisdom as seeing from God's perspective, and understanding as thinking as God does, with the mind of Christ. How dare we! Who are we to seek the face of God, let alone be allowed access into His thoughts?!

We, the church, have such privilege.

Such thoughts go beyond "do not commit adultery" to understanding that lust in our hearts robs marriage of sanctity; beyond "do not murder" to the understanding that hatred tears down another and therefore steals away life.

Here is life, joy, revival: to love what the Lord prescribes as revelation of the Almighty Himself.

Here is the very face of our beloved Lord and Savior.

"God's precepts strike those who love Him
as right and delightful."
The Complete Word Study Dictionary
Spiros Zodhiates, General Editor

#Bible
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