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NORTHERN STYLE
CREDO
` Ah, the joy of the blameless in the way,
such as walk by the Law of the LORD '
Our title comes from the opening verse of Psalm 119, and although you will not find those words in many Bible versions the reason for the re-wording will be made clear in what follows.
Of all the `Doctrinal Battles' that have raged through the Church none - except that of the place of Israel in the LORD's purposes - are as fierce as that of the question of Law or Grace within this Dispensational Age, living as we do in the Age of Grace. And so the battle rages on! Some argue from the Scriptures that the Law is obsolete, as seen in the Letter to the Hebrews. Others point to Paul, writing to the Church in Rome, that the Law is `holy, righteous and good'! Earlier in the same Letter he wrote, `Do we, then, nullify the Law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the Law'.
There are those who try to live their new lives by observing the Ten Commandments - which are but a summing up of the Law - and yet we find James writing in his Letter, `whoever keeps the whole Law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it'! Others say that the Law is broken into clear sections - sacrificial, ceremonial and moral laws, describing the first two sections as being for a time and a people in the past - but as we have seen in Paul's and James' Letters this cannot be justified. Paul, writing to the Galatians, is very stern towards those who are attempting to live by the Law, and in quoting a passage from Deuteronomy 27 he continues by saying to those `who rely on observing the Law' that `cursed is anyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law'!
And so, with this introduction we will enter the `Doctrinal Battle' with our `Thoughts on Psalm 119' and with the knowledge that:
" The LORD is righteous in all His ways,
and holy in all His works. " Psalm 145:17
As is well known, Psalm 119 is an Acrostic Psalm - that is, each of the twenty-two sections (and each verse of each section) begin with the twenty-two successive letters of the Hebrew Alphabet. Each section has eight verses, with the first section beginning with Aleph (A), the second section beginning with Beta (B) and so on for the remaining twenty letters. In our opening comments we mentioned that the title of this Credo comes from the opening verse of Psalm 119, the wording of which is not found in any version of our modern Bibles. It is only in the Hebrew Canon of Scripture that the Acrostic setting can be seen, and to illustrate this we set out how this would appear in the first section of eight verses of Psalm 119 without disturbing the meaning of that which appears in our English Bibles:
" Ah! the joy of the perfect in the way,
such as walk by the Law of Jehovah.
Ah! the joy of the keepers of His testimonies,
who seek Him with their whole heart.
Assuredly they have not worked iniquity;
in His ways they have ever walked.
As to Thy commandments - Thou hast commanded us
that we should diligently keep them.
Ah, Lord, that my ways were prepared
to keep Thy statutes.
Ashamed, then, should I never be,
while I have respect unto all Thy commandments.
All my heart shall praise Thee in uprightness,
while I learn the judgements of Thy righteousness.
All Thy statutes also I will keep;
leave me not utterly. "
According to the Massorah, who, you will recall, were the Scribes entrusted with maintaining the accuracy of the Sacred Text compiled by the Sopherim under Ezra and Nehemiah (following their return to the Land from captivity in Babylon), Psalm 119 was referred to as `the Great Alphabet'. The notation the Massorah made when coming to verse 122 was that in every verse of this Psalm one of ten words were written which correspond to the Ten Commandments - which are but a summary of the whole Law. There was one exception, seen in verse 122, where none of those ten words are recorded. However this does not in any way disturb the revelation seen in those `ten words' for this verse refers to the Messiah who is Himself the Living Word, with the wording of this verse pointing forward to His Redemptive work - and here we use the King James Version in recording this verse:
" Be surety (responsible) for Thy Servant for good;
Let not the proud oppress Me. "
The `ten words of Psalm 119' are (and here of course we list the English words only):
1. Way - indicating a path to walk on.
2. Testimony - to repeat, to reiterate, that which is true.
3. Precept - a mandate, a moral instruction to follow.
4. Commandment - the bidding of a Superior Person.
5. Word - to bring forth knowledge.
6. Law - to instruct or teach.
7. Judgement - to set out Right(eous) conclusions.
8. Righteousness - to be just, upright in all our dealings.
9. Statute - to engrave, cut into, something permanent.
10. Word - a different meaning to the previous listing with a meaning of `to arrange in a row' or `meaningful arrangement of what is said in words'.
With quiet reflection on the application of those `ten words' which appear throughout Psalm 119 we can begin to see the conflict which rages over Law and Grace. The Righteous Ways of the Law, outworked by Grace - the two are not incompatible, neither are they in conflict - and we need to look again at the Ten Commandments in which `God spoke all these words, saying . . . .' The Ten Commandments are a summary of the whole Law given through Moses, and they can be seen to be in two parts. The first five are linked by the command of God in the words `the LORD your God', and the remaining five are linked by the command of God, saying `You shall'. This is further seen in the words of Jesus who joined these two sections into one - as recorded in Matthew's Gospel. Here we see Jesus replying to the trick question posed by the Sadducees and the Pharisees, `Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law'? Jesus replied:
" Love the LORD your God with all of your heart and with all of your soul and with all of your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: Love your neighbour as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two Commandments. "
`Grace' can therefore be seen in the `Law', through an understanding of Numerology in Scripture with 5 being the number of Grace and 10 the fulness of the Law. Grace can also be seen in the Law for it was given to no other nation. Israel, a called-out people, a precious people, chosen by a Righteous Holy God to walk according to His ways - as summarised in the Ten Commandments. We see this in Exodus 34 which records Moses receiving the Law: (Exodus 34:6 KJV)
" And the LORD passed by before him (Moses) and proclaimed,
`The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering,
and abundant in goodness and truth'. "
There was Grace in the Law given by a Gracious God, and as we have seen, Paul proclaimed this Grace seen in the Person of Christ Jesus, asking:
" Do we, then, nullify the Law by this faith?
Not at all! rather, we uphold the Law. "
We further read the words of Jesus, saying plainly, `I did not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfil it', and in the opening verses of John's Gospel we read that `the Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ'. The Hebraic expression gives an understanding of Divine Revelation of the Person of Jesus, that in the time of Moses the Law was an exhibition of God's Grace, but now in the Person of Jesus the full Divine Revelation of Grace and Truth (that is, Grace and Law) is revealed. The two are conjoined, compounded into one, the Fulness which is in Christ Jesus!
With this deepening background it is now surely time to look further into Psalm 119:
" Blessed are the blameless in the way,
who walk in the Law of the LORD. "
As we have already said, there is no English equivalent of the Hebrew word which opens the first section of the Psalm. It is usually translated as `Blessed', which we have recorded as `joy', but more correctly it should read `happiness', a plural word expressed as `Ah, the great happiness, or joyfulness' a double blessing as our spirits are `quickened by the written Word' of God.
Aleph: To quicken - an old-fashioned word by our modern standards - means `to restore to life . . . to rouse something which was dormant or dead'. As the apostle Paul said, `Spiritual man can see spiritual things in Scripture, and that requires the quickening of the Holy Spirit to the dormant mind'. Our senses hear the word, and the Life-giving Spirit quickens it to our spirit. We leave it to the reader to see the ten words and respond to the quickening of the Holy Spirit to our spirits, within what is being `spoken' by the Lord.
Beth: The second section of eight verses reveals the `Cleansing by Words' along the Way
v9 " Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?
By taking heed thereto according to Thy Word. "
This is no casual walk along the path, but neither is it a legalistic application and the required rejection of worldly things. The closing words of this second section reveals the joy of those quickened by the Word:
v16 " I will delight myself in Thy statutes;
I will not forget Thy Word. "
Gimel: The next section reveals a `Prayer for Strengthening':
v19 " Hide not Thy commandments from me. "
A relationship requires time alone for those who are joined together, and here the Psalmist cries for this strengthening:
v17 " Deal bountifully with Thy servant,
that I may live, and keep Thy Word. "
Daleth: The Psalmist's prayer continues for the LORD to quicken, to `Preserve his life':
v25 " Quicken Thou me according to Thy Word.
I have declared my ways, and Thou hast heard me. "
He: There now follows a `Prayer for teaching of Thy Word’:
v33 " Teach me, O LORD, the way of Thy statutes;
and I shall keep it unto the end. "
This path is no `one step solution' but an on-going walk of a deepening relationship as the Holy Spirit quickens and opens the Psalmist to the spiritual Law of the LORD - to the point where he cries, `Teach me, O LORD'.
Vau:
v41 " Let Thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD,
even Thy salvation, according to Thy Word. "
As would be expected in a prophetic Word there is a foreshadowing here of the cry of Christ Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane as He understood the Father's will. This is the quickening of the Spirit to all who seek God's way, and here it leads to a `Prayer for Strengthening. '
v41 " Let Thy mercies come also to me, O LORD,
even Thy salvation, according to Thy Word.
v42 So shall I have wherewith to answer
Him that reproacheth me. "
Zain: As understanding comes from `the Word, which is my delight', and trust grows as to its outworking, the prayer of the Psalmist turns to `the Comfort which comes from the Word'. It is said that Psalm 119 was penned or completed by King Hezekiah, and if that is so we can hear the heart-cries of that godly king - echoing the cries of the King of kings. of whom Hezekiah was a foreshadowing.
Cheth: The prayer now expresses the understanding, `Thou art my portion, O LORD', and so he moves into a `Prayer of Profession', declaring his allegience to his LORD:
v61 " The bands of the wicked have robbed me,
but I have not forgotten Thy Law. "
We were never promised the path of the Way would be easy! Distractions, problems, anxieties and stressful events ever seek to rob those who are called to walk out the fulness of the LORD's salvation, but the Psalmist's prayer declares his allegience regardless of such matters:
v63 " I am a companion of all them that fear Thee,
and of them that keep Thy precepts. "
Teth: There is no reproach in the Psalmist's words as we move into the next section, `The LORD's Dealings are Just':
v65 " Thou has dealt well with Thy servant,
O LORD, according to Thy Word.
v66 Teach me good judgement and knowledge,
for I have believed Thy commandments. "
There will be many falls on the Path, but our certain trust is that the LORD works in those problems for our good and for His Purpose.
Jod: We see this in the `Prayer for Instruction and Dealings':
v73 " Thy hands have made me and fashioned me;
give me understanding that I may learn Thy commandments.
v77 Let Thy tender mercies come unto me that I may live;
for Thy Law is my delight. "
Caph: We need not feel guilty when distress through problems sometimes overwhelms us, as is seen in the next eleven sections of eight verses, for they contain distress and `Cries to God':
v81 " My soul fainteth for Thy salvation,
but I hope in Thy Word.
v83 I have become like a bottle in the smoke;
yet I do not forget Thy statutes.
v85 The proud have dug pits for me . . . . .,
v86 They persecute me wrongly. "
This section concludes with a cry: `Quicken me after Thy loving kindness'. To quicken is to revive that which is dead, and the Psalmist is not ashamed to confess his weakness!
Lamed: The Psalmist knows that even in the midst of his complaint that `the LORD's Word Stands Eternal':
v89 " For ever, O LORD, Thy Word is settled in heaven. "
The LORD has established and upholds the heavens and the earth - our trust in the midst of trouble is in the opening words, `For ever, O LORD'.
Mem: And so the Psalmist enters the Peace of God knowing that `the LORD's Word is Wisdom' in all circumstances:
v98 " Thou, through Thy commandments
hast made me wiser than mine enemies,
for they are ever with me.
v99 I have more understanding than all my teachers,
for Thy testimonies are my meditation. "
Maturity, trusting the LORD in any and every situation, requires a walk, a journey, a path strewn with joy and despair, despondency and hope - yet always knowing His wisdom through His Word!
Nun: This leads us into the sure knowledge that `His Word is the Source of our Joy and Light':
v105 " Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet,
and a light unto my path.
v106 I have sworn, and I will perform it,
that I will keep Thy righteous judgements. "
Samech: `The LORD's Law Brings Security':
v113 " I hate vain thoughts, but Thy Law do I love. "
Doubts and fears are an everyday experience for all seeking to direct their steps on the path of God's will for all His people, but the Holy Spirit, our Strengthener, reminds us and enables us to declare:
v114 " Thou are my hiding place and my shield.
I hope in Thy Word. "
Ain: This is `the Confession of the LORD's Servant'. As we have said earlier, verse 122 in this section of Psalm 119 does not fit into an Acrostic setting, for it stands alone amidst all the verses of this Psalm . It reveals the Passion of the Messiah, the Servant of God, who is trusting in the LORD's pledge, His security, to outwork everything according to His Will and Purpose. Clearly it also points to Hezekiah as he is `caught like a bird in a cage' by the onslaught of Sennarcherib's army. So it is with all of God's servants!
v126 " It is time for Thee, LORD, to work,
for they have made void Thy Law. "
Pe: In all circumstances the LORD's servants are `Guided by the Word':
v129 " Thy testimonies are wonderful,
therefore doth my soul keep them.
v130 The entrance of Thy Word giveth light;
it giveth understanding unto the simple. "
Tzaddi: Being `Upheld by the Word' comes through being guided, because:
v137 " Righteous art Thou, O LORD,
and upright are Thy judgements.
v140 Thy Word is very pure,
therefore Thy servant loves it. "
Koph: This does not remove the strain of anxieties but it causes us to cry for the enabling of `Our Faithfulness in Distress':
v145 " I cried with my whole heart, hear me O LORD. . .
v146 I cried unto Thee, save me.
v149 O LORD quicken me according to Thy judgement. "
Resh: The cry for `Faithfulness in Distress' intensifies with the onslaught on emotions by doubts and anxieties. This is always the experience of maturity for there is continual testing coupled with God's enabling and strengthening of confidence in the righteousness of God's Law:
v153 " Consider mine affliction, and deliver me,
for I do not forget Thy Law.
v154 Plead my cause, and deliver me;
quicken me according to Thy Word. "
Schin: With that quickening of the Holy Spirit the Psalmist is able to once again enter into `The LORD's Peace and Comfort' through His Word:
v161 " Princes have persecuted me without a cause,
but my heart standeth in awe of Thy Word. "
Tau: And so this Psalm 119 comes to its final `Petitions and Confessions of Faith':
v169 " Let my cry come near before Thee, O LORD . . . . .
Let my suplication come before Thee;
deliver me according to Thy Word.
v171 My lips shall utter praise,
when Thou hast taught me Thy statutes.
v172 My tongue shall speak of Thy Word,
for all Thy commandments are righteousness. "
In turning our thoughts away from the immediacy of Psalm 119 we see in each of these 22 sections of the Great Alphabet the cries and petitions, the trust and confidence of Hezekiah, himself a foreshadowing of the Messiah Jesus! In these cries and petitions we clearly see the constant interchange between Law and Grace - the one does not nulify the other, both are of God! And so we need to move on into a fuller understanding of this mystery - and we use the word `mystery' with its full meaning of `hidden or inexplicable things'. As Paul writes: `The foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength' and `God has revealed (this mystery) through His Spirit'.
Those who read our Credos will be familiar with the connection between the Books of the Law and the corresponding Books of the Psalms, the understanding of which comes from a commentary on Psalm 1:1 in the Jewish Midrash. From this comes the understanding that:
" The Word of God, the Law, was given through Moses;
The Voice of God, His Grace, was given through the Psalms of David. "
Once again we can see the interchanging of Law and Grace, the two becoming One in the Person of Jesus when, `the Word became flesh and dwelt among us'. We see again this interchange between Law and Grace for the reader will have seen that the title of this Credo comes from the Book of Exodus, where in the 20th chapter `God spoke all these words'. There then follows the `Ten Words' - or to use the more familiar form, `the Ten Commandments'. The following sub-title in the main body of the Credo comes from the opening verse of Psalm 119 (adjusted, as we have said, to illustrate the Hebrew alphabet as used in the Hebrew Canon of Scripture). Psalm 119 is of course to be found in the Fifth Book of Psalms which, although it is apart from the Books of the Law, contains throughout the `Ten Words' from the Book of Exodus. Once again this reveals the interchange between Law and Grace - the Word of God revealed through the Voice in Psalm 119 of the `Deuteronomy' Book of Psalms - the two, compounded, hammered into one and quickened, made alive by the Holy Spirit! The Law `holy and righteous and good' and Grace `. . . . justified freely by His Grace through the Redemption that comes by Christ Jesus'.
And so we turn our thoughts to the Apostle Paul, to his great exposition on Law and Grace which was given to him by revelation through the Person of Jesus, and we know that he has much to say concerning this `mystery'. To understand the apparent contradictions in his writing we have to turn to a literary expression for we have here a `metonymy' . . an interchange of a name or subject, which is used instead of another but which also stands in a certain relationship with the other. The two exist independently . . . each exists in its own right . . . neither of them are illusory . . . yet can be crossed over in use because of their relationship. In Scriptural terms: `The Word became flesh; The Voice speaks only what the Father says' - a metonymy - each standing independently and yet one in their relationship to each other! We can see this expressed by Paul in Romans 3:31 after a lengthy passage on `Righteousness through Faith':
" Do we, then, nullify the Law by this faith?
Not at all! Rather, we uphold the Law!. "
We can also see this `mystery' in Romans 4 where Paul speaks of Abraham receiving the promise, not by Law but by `the righteousness that comes by faith' - that is, by God's Grace because of His Righteousness. Paul's Letter to the Galatian Church is one long letter setting out the mystery of Law and Grace, and he asks very clearly: (Galatians 3:19-21)
" What, then, was the purpose of the Law? It was added because of
transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred
had come . . . . Is the Law, therefore, opposed to the promises of
God? Absolutely not! "
Earlier in this passage of Scripture we read that the Law was introduced - that is, by God's Grace - not to set aside the Promise (the Covenant given to Abraham) but to lead us by the Law into His promises. Both are of God and, therefore, `holy, righteous and good'! How, then, does `heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ' break into this `metonymy'? In Romans 7 Paul uses the Covenant of marriage to explain this mystery: (v1-4 in part)
" Do you not know, brothers - for I am speaking to men who know the Law - that the Law has authority over a man only as long as he lives? For example: By law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage . . . . . . So, my brothers, you also died to the Law through the Body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead . . . . "
Physical death breaks all bonds, husband and wife, master and servant, Jew and Gentile, and so frees us to enter another more glorious spiritual relationship! Earlier Paul spells this out with glorious authority: (Romans 6:1-7)
" What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning, so that Grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin - because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. "
It is the believer in Christ who has died to the claims of the Law. The Law is not made void, nullified but rather our new relationship in Christ Jesus `upholds the Law' and reveals that although we are dead to its claims it still stands `holy, righteous and good'. As to our physical nature: The Law still convicts thorough our conscience, and our day-by-day experiences and conflicts are at war with our New Life in Christ Jesus! This is Paul's cry
of triumph as he understands the conflict between the physical and the spiritual:
" What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's Law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. " Romans 7:24-25
This is a conflict, not a two-stage event, and is the experience of all who have entered into a new relationship, a walk into the fulness of our new life. That Grace was seen in the Law is a constant revelation throughout Scripture and is indeed seen in the title of this Credo. `These are the words Moses (the Law-giver) spoke to all Israel' who were about to cross over into the fulness of God's Promise to Abraham. And later it is said, `But you are to seek the place the LORD your God will chose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for His dwelling. To that place you must go'. It was to be a walk, a journey into the fulness of God's Grace, in the Person of Christ Jesus where Grace and Truth are brought together. And yet, in bringing to a conclusion these Thoughts on Psalm 119 we have to concede the many passages of Scripture which, even with an understanding of metonymy, still appear to reveal that the Law is against Grace!
To overcome these passages we would once again use a literary expression which is constantly used in Scripture. An `Ellipsis' is where an omission in a sentence deliberately occurs as the writer assumes that the reader understands the words without the need to continually repeat the obvious. In bringing the two expressions, metonymy and ellipsis, together such passages - as found particularly in the Letter to the Hebrews - are not seen to be in conflict with Paul's Letters. For instance, in Hebrews 8:13 where it says: `By calling this Covenant `new' He has made the first one old, and what is decaying will soon disappear', the writer was speaking to those who had `died in Christ' and who had entered into a new relationship but were now thinking of reverting back to life under the Law of Moses in order to avoid the `national' persecution of the Jews who were under the threat of death by the Roman armies of Titus. Supplying the `ellipsis' fills out the meaning of those words; `The Law is for you old and decaying, and the day will come when it will completely disappear . . be brought together into the fulness of God's Grace in the Kingdom of Righteousness'! There can, therefore, be no `Doctrinal Battle' over what is `holy, righteous and good'!
`Grace and Peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ'
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You may E-mail us at: derek@northernstyletrust.com or Telephone (01493) 444494 (UK)
Our Web Address: www.northernstyletrust.com
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