(for example, 105:45) and are semantically equivalent.88 Sometimes these verbs have been translated as “guard” (for example, NASB 20 and 2x respectively; for example, 91:11), and that would give a better picture of what is involved with this concept. Guarding requires conscious diligence as well as a carefulness about one’s actions; thus “guarding a commandment” cannot be done casually, but requires a careful attention that avoids even an accidental violation. Only in this fashion can one achieve integrity of conduct.
New Testament Echoes
The terms “law” (νόμος, nomos, 194x) and “word” (λόγος, logos, 330x) are extremely common in the New Testament, though many of these uses do not relate to God’s instructions (for example, Rom. 7:21 and Col. 3:17). In New Testament usage “Law” can refer to the holy Scriptures of the Old Testament (for example, John 12:34 and Rom. 3:19), attesting to the idea that all of God’s communication with mankind is instruction.
The Septuagint translated the eight Hebrew synonyms of Psalm 119 by using seven different Greek words.89 The 175 Hebrew nouns in Table 2.1 are matched by 173 uses of these Greek terms.90 The following verses represent some of the significant uses in the New Testament of these seven Greek synonyms for God’s instructions. (1) Christ affirmed both the permanence and truthfulness of the Law (νόμος, nomos): “Til heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall not pass from the law till all be fulfilled” (Matt. 5:18). (2) In Matthew 24:14 we find an example of God’s word serving as a testimony of the truth: “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness [μαρτύριον, marturion] unto all nations.” (3) Christ did not hesitate to identify the two greatest commandments (ἐντολάς, entolas) in the Law (Matt. 22:37–39). (4) These instructions are identified with the revelation God gave to Moses: “Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances [δικαιώματα, dikaiōmata] of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary” (Heb. 9:1). (5) In Romans 11 Paul employs the special use of κρίματα (krimata), “judgments,”91 for God’s customs or directives: “how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out” (v. 33). (6) The New Testament affirms the effectiveness of God’s word: “For the word [λόγος, logos] of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). (7) We find four cases of the word λόγια (logia) being used for the oracles of God (Acts 7:38; Rom. 3:2; Heb. 2:12; 1 Pet. 4:11).
As a fitting conclusion to this study of God’s instructions, let us each affirm with the psalmist, “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day” (119:97). May our love not terminate with just thoughts, but may it prompt us to spread the good news, to evangelize: “My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness” (119:172).
3
Wisdom
God’s instruction of mankind has its basis in His wisdom. He knows what is best for His creatures. When He speaks to human beings, as words emanate from His mouth, so does wisdom. This theme connects with that of the previous chapter, “Instruction,” because wisdom is tied closely to the Torah or Law. The theme of wisdom, however, does not dominate the book of Psalms by means of key words. The standard word חָכְמָה (khokmah), which occurs 149 times in the Old Testament, is found only six times in Psalms. Related words occur only seven more times. Near the end of the book the psalmist uses one of the synonyms (תְּבוּנָה, tevuwnah) for wisdom and declares that God’s “understanding is infinite” (147:5). This is the clearest statement in Psalms about this attribute of God. The expression translated “infinite” is literally “without number”: it is impossible for us to calculate how great His wisdom is; He is omniscient! Psalms develops the wisdom of God theme by tying it to God’s instruction and to His creation. Of course, the twelve wisdom psalms are also relevant for this topic.
The Wisdom of Instruction
God has not kept His wisdom to Himself, but has communicated part of it to mankind by giving us instructions. Proverbs begins with a wise father instructing his son (1:1–9) and then continues with a personification of Wisdom calling to the simple ones and offering them counsel (1:20–33). At that point we realize that Solomon is writing under inspiration with words of divine wisdom. In Psalms Asaph can say, “I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old” (78:2) only because God’s Spirit has inspired him and those that wrote earlier Scripture (v. 3).92 As another psalmist reflects on what he writes under inspiration,93 he describes it as speaking wisdom (49:3).94 As David ponders God’s revelation to him, he refers to God’s teaching him wisdom: “in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom” (51:6b). All references in Psalms referring to God’s law, therefore, are indications that there is wisdom behind those instructions. That means the focus of Psalm 119 on the delights found in God’s word (for example, v. 47) are at the same time the pleasures of contemplating God’s wisdom. Psalm 19:7–11 also focuses on the law and makes a direct connection to wisdom: “making wise the simple” (v. 7d). Of course, references to God’s counsel presuppose that His advice is wise. Asaph is confident that his Lord guides him in this life by counseling him (73:24a). Actually, God’s laws act as counsellors (119:24), but often people spurn that counsel (107:11), refusing “to walk in his law” (78:10). As a result, the Psalmist concludes, “Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble” (v. 33).
The Wisdom of Creation
The psalmists explicitly connect God’s wisdom to His work of creation in two passages. “O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches” (104:24).95 The last word in the verse (קִנְיָן, qinyan) is usually translated as “creatures” (NIV, ESV, HCSB, NAB) and refers to possessions, either purchased or created. The variety and intricacy of what God has created required immeasurable wisdom on His part. The second passage focuses on the skill of creating the celestial objects: “To him that by wisdom made the heavens” (Psalm 136:5a). Here the word תְּבוּנָה (tevuwnah, “understanding”) can be translated as “skill” (NASB). The following verses describe His skillful acts: He “stretched out the earth above the waters”; “made … the sun to rule by day”; “the moon and stars to rule by night” (vv. 6–9). Some other psalms that describe creation also indicate the Creator’s wisdom. When David says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork” (19:1), a significant portion of that glory is the wisdom that is revealed in the things He has made.96 We marvel at the skill that put the earth, moon, and planets in their orbits. That wonder is there in 8:3, where David says, “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained.” When the psalmist exclaims, “Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved” (93:1b, NASB), he uses the same expression that appears in 104:5 (בַּל־תִּמּוֹט, bal-timmowt; literally, “it cannot not be shaken”). Since Psalm 104 is clearly about creation, 93:1 can be understood in the same way.97 If the earth’s orbit and speed were erratic, ocean tides and our counting of time would be chaotic. Psalm 104 proceeds to provide numerous examples of God’s wise control of the forces of nature to make provision for the needs of plants, animals, and mankind (vv. 10–23).
The Wisdom Psalms
Scholarly studies in Psalms often refer to a group called “wisdom psalms,” those that have some of the characteristics of the wisdom literature in Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes. There is, however, much disagreement over what requirement a particular psalm must meet to fall into this category. There is some consensus on a short list (37, 49, 112, and 128), but wide differences in lists of nine or more. In fact, some scholars even dispute whether it is proper to speak of wisdom psalms.98 One way to identify them is by wisdom
