In Keeping Them

[Christsfreeservant]

“The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul;​

The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.​

The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;​

The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.​

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;​

The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.​

They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;​

Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.​

Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;​

In keeping them there is great reward.​

Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.​

Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins;​

Let them not rule over me;​

Then I will be blameless,​

And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.” (Psalm 19:7-13 NASB1995)​

Under the New Covenant God has with his people Israel (Jew and Gentile by biblical faith in Jesus Christ), we are free from the Old Covenant liturgical, ceremonial, sacrificial, purification, circumcision, dietary and Sabbath laws. But we are not lawless. We still must obey our Lord and his commands under the New Covenant, which are mainly his moral laws. But it also entails following our Lord wherever he leads us in being and in doing what he has for us to be and to do for his glory and for the salvation of human lives.

For Jesus Christ taught that to come to him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and we walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in his power, then we have eternal life with God. For not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

For by God-gifted faith in Jesus Christ, which is not of our own doing, we are crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but as slaves to righteousness in walks of obedience to God’s commands. We are no longer to permit sin to reign in our mortal bodies to make us obey its desires. For if sin is what we obey, it results in death. But if obedience to God is what we obey, it results in sanctification, and its end is eternal life with God (see Romans 6:1-23).

And this goes right along with what the Psalmist David expressed here when he spoke of hidden faults (not what are intentionally kept secretive but those for which we cannot discern) versus presumptuous (deliberate, rebellious, and intentional) sins. For faith in Jesus Christ does not mean necessarily that we will never sin again (1 John 2:1-2) but that sin must no longer be our practice, our habit. Instead, righteousness, holy living, and walks of obedience to our Lord are what we are to be putting into daily practice.

And we should consider the commands of our Lord, not as a drudgery, and not as something to try to get out of, but as what they are, good and healthful for us and for our benefit. When kept, they are what restore our souls, make wise the naïve, rejoice the heart, enlighten our eyes, and are pure and righteous altogether. They give us counsel and direction in knowing the right way to go, and they warn us against going the way that is wrong, that is contrary to the will of God and to his holiness and righteousness.

I often pray and ask the Lord to show me if I am going the wrong direction, for he has a plan and a purpose for my life and I want to make certain that I am on his path, going where he wants me to go, and doing what he wants me to do, and that I am not off target in any respect. So I pray that he will guide my steps, and that he will help me to make the right decisions, and that I will follow his lead one day at a time. And I see that as the heart of David expressed here. His desire was to do the will of God and not do wrong.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

Have Thine Own Way, Lord

Words by Adelaide A. Pollard, 1907
Music by George C. Stebbins, 1907

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Search me and try me, Master, today!
Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now,
As in Thy presence humbly I bow.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Wounded and weary, help me I pray!
Power, all power, surely is Thine!
Touch me and heal me, Savior divine!

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Hold o'er my being absolute sway.
Fill with Thy Spirit till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me!

In Keeping Them
An Original Work / October 16, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love