Here, the psalmist reflects on the gift of the law of the Lord. The Torah, or the Law of Moses, is central to the spirituality of the Hebrew people. Rather than restricting or binding, the Law is intended to bring life, revival, and joy. By the time Jesus came along, the good religious folk of his day had forgotten that truth. For them, the Law was all about reinforcing ideas of us vs. them, of insiders and outsiders, of the powerful over the weak.
Jesus’ teaching and example revealed that his thinking was more in line with that of the psalmist’s. His understanding was that the framework for how we relate to God and to one another is love. Love of God, love of neighbor, and love of self. If our thoughts, words, and actions are rooted in love, the rest should take care of itself. If we love God, we’re not going to shove God off to the side while we worship whatever “idols” we may have – idols like money or image or a celebrity of some sort. If we love our neighbor, we’re going to be more forgiving and patient. We’re going to be more mindful of the impact our words and actions have on others. If we love ourselves, we’re going to engage in behaviors that attend to our physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
In what ways have you felt restricted by laws – religious or societal laws? In what ways do rules bring freedom? Which laws are “sweeter than honey”? What impact does Jesus’ reframing of the purpose of the Law have on the way you think of it?
Today, commit yourself to one act of love for God, one act of love for neighbor, and one act of love for yourself.