The Sum of Truth
What is included in the “word of God”?
Verse of the Day
‘The entirety of your word is truth, each of your righteous judgments endures forever.’
Psalms 119:160 (Christian Standard Bible)
‘The very essence of your words is truth; all your just regulations will stand forever.’
Psalms 119:160 (New Living Translation)
‘The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.’
Psalm 119:160 (English Standard Translation)
Today’s Devotional
Let’s get technical for a moment. This verse comes from Psalm 119, which is the longest chapter in the Bible, containing 176 verses. The point of this chapter is to praise and glorify God and His word. According to enduringword.com, there are eight basic words used to describe God’s word, each of which translates a little differently. These include:
- Law
- Word – referring to God’s spoken words
- Judgements
- Testimony
- Commandments
- Statutes
- Precepts
- Word- referring to anything God has spoken, commanded, or promised.
Now that we have the technical knowledge of all the different words used to describe God’s word, let’s look at an example.
My husband and I have been married for close to three decades. Over that period of time, he has communicated with me in many different ways. He speaks to me regularly, sometimes about daily tasks that he has done or that he needs my help with, sometimes about deep topics. Over the years, he has written me letters, either during a time when we were apart, or for a special occasion to remind me of his love for me. Occasionally he will leave a note for me somewhere. There are times when I can look at him and, without words, I can know that he is tired or stressed, based on his body language. There are other times when I can walk into a room and know that he has been there, based on the work that was accomplished in that space. If I take a step back and look at all of his communication with me, I can see both his great love for me and also the details and living daily life together.
To me, that’s what today’s verse is describing, the totality of God’s communication with each of us. If you take all the different ways that God communicates with us, and you look at everything He has said and is saying, IT IS TRUTH. And according to Jesus, that truth can be summarized by saying “God is God, He loves us extravagantly, and we should love Him fiercely, and also love people.” This is my paraphrase of Matthew 22:37-40.
I’ve learned over the years, especially when dealing with teenagers, that when I know I am right about something, there is absolutely no need to argue. The truth will be revealed. And my girls will accept the facts better if they have the freedom to arrive at the truth without me forcing it.
I wonder if God does the same thing with us. He knows that He is God, He knows that our lives will be so much more fulfilling if we will serve Him and serve our fellow man, but He’s not going to shove it down our throats. And He also knows that His truth will stand the test of time. It is eternal. It is a gift that God allows us to experience His truth and live within it. It is an invitation for today and everyday.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
How, other than through the Bible, has God communicated with you?
Describe the “sum” of what God says to you, through all means of communication?
What is your response to God’s word to you?