Consequences
Therefore I love Your commandments above gold, yes, above pure gold. Psalm 119:127 NASB
Therefore – Why does the psalmist begin this verse with עַל־כֵּן (ʿǎl-·kēn means “for that reason, therefore”)? What is the “therefore” there for? It immediately tells us that as a consequence of the previous verse, the following statement is supplied. In other words, we can’t know what this verse means unless we first understand verse 126. What did we learn about verse 126? After noting the rearranged syntax in Christian Bibles, we argued that the original syntax demands ouraction, not God’s. The verse is a call to arms for us. Why? Because “they have broken Your Law.” What does this mean? The verb, pārar, carries the ideas of breaking, destroying, frustrating, and invalidating. When we think of the historical setting of the psalmist, all of these actions apply. In his pagan world, those who oppose God’s Torah may do so not only by deliberately violating the requirements but also by making those requirements difficult to fulfill or declaring that they no longer apply. Pretty much the same circumstances occur today, not just in the social-political world but also in the religious world. In biblical Greek the situation would be called anomos, that is, lawlessness. It doesn’t mean simply a state of anarchy. It means a condition where the Law of God is abrogated. We live in such a state now.
For this reason (ʿǎl-·kēn), the psalmist reaffirms his love for God’s miṣwōt. The commandments (not limited to the Ten) are instructions governing the social, political, and economic well-being of the society. Without them, the world inevitably descends into chaos. The lessons learned in the collapse of the Roman Empire are nothing more than a litany of violating God’s instructions. No society can survive that routinely suppresses the values of life, trust, care, and compassion. It’s no wonder the psalmist cherishes the miṣwōt more than gold. What is wealth in a culture that does not value life? How good is money in a world that does not trust? What can wealth do to protect you if the culture shows no signs of compassion or care? The things money can’t buy are the things that make communal life possible. Verse 126 sets the stage for the praise of verse 127. I love God’s miṣwōt because they ensure living. But the poet’s not done. The next verse also begins with ʿǎl-·kēn. Verse 126 gives the grounds for 127, verse 127 gives the reason for 128. Before we turn to the next verse, perhaps we should reflect on our current societal circumstances.
The most fundamental evangelistic question is not, “Where will you go when you die?” but rather, “How’s that working out for you?” How are your current behaviors and beliefs working out? Is life the peaceful, prosperous, healthy condition you hoped for? Are you happy with the state of the nation, or even your own community? Do you find that trust and care are top priorities among your associates? Do you feel a sense of security, harmony, or compassion? Are you able to have serious conversations with others without antagonism, anger, or animosity? Do you feel loved? All of these are covered in God’s miṣwōt. If you’re not experiencing these important elements of human life, perhaps it’s because the world has walked away from its instruction manual. Or worse, claimed it’s all accidental. The gods of random accident have no ethics—or compassion.
Topical Index: ʿǎl-·kēn, therefore, miṣwōt, commandments, gold, Psalm 119:127
