113I hate(A) the double-minded,
but I love(B) your law.
114You are my(C) hiding place and my(D) shield;
I(E) hope in your word.
115(F) Depart from me, you evildoers,
that I may(G) keep the commandments of my God.
116Uphold me(H) according to your promise, that I may live,
and let me not be(I) put to shame in my(J) hope!
117(K) Hold me up, that I may be safe
and have regard for your statutes continually!
118You(L) spurn all who(M) go astray from your statutes,
for their cunning is in vain.
119All the wicked of the earth you discard like(N) dross,
therefore(O) I love your testimonies.
120My flesh(P) trembles for fear of you,
and I am afraid of your judgments. (Psalm 119:113-120)
Double-minded Christians claim that they believe in and love Christ and yet, at the same time they despise God’s Law. From the very beginning of this stanza the psalmist makes it clear that the opposite of the double-minded man, that is the single-minded man, loves God’s Law. Instead, the double-minded exhibit the characteristics Elijah confronted long ago when he said, “How long(A) will you go limping between two different opinions?(B) If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.” (1 Kings 18:21)
Those who forsake God’s Law by necessity become the evildoers which this writer abhors. In fact, he considers them in the same light as does Jesus who said,
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:17-20)
Yet consider today how many people claim that Jesus came to set the law aside! If he did anything to the law he made it even stricter when he said,
You have heard that it was said by them of old time, You shall not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, You fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.(Matthew 5:21-22)
and
You have heard that it was said by them of old time, You shall not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. (Matthew 5:27-28)
Jesus took the Law and transitioned it from external manifestations of supposed righteous acts to actual inward holiness. One may fool another forever by his public actions, but the desires of a man’s heart cannot be hidden from God. God looks to our hearts, not our actions. He intends to write his Law upon our inmost secret place, upon the very fabric of our souls. And notice that his standard for our hearts even exceeds his standard for our external actions. This explains why we must learn to love God’s Law like this psalmist did.
He knew that he did not perfectly obey God’s Law. He knew himself a man of flesh who could still be put to shame by acting upon his evil, lustful thoughts. But, he asked God to hold him up, to protect him from straying from God’s commandments. Here stands a man who fears God, who trembles in his presence, for he knows the weakness, frailty, and sinfulness of his flesh. Yet, here stands the man whom God upholds with his right hand for he maintains a plaited eye toward God and his Law. The plaited eye, the eye which pulls the strands of life into a single cord which always looks to God and his ways, this is that which God requires of us. So today consider, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.”
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill,” Jesus said. “Not every one that says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? and in your name have cast out demons? and in your name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work lawlessness.” (Matthew 7:21-23)
