The psalmist reflects on the Law of God. The Law is good. It provides the path to happiness and satisfaction in life. It even facilitates a just and equal society. The Law has many benefits, but I have to wonder about salvation. No one perfectly keeps the Law. All people sin and fall short of God’s glory. So, the Law doesn’t save anyone. How is one saved, if not by keeping the Law? The psalmist picks up on this question:
May Your lovingkindnesses also come to me, O Lord, Your salvation according to Your word (Psalm 119:41).
In the middle of reflecting on the Law, the psalmist asks for God’s lovingkindness according to the very Law he reflects on. Since, in context, the psalmist is thinking about the Law specifically, we know the lovingkindness he refers to is a concept written into the Law—particularly in the Ten Commandments.
You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments (Exodus 20:3-6).
God instructed Israel not to have other god’s before Him or make idols in the image of anything beneath Him. God alone was to be worshipped. God revealed His own jealousy for the people who worship the creature rather than the creator. Because He is a jealous God, He visits the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and fourth generation of those who hate Him. We don’t typically spend much time talking about the jealousy of God in most gatherings. As the psalmist reflects on this part of the Law, he doesn’t want to be among those who hate God. He want’s to experience God’s lovingkindness rather than suffer from his own iniquity.
God’s jealousy is just. There is a just form of jealousy and an unjust form of jealousy. Just jealousy longs for that which already belongs to a person. I can be justly jealous for my wife. I can’t be justly jealous that someone else has something I don’t. God’s jealousy is just because He created all things and every person for Himself. Yet, He is full of grace.
God doesn’t visit iniquities on everyone who can’t keep His Law perfectly. He visits iniquities on those who hate Him. Rather than prescribing a works-based righteousness, the Law gets very relational when it speaks in terms of God’s love and what we call salvation. Those who hate God will experience the proper repayment for their iniquities to the third and fourth generation. The Law doesn’t say, “God will visit the iniquities of those who don’t keep His Law on them to the third and fourth generation.” It clarifies, “…those who hate Me…” From this, we can infer that God does not visit iniquities on those who do not hate Him. The next verse confirms our inference.
God shows His lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Him and keep His commandments. When we love someone, we treasure their thoughts and desires. “Keep,” here literally means to watch over or guard; it does not refer to a necessary and perfect obedience but to striving after God’s Law. It leaves freedom for mistakes and missteps. In the context of the Law, God’s lovingkindness seems to refer to His personal care for those who love Him and His promise to pass over their iniquities. God is a forgiving God. Our running after His commandments is evidence we love Him. When we love Him, He shows us His lovingkindness rather than visiting iniquities on us. There is the gospel of salvation by grace through faith written into the Law amid all the rules. The rules are practical for our happiness and the good of society. The gospel, loving God relationally, is eternal salvation—experiencing the lovingkindness of God despite our insufficiencies.
The psalmist is striving after God’s Law. He is not perfect. He takes the time to ask God for His forgiveness according to the Law—the lovingkindness of God pertaining to true salvation by grace through faith. The Law and Gospel work in tandem for our good on this earth and eternal salvation. They are inseparable works of God for the good of His people. Even Jesus taught:
If you love Me, you will keep My commandments (John 14:15).
Our love for God causes us to strive after His commandments. Striving after commandments does not cause us to love God. The Old and New Testaments agree on this fact. In response to the text, I simply ask, do you love God? There are people who do not love God and still try to keep the Law because it offers practical benefits in this life, but they do not experience the lovingkindness of God in forgiveness and salvation. If our obedience to the Law is for selfish gain, we don’t get to experience God’s lovingkindness. If we love God and strive after His Law because we love Him, He promises to show us His lovingkindness—which means forgiveness and salvation for us to His glory and the good of the world. Christianity is not about being good enough like so many other so-called religious viewpoints. It is about loving God. It is not about trying to use religious rules or rituals to gain for self. It is about loving God. Do you love God?
In this post, you read about the inseparable nature of God’s Law and Gospel. You read that the gospel message is present in the Law. You read that God forgives the iniquities of His people and strives with them to bring obedience. You also read that God visits the iniquities of those who hate Him on the third and fourth generation. If you have questions about any of these topics, please reach out.
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