The Judgments of the Lord

2/11/2025

Elijah McSwain, Sr.

Psalm 19:7-11 NKJV — The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward.

The phrase "the judgments of the Lord" is a reference that is equivalent to the phrase, the Word of the Lord. The judgments of the Lord reveal the premise of God’s governance and ruling authority over His people. John Gill acknowledged “the judgments of the Lord" seem to design that part of the Word, which contains rules of God's judging and governing His people; or the laws, orders, and ordinances of Christ in His house, which His people should observe, and yield a cheerful obedience to, Him being their King, Judge, and Lawgiver. And these are "true" or "truth" that have been wisely made, according to the truth of things, and agreeable to the holiness and righteousness of God.” 1

God has outlined judgments that reflect His nature, mindset, and desired end for mankind to flourish and abide by. Thus, the judgments of the Lord regulate the affairs of mankind.

Adam Clarke commented that the judgments of the Lord are “all God’s regulations, all His decisions; what He has pronounced to be right and proper.” 2 What God has set as right and proper are governed in what is true and righteous. This is the message of Psalm 19:9b. This portion of the Psalm 19:9 focuses in on the true nature of God’s judgments and the righteous nature of God’s judgments.

The Truthfulness of the Lord’s Judgments

Psalm 19:9 (NKJV) pronounces the judgments of the Lord are true. When something is deemed as true by God, it points to the reality that it has a fixed character or nature. The notion of its fixated position reveals that the judgments of the Lord are trustworthy, reliable, and without a mistake. His Word is a dependable source of absolute truth. His Word is the very embodiment of Himself.

There is no deviation between the nature of God and His Word. God’s Word is a reflection of Himself.

Albert Barnes inferred that “the word here rendered judgments refers to the revealed truth of God, with the idea that has been judged or determined by Him to be right and to be best. It is the result of the divine adjudication as to what is true, and what is best for man.” 3 Psalm 9:16 (NKJV) is penned that “the LORD is known by the judgment He executes.”

The character of God is connected to the way that He carries out His judgments.

The manner in which He carries out His judgments reveals the basis of what He has determined as good, true, pure, holy, and just. Albert Barnes mentioned the judgments of the Lord are true “that is, they accord entirely with the truth or are a correct representation of the reality of things. They are not arbitrary but are in accordance with what is right. God is infinitely perfect, and what He does will be always right, for that is in, accordance with His nature; His judgments are right because His will is always in accordance with what is right.” 3

God is the essence of truth and righteousness, therefore, anything that He sets forth in His Word is a reflection of truth and righteousness that stems from Him. The first clause of Romans 2:2 (NKJV) makes known that “we know that the judgment of God is according to truth.” Anything that God does stems from the nature of what is true. He is the definition of truth. Therefore, His judgments are of the same character and nature. Psalm 33:4 (NKJV) adds “for the Word of the LORD is right, and all His work is done in truth.”

Spurgeon wrote “His ordinances both natural, moral, and spiritual, are right, and especially His incarnate Word, who is the Lord our righteousness. Whatever God has ordained must be good, and just, and excellent. There are no anomalies in God’s universe, except what sin has made; His Word of command made all things good. When we look at His Word of promise, and remember its faithfulness, what reasons have we for joy and thankfulness! “And all His works are done in truth.” His work is the outflow of His word, and it is true to it. He neither doth nor saith anything ill; in deed and speech He agrees with Himself and the purest truth.” 4

Scripture points ultimately to this reality of God’s Word. His Word is true simply because His Word is true. Proverbs 30:5 (ESV) declares “every word of God proves true.” Psalm 119:160 (NKJV) elaborates “the entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.”

There is not a grain of untruth in the judgments of God. Every Word is God valid, binding, accurate, credible, cemented in truth, and sanctioned by God.

The judgments of the Lord are permanently upheld by Him and will never diminish in its truthfulness.

The Righteousness of His Judgments

The psalmist mentioned that the judgments of the Lord are righteous. James Hamilton, Jr. voiced “that Yahweh’s judgments are true and righteous altogether. Yahweh will never render an unjust decision, never fail to enact righteousness, and never be tempted by anything unrighteous, corrupt, or clandestine. The judgments that Yahweh has decided that are recorded in Scripture are true. They correspond to reality, they stand against evil, they enact justice.” 5 The Lord’s righteous judgments stem from the core of His righteousness. Psalm 119:137 (NKJV) advises “righteous are You, O LORD, and upright are Your judgments.” Deuteronomy 32:4 (NKJV) remarks "He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice, a God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He." Psalm 145:17 (NKJV) emphasizes "the LORD is righteous in all His ways, gracious in all His works."

William MacDonald concluded “the Author of the Book is righteous, so it is not surprising that the Book is upright too.” 6

Righteousness is the seat from which the Lord operates. The revelation of Scripture through His judgments is the personification of righteousness. Bruce Hurt spoke to the fact “righteous basically connotes conformity to an ethical or moral standard which in Scripture is the nature and will of God (Ps145:17) And thus God is righteous (Ps 51:4) as are His laws (Ps 19:9).” 7 Psalm 97:2b (NKJV) brings to light “righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.” Psalm 89:14 (NKJV) highlights “righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; mercy and truth go before Your face.” The elements of righteousness, truth, justice and mercy are vital components relating to the way God rules. The way that God rules is in a righteous matter as indicated in His judgments. The judgments of the Lord align with the sphere of God and showcases how the Lord moves according to His own righteousness.

Altogether, truth and righteousness speak of God’s judgments in light of who God is. The tandem two work in conjunction as the Lord executes His righteousness in the heart of the earth. Truth and righteousness joined together serves God’s purpose as it relates to what has been determined as right and proper.

The judgments of the Lord are right, true, just and proper and must be followed according to the specifications of God.

Believers are to live under submission to that which is true and right. Our lives should function under the governance of the judgments of God. Philippians 4:8 (NKJV) records “finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” Let us meditate and live in accordance to God’s true and righteous judgments as Albert Barnes declares “they are without exception, just; or they are altogether wholly righteous. There is no one of them which is not just and proper. All that God determines, whether in giving or in executing His laws - all in His requirements, and all in the administration of His government - is always and wholly righteous.” 3

Strive to live according to God’s determined means of governance which leads to operating in the blessedness of what He has approved.

Resources

1. Gill, John. “Commentary on Psalms 19:9”. “Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible”. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/psalms-19.html. 1999.

2. Clarke, Adam. “Commentary on Psalms 19:9”. “The Adam Clarke Commentary”. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/psalms-19.html. 1832.

3. Barnes, Albert. “Commentary on Psalms 19:9”. “Barnes’ Notes on the Whole Bible”. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/psalms-19.html. 1870.

4. Spurgeon, C. H. n.d. The Treasury of David: Psalms 27-57. Vol. 2. London; Edinburgh; New York: Marshall Brothers.

5. Hamilton, James M., Jr. 2021. Psalms. Edited by T. Desmond Alexander, Thomas R. Schreiner, and Andreas J. Köstenberger. Vol. 1. Evangelical Biblical Theology Commentary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Academic.

6. The Believer’s Bible Commentary

7. https://www.preceptaustin.org/psalm_197-14_commentary