The theme of God’s instructions utilizes some additional terms that can be identified by parallelism to the eight main synonyms. In Psalm 119, where almost every verse contains some reference to God’s word, the third verse uses the plural of the term דֶּרֶךְ (derek), “way”: “… they walk in his ways,” paralleling “testimonies” in the second verse and “precepts” in the fourth verse. A similar phenomenon occurs in 119:36–38 (“testimonies,” “ways,” and “word”). Also in this psalm we find “way” connected with four of the main synonyms in the following phrases: “the way of thy testimonies/precepts/commandments/statutes” (vv. 14, 27, 32, 33). Literally, this word refers to a road; then by metonymy it came to mean “journey”; from this it developed metaphorically to refer to behavior. Hence, when David says that God “made known his ways unto Moses” (103:7), he is speaking about conduct that pleases the Lord.67 God has prescribed such behavior by His laws; therefore, the word דֶּרֶךְ (derek), either singular or plural, can be a reference to instruction. Table 2.3 lists 17 such cases out of the 66 occurrences of this word in Psalms. Key examples are the instances when “way” is the object of a verb meaning “to teach”: “What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall [God] teach [ירה (yarah)] in the way …” (25:12); “Then will I teach [למד (lamad)] transgressors thy ways” (51:13a); “cause me to know [hiphil of ידע (yada‘)] the way wherein I should walk” (143:8b).68 In each of these cases the psalmist is speaking about a knowledge of the Lord’s law or instruction given by revelation.
Table 2.3 Additional Terms in Psalms for God’s Instructions
| Hebrew | English | # | References | Total in Psa |
| דֶּרֶךְ | way | 17 | 18:21; 25:4, 9, 12; 27:11; 32:8; 37:34; 51:13; 81:13; 86:11; 95:10; 103:7; 119:3, 37; 128:1; 138:5; 143:8 | 66 |
| עֵצָה | counsel | 5 | 33:11; 73:24; 106:13; 107:11; 119:24 | 11 |
| אֹרַח | path | 3 | 25:4, 10; 119:15 | 14 |
| אֵמֶר | word | 3 | 78:1; 107:11; 138:4 | 7 |
| אֹמֶר | word | 2 | 68:12; 77:8 | 4 |
| נְאֻם | declaration | 1 | 110:1 | 2 |
The synonym of דֶּרֶךְ (derek), “way,” is אֹרַח (’owrakh), “path”; 3 of its 14 uses in Psalms have reference to God’s instructions. For example, “I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways [אֹרְחֹתֶֽיךָ]” (119:15). Because of parallelism between “words of God” and “counsel of the most High” in 107:11, it is evident that what God instructs can be called His “advice,” עֵצָה (‘eytsah), a term used in this way four other times in the book.69 Table 2.3 also lists the occurrences of three infrequent synonyms for the noun דָּבָר (davar), “word”: אֵמֶר (’eymer), אֹמֶר (’owmer), and נְאֻם (ne’um), better translated as “declaration” or “oracle.” For each of these words only some of the usages are relevant for this theme.
Characteristics of God’s Word
The 254 verses in 47 different psalms listed above in the three tables provide us with a wealth of information about the subject of God’s instructions for mankind. The Holy Spirit has indicated four characteristics. Primacy belongs to the fact that (1) God’s word is true. This is indicated primarily by the term צֶדֶק (tsedeq), “righteousness.” This Hebrew noun indicates that someone or something has met a standard.70 In regard to words or communication, that standard is truthfulness.71 Psalm 119 attributes “righteous” to the various synonyms ten times (vv. 7, 62, 75, 106, 123, 138, 144, 160, 164, and 172), mainly “judgments” (5x). The psalmists explicitly say that God’s word is true at least four times by using the noun אֱמֶת (’ameth), “truth.”72 “The judgments [מִשְׁפָּטִים (mishpatiym)] of the Lord are true” (19:9); “your law/commands/words is/are true” (119:142, 151, 160, NIV). Additionally, in Psalm 25 if אָרְחוֹת (’arekhowth), “ways,” in verse 10 can be connected to its synonym דֶּרֶךְ (derek),“way,” in verse 9, where the term refers to God’s communication (because this is what He “teaches”), then we have the statement “All the paths [His instructions] of the Lord are … truth.”73
Another way to express the verity of God’s instructions is the use of the word יָשָׁר (yashar), “upright”: “For the word of the Lord is right” (33:4) and “upright are thy judgments” (119:137b). The Geneva Bible recognized the connotation of the Hebrew verb אמן (’aman), “reliable,” and translated 111:7 as “all his statutes are true.”74 Thus we can recognize that “sure” means “true” also in 19:7 (“testimony”) and 93:5 (“testimonies”). The word, however, that really stresses this characteristic is תָּמִים (tamiym), “perfect,” applied to the “law” in 19:7 and when referring to communication, indicating absolute veracity.75
This veracity is part of what makes feasible the next characteristic. (2) God’s word is immutable. Lies are eventually rejected and not remembered; books full of false theories and incorrect statements are discarded. The truth, however, endures. “Lord, Your word is forever; it is firmly fixed in heaven” (119:89, HCSB; see also KJV, ESV, NET). It does not pass away: “he hath made a decree which shall not pass” (148:6b). It does not fall like error: His “counsel … standeth for ever” (33:11a). Yes, what God says is eternal: “every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever” (119:160).
Furthermore, (3) God’s word is powerful. Psalm 29:4a tells us, “The voice of the Lord is powerful.” His word was the means of creation: “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth” (33:6). It is also the means of the preservation of the earth, for all things have to obey His orders: “They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants” (119:91).76 Psalm 147 states that God merely “sends forth His command/word to the earth” (vv. 15, 18), and