The Law of God is Good and Wise

A couple weeks ago as we began our sermon series on the Ten Commandments we introduced this song that introduces God's Law in a very helpful way. It was written in 1863 by Matthias Lioy and does a good job bringing Old Testament and New Testament and Law and Gospel together:

The Law of God is Good and Wise [sang to tune of Before the Throne of God Above] 

1. The law of God is good and wise
and sets His will before our eyes,
shows us the way of righteousness,
and dooms to death when we transgress.
 

2. Its light of holiness imparts
the knowledge of our sinful hearts,
that we may see our lost estate
and seek deliverance ere too late.
 

3. When men the offered help disdain
and willfully in sin remain,
Law’s terror in their ear resounds
and keeps their wickedness in bounds. 
 

4. To those who help in Christ have found 
and would in works of love abound,
Law shows what deeds are His delight
and should be done as good and right.
  

5. The law is good; but since the fall
its holiness condemns us all;
it dooms us for our sin to die
and has no power to justify.
 

6. To Jesus we for refuge flee,
Who from the curse has set us free,
and humbly worship at His throne, 
saved by His grace through faith alone.

I have adapted the below summary from Matt Merker (with added scriptures) 

V1: Summary: the Law is good (see that phrase in 1 Timothy 1:8, Romans 7:12, etc.)

V2: "1st use" of the Law: convicts of sin (James 1:23-25, 2:10, etc.)

V3: "2nd use" of the Law: restrains evil (James 2:11-12, 1 Timothy 1:9-11, Romans 7:7, etc.)

V4: "3rd use" of the Law: teaches believers how to live pleasing to God (note: original hymn had different order of lines but this order coincides with the order of the historic 3 “uses” of the law from Romans 7, Psalm 119, etc.)

V5: The Law can't save... (Romans 3:21-28, Galatians 2:16, 21, etc.)

V6: ...so flee to Jesus for refuge! (Galatians 3:10-13, 24) 

Here is the message introducing the law and gospel in the Ten Commandments

I also talk about the above song in the first part of the first message below:

There are also PDF notes for each message at this link for further study as we go

Please join me in praying for this series from Psalm 119, that God would open our eyes that we might behold wonderful things from God's Law (v. 18) and graciously teach His ways (v. 34), so we might love His law and meditate on it all the day (v. 97).