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The Library of Congress recently digitized the Giant Bible of Mainz (Germany). Its pages measure 22.6 inches by 15.9 inches. This is an entirely handwritten Bible, completed in two volumes by a single scribe over a fifteen-month period in 1452–1453. If you go to the web page LOC.gov, you can view this historical treasure for yourself! Be aware, though, that you’ll only be able to read it if you know Latin.
God’s Word is valuable and perfect in any format! Psalm 18 talks about God’s deliverance and His faithful character. As we see in verse 30, His “perfect” way and His “flawless” word are parallel and complementary truths. There is a sense, then, in which who God is and what He does are things that can also be ascribed to Scripture because it is the Word of God.
Today’s reading provides a rich description in this regard. Who is God and what does He do? The Lord shields or gives refuge to His people (vv. 30, 35). He strengthens us and trains us for spiritual battle (vv. 32, 34). He gives us a smooth path and keeps it secure (vv. 32, 36). He helps us stand firm and even leap “like a deer” (v. 33). He sustains us each day (v. 35). He is our Rock (v. 31)—the foundation of our lives, the only solid place to stand in the shifting sands of this world.
Since God’s way and words are “perfect” and “flawless,” they never fail. They are entirely true, reliable, and trustworthy, in the same sense that refined silver or gold are perfectly pure (Ps. 12:6). We can never go wrong following the Bible!
>> Where are you today in your spiritual journey? Rejoicing? Grieving? Struggling? Confused? Take some time to reread Psalm 18. Rest in these truths! Know that whatever place you may be in your walk with God, you can trust entirely in God’s perfect way and in His perfect Word.
“The LORD’s word is flawless” (Ps. 18:30). Times and cultures may change, but Your Word stays the same. Help us understand Scripture as it is meant to be understood, regardless of how our culture affirms or denies it.