Reliable Testimony

“Lord, Your testimonies are completely reliable.” (Psalm 93:5a CSB)

A testimony is the verbal expression of events, actions, and truth which a person has seen, heard, or otherwise experienced. Someone who sees, hears, or experiences an event, action or truth and who tells it to someone is called a “witness.” Witnesses give testimony.

What constitutes a “reliable” testimony? In western courts, a witness must be someone who saw, heard, or experienced the event, can recall it accurately, and must swear under penalty of perjury that what they speak is the “truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” So, what keeps that witness from lying, from giving false testimony? The only deterrent to lying is the possibility of jail, but other than that, there is nothing that can keep them from lying if they chose to do so. The only thing you can then do is rely on the character of the witness giving the testimony.

So, what does the psalmist mean when he says that God’s “testimonies are completely reliable?” He is saying that God’s testimonies are absolute, are the truth, are 100% trustworthy. What makes it that way?

The character of God is what makes His testimonies, His word, totally reliable. There is no one greater to swear by. God is good and righteous and holy. In the second half of the verse above we read, “Holiness is the beauty of Your house for all the days to come.” The holiness of God precludes any possibility that God’s word is somehow tainted. When God says something, it is the truth. When He promises, He keeps His word. When He warns, He means it. When He calls, He is sincere. And He is 100% all of those descriptions, because that is His character. His character is what makes His testimony reliable.

Lord, We trust You and Your testimonies completely. Amen.