“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold won- drous things out of thy law” (Ps 119:18). This is one of the verses from the psalm that Marianne Schütze has illustrated. God is asked to assist people in recognizing the wonderful things about his instructions. But why? Is it really that important? Aren’t laws issued so that people follow them? Why should I nd joy in the Lord’s instructions? These questions take us to the heart of the Old Testament. They touch the heart of God, whom we praise with the psalms. Simchat Torah is the name of a joyful festival with dancing and sweets that the Jews celebrate in October. In English: rejoicing in and with the Torah. The people of the rst covenant, our elder brothers and sisters, have an advantage over us: They have experienced that, although God does make claims on us with his word, his desire is not to place burdens on those who listen to him. The Ten Commandments begin with deliv- erance: “I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage” (Exodus 20:2). Ideally, the fundamental freedom of the children of God will nd expression in a life that is lived according to his instructions. Keeping God’s law need not be hard. We can nd joy in obeying it. Marianne Schütze’s illustrations have that sense of ease about them. They bring joy to my heart. They open my eyes to the wonders of God’s law.