Commandments = Joy? Psalm 19:8

Some people just have a different perspective. When I read Psalm 19:8 NLT

The commandments of the LORD are right,
      bringing joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are clear,
      giving insight for living.

I have to wonder what the psalmist was thinking. When I hear the word "commandment," I think Ten Commandments. When I think of the Ten Commandments, I often think of the movie with Charlton Heston and Yule Brenner. Oy! It's not one of my favorite movies, to say the least. But I think about a bunch of "thou shalt nots."

How do words that start with "thou shalt not" bring joy to the heart? It's all of matter of perspective. If you look at it in the sense that someone is telling what you cannot do, it's no fun at all. But if you read the Word of God like a promise, it does bring joy.

Because I know that God is working in me, I can read the Ten Commandments in a different way.

Instead of:	I can say:
'You shall have no other gods before Me.'	I shall have no other gods before You
'You shall not make for yourself a carved image--any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.'	I will not make for myself a carved image.
'You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.'	I shall not take the name of the LORD my God in vain.
'Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.	I remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
'Honor your father and your mother.'	I honor my father and my mother.
'You shall not murder.'	I shall not murder.
'You shall not commit adultery.'	I shall not commit adultery.
'You shall not steal.'	I shall not steal.
'You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.'	I shall not bear false witness again my neighbor.
'You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's	I shall not covet my neighbor's stuff.

This brings joy to my heart. I know that I am not above breaking any of the commandments, but I have joy knowing that I don't have to and I have God in me to help me.  And I have joy knowing that this is the right way to live. So when God says, "you shall not," I agree with Him and say, "You're right, I shall not. I don't have to. Thanks for helping me not to. "

And BTW, thanks for joy.