Part 14: Behold The Wonders Of God's Glory! Series

Great Prayers of the Old Testament

Part 14: Behold the Wonders of God's Glory!

Psalm 19:1-14

Sermon by Rick Crandall

(Prepared January 11, 2025)

BACKGROUND:

*We are studying some of the great prayers in the Old Testament. And today's Scripture one of my favorites. It's King David's prayer in Psalm 19. But first, think about the glory of God. God's Word speaks of His glory around 300 times, about half in the Old Testament and half in the New. The first time we see God's glory is in Exodus, the second book if the Bible, and the last time we see His glory is in Revelation 21:23, where the new city of Jerusalem was described. There the Bible tells us that "the city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it, and the Lamb is its light." Wow!

*God's Word speaks of His glory almost from cover to cover. But what is God's glory? The Old Testament word-picture for "glory" is a weight -- something heavy. And God's glory is heavy indeed. It's something we should never take lightly. That's especially true since God's glory is the standard of perfection by which He measures us. We know this is true because Romans 3:23 says, "All have sinned and fall short of the GLORY OF GOD." And the original word for "glory" in the New Testament carries the ideas of dignity, honor, praise, worship, splendor, brightness, majesty, and the perfect excellence of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (1)

*John Piper explained that "glory" is a very hard thing to define. It is like the word "beauty." We all can use it and communicate with it but to try to reduce it to words is very frustrating. It is easier to point to examples."

*A beautiful sunset seen from the tallest building in Monroe, that's a taste of nature's glory. A hole-in-one, a grand-slam home run, and LSU winning the National Football Championship, these are examples of athletic glory.

*And John Piper said that God's glory "is the beauty and excellence of His manifold perfections. It refers to His infinite and overflowing fullness of all that is good. God's glory is the perfect harmony of all His attributes in one infinitely beautiful and personal being." (2)

*We need to get a better sense of the overwhelming radiance of the glory of God. In Exodus 24, Moses went up on Mount Sinai to meet with God for 40 days and 40 nights. And there in vs. 16-17, God's Word says:

16. Now the glory of the LORD rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day He called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud.

17. The sight of the glory of the LORD was like a raging, consuming, devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel.

*Thinking about these verses and the overwhelming power of God's glory, Robert Crilley said: "Speaking with the Almighty is one thing. Actually seeing His face is quite another. -- Like trying to drink from Niagara Falls, the unveiled glory of God would simply overwhelm us." (3)

*Think of Peter, James and John trembling on the mountain when Jesus was transfigured before them and His face shined like the sun. Speaking of Jesus, in John 1:14, the Apostle would later write, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Think of the Apostle Paul, struck to the ground and blinded by the glory of the Risen Savior. Paul would later testify, "Since I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus." (Acts 22:11)

*We also need to know that God's glory is vitally important to Him. He has great passion for His glory. God's main motivation as He acts in the universe is His own glory. He is driven to protect and proclaim His glory. For example, in Isaiah 48:9-12, the LORD spoke to His people and said:

9. "For My name's sake I will defer My anger, and for My praise I will restrain it from you, so that I do not cut you off.

10. Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

11. For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it; for how should My name be profaned? And I will not give My glory to another.

12. Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel, My called: I am He, I am the First, I am also the Last."