God’s Revelation
Psalm 19
I attended an event called Symphony on the Prairie. It was held at historic Conner Prairie farms in Indiana. There are hundreds of acres with log cabins that are preserved as a museum of what the pioneer days were like in Indiana.
In this setting the Indianapolis Symphony came and played. We sat on lawn chairs and blankets during the sunset and then as night fell under the stars. There was something about that event that was invigorating to the soul.
According to Psalm 19 there were two symphonies playing that night. The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra was playing strings, percussion, and brass instruments. But there was a soundless symphony in the heavens. The heavens were declaring the glory of God.
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
3 They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. (Psalm 19:1-4)
As we listened to the symphony on the prairie the sun set with all the splendid colors. Then the stars broke through until they were beyond a countable number. All of this we say while listening to the strings play gave testimony to the glory of God.
In this Psalm David speaks of God’s revelation in creation. God reveals himself through the splendor of the universe. The theologians call this natural revelation. The rest of us just call it God’s creation or God is the creator of all nature.
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Romans 1:20)
God so clearly reveals himself through creation that no one is left without excuse. Just from nature we know enough that we are held accountable for our sins. The heavens and the skies make proclamation of God’s creative power. There are billions of stars in the sky making this declaration.
The most powerful telescopes make visible another distant star it has the same message. It sparkles with a testimony of the mighty creative power of God. The Word used for God here is El, and that name for God denotes his power. God made himself known to all humankind at creator. He revealed his eternal power and his divine nature.
There is a different message in the day and the night, but both have the same theme, that God is all powerful. Two stringed instruments in the symphony may be different but they play the same son. It is a different way of communicating the song. So, what the day sky and night sky say about all powerful God, but differently. The skies of day and night have their own message of God’s power.
Those who study the sky know how God is glorified through them. Their study is like a magnet drawing them to God. Copernicus described the universe as “built for us by the most orderly workman of all”.
Listen to the epitaph to Galileo written by his student Viviani. “With philosophic and Christian firmness, he rendered up his soul to his Creator, sending it, as he liked to believe, to enjoy and watch from a closer vantage point those eternal and immutable marvels which he, by means of a fragile device, had brought closer to our mortal eyes with such eagerness and impatience.”
The message of God’s power in creation reached the remotest jungle and secluded societies. God’s work is witness to his creative power. The focus turns to the sun. How the sun speaks of the testimony of God’s creative power. As the most prominent object in the sky it well represents God’s glory. Our own lives depend on the sun.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
5 It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is deprived of its warmth. (Psalm 19:4b-6)
The picture is of the bridegroom coming from a sleeping room just after the wedding. There is radiance and feeling of full vitality of life. The sun is like a champion runner. The sun rises and sets. This whole description is poetic. Yes, the earth turns. We say the sunrise will be at 6:15 am. To us it comes up. All the images are poetic, the pitched tent, the bridegroom and the runner and sun rising.
God’s word is perfect. That is the emphasis that David makes as he moves from general to specific revelation.
7 The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the LORD are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever.
The decrees of the LORD are firm,
and all of them are righteous.
10 They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the honeycomb.
11 By them your servant is warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12 But who can discern their own errors?
Forgive my hidden faults. (Psalm 19:7-12)
God gives his revelation through his Word. His law is perfect. There is a better revelation than nature, it not only holds us accountable for our sins but tells us what to do about it. This is something the stars of the sky do not do for us. Only the Bible tells us how to be saved.
God’s word revives the soul. It brings life and restoration to us. God’s word brings freedom and delivers us from bondage. God’s Word makes the simple man wise. You don’t need to have a PhD to understand the Words of eternal life. Yet you surpass the educated in wisdom when you believe the message of the Bible.
All in all, there are fourteen terms about Gods word in Psalm 19 verses 7-11. It is:
1. perfect,
2. revives the soul,
3. trustworthy
4. makes wise,
5. right
6. gives joy,
7. radiant,
8. gives light,
9. pure,
10. endures forever,
11. altogether righteous,
12. more precious than gold,
13. sweeter than honey and
14. brings great reward.
It is more precious than gold. God’s word is worth more than all the earthly treasures. Spiritual riches are always superior to material wealth. That is why people with great wealth can be utterly bankrupt spiritually and find no meaning. We find satisfaction and meaning in spiritual riches.
We have the Word of God to bring us into line with His will to cause us to ascribe work to the all-powerful God of creation revealed in the universe.
In verses 1-6 the word used for God is El, the all-powerful God. In verses 7-14 the name used is Jehovah the covenant name emphasizing relationship. The Bible leads people to faith in God. The purpose of God’s word is to promote fellowship. It calls out a warning that danger is ahead. It calls us to change of life. When our standard becomes something else beside the Bible we deceive ourselves. The Bible is our plumb line.
God reveals himself in his word and when we know God’s Word we learn to know God who reveals himself. That is why I want to center my preaching on the Word of God, not classic literature, or editorials or ideas from politics, but the Word of God.
In Psalm 19 David emphasizes God’s revealed Word in creation Word and in our redemption. When we have a strong commitment to the Word of God in our personal life we will grow in our Christian maturity.
Now David emphasizes God’s revelation in our redemption. We have a clear need or forgiveness.
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.
14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
No one can recall every time we departed from God’s Word. Even our hidden sins become exposed at the judgement. At the judgement all is exposed. Verse 13 speaks of deliberate wrong contrasted to hidden faults. Here is personal application to the Word of God and meditating on God’s Word. It reveals our sin and inspires us to holiness.
May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight is our prayer. The Psalm address God as our Rock and Redeemer. God revealed himself progressively clearer. It became most clear in Jesus Christ. His mission was to redeem us. Have you trusted in Jesus Christ as your redeemer. Have you asked that his death on the cross pay the penalty for your sins. You have the clear way of salvation in the Bible.
