God's Glory Revealed (Psalm 19)

Great. So we're going to look at Psalm 19 today and it's a song I'm sure most of us are familiar with and as we work through the song we're going to see some poetic devices including parallelism and personification among others. Will also see how this song depicts Christ as his role as Creator in his identity as the word of God and his act of redemption at the cross. And we'll see how this song evokes. The emotions of our thankfulness. And the fear of the Lord.

Psalm 19 depicts 3 increasingly specific ways that God's glory is displayed. In his Creation in his word and in his Redemption. let's pray and then I'll read Psalm 19 before we dive into the different sections, more intently

Father, thank you for your word. I pray that you would show us your glory in it. And cause it to transform us into the likeness of your son by the power of your spirit within us.

Please use my words to Proclaim Your Glory. I pray in Jesus name. Amen.

Psalm 19. To the choirmaster, a Psalm of David. The heavens declare, the glory of God and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day, pours out speech, and night to night, reveals knowledge. There is no speech. Nor their words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the Earth, and their words, to the end of the world. In them, he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom. Leaving his chamber, and like a strong man runs its course with joy. It's rising is from the end of the heavens and its circuit to the end of them. And there is nothing hidden from its heat. The law of the Lord is perfect. Reviving The Soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple The precepts of the Lord are right rejoicing, the heart, the Commandment of the Lord is pure enlightening, the eyes, the fear of the Lord, is clean enduring forever. The rules of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired. Are they than gold? Even much fine, gold sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb more over by them is your servant warned in keeping them. There is great reward. Who can discern? His errors? Declare me, innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless and innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable. In your sight. Oh Lord. My rock and my redeemer.

So the first display of God's glory in this song is in his Creation. In verses 1 through 6. David has artfully, use both parallelism and personification to describe God's creation and how it displays God's glory. He specifically focuses on the sky. Using the terms Heaven sky above day night and the son. He says in verse one that the heavens declare, the glory of God and the sky above proclaims his handiwork Ryan reference. This verse a couple weeks ago as we looked at Ephesians 2:10, where Paul says that we are God's handiwork his finger play. But here, David says, that the heavens are declaring something. The sky above is proclaiming something. No, this guy does not actually speak David's using personification to describe how simply observing the sky reveals, something profound about the one who made the sky. I was camping couple of weeks ago and I noticed some things about the sky. I stayed up late one night and sat back in my camping chair and just looked up at all the stars. And as I thought about the immensity of each of those stars and how far away they are, I felt very small and Powerless.

And I thought about the one who made those Stars, I felt that he was unimaginably, big and powerful. Another thing I noticed was that I didn't have a watch with me, but I knew when to wake up because this guy got brighter. And I knew when to start a campfire, because this guy would get dark. The same pattern happened every single day. And it has happened every day since God created the world, and it will continue to happen until the new heavens and a new Earth. When there's no more sun or moon because God himself will be our light. The verse to talks about. Constant that the constant pattern of the sky, is David says day to day. Pours out speech and night to night reveals knowledge. Not only does this guy reveal how powerful God is. It also reveals how faithful he is.

The second verse of the hymn, Great Is Thy Faithfulness says, summer and winter and spring time and harvest sun, moon and stars in their courses above. Join with all nature in manifold, witness desire, great faithfulness, mercy, and love. Day after day and night, after night, the sun, moon and stars, follow a consistent pattern.

Such that we can anticipate their movement with Incredible accuracy. The stars are so constant that Sailors can navigate the Sea by them, where there's otherwise, no point of reference to know which direction they're going at night. The Moon is so constant that the Jewish calendar was based on its cycle. The sun is so constant that we can know the timing of the sunrise and the sunset anywhere on the globe at any day of the year. the seasons are so constant that farmers know to the day when to plant and when to harvest now, the sky is so constant. In the one who made it. Is even more. So, in his character, If the sky is so useful to all of mankind than the one who made it is infinitely merciful and loving to bless us with it. The sky declares and proclaims all these things. But have you ever heard the sky?

I haven't literally heard the sky and David picks up on this and verse three. He says, there is no speech nor are there words whose voice is not heard, when I get a little little grammar lesson here in the Hebrew, it doesn't have that relative pronoun, whose It's simply speaks of the sky, not having literal speech, or literal voice to be heard. There's no speech. There's no words. Their voice it isn't heard. It's not literally hurt. Now, even though the sky doesn't have a literal voice in verse for David says, their voice goes out through all the Earth and their words to the ends of the world. Other word for voice back in verse 3 is a literal voice like what you're hearing coming out of my mouth right now. But she run verse for David uses. A different word. But elsewhere is translated as a measuring line. as if the sky declares God's sovereignty over creation, Such that she dictates where everything goes. This is a metaphorical proclamation of God's eternal power, and divine nature. As Paul explains in Romans 1:18 through 20. Let's turn over there really quick. Just to see how Paul makes a similar argument.

Romans 1. Verses 18 through 20.

Says for the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who buy their unrighteousness suppress. The truth for what can be known about God is plain to them because God has shown it to them for his invisible attributes. Namely, his eternal power, and divine nature have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. God's creation is sufficient evidence to know that there is an eternal and divine creator. And the only reason people don't acknowledge this that they suppress it. People don't want a Creator to whom they are accountable for their actions.

Our sinful state is such that we desire life on our terms. Rather than on God's terms. So we suppress the truth.

Paul takes this point and applies it to Israel in chapter 10 of Romans. He quotes Psalm 19 verse 4 in Romans 10, 18, in the context of Israel, hearing the gospel and yet rejecting it. It's on 19. David is speaking of the metaphorical proclamation of the sky. That there is a Creator, God who is all-powerful, faithful, merciful and eternal. And in Romans 10, Paul quotes, these words to refer to the specific proclamation of the Gospel,

God's glory. As proclaimed by the sky direct us to his glory as proclaimed in the gospel. And God's love and mercy, he gave us evidence of his eternal power and divine nature in the world around us. He did this so that we would long to know, him more having caught a glimpse of his glory.

All of mankind is without excuse for our sin because the evidence of God is clearly perceived in the world around us. Likewise Israel's without excuse for rejecting the gospel, which was prophesied in scripture hinted at in creation and fully articulated in Jesus Christ. Let's turn back to Psalm 19. Now, David wraps up the first section of God's glory in his creation by describing the specific pattern of the Sun. From the end of verse 43 Verse 6 in them, he has set a tent for the sun which comes out like a bridegroom, leaving his chamber, and like a strong man runs its course with joy. Its Rising is from the end of the heavens and its circuit to the end of them. And there's nothing hidden from its heat.

God said a tent in the heavens for the Sun. That means that the sky is the sun's god-given Dwelling Place. Know how does the sun come out of that tent like a bridegroom leaving his chamber? A bridegroom. Almost glows after having been with his new wife and he is so joyful. It's as if everything is right in the world. So, to the sunglows in joyful, obedience to the Creator. How does the sun resemble a strong man running? World strongman thinks nothing of the course. He's, he is to run. Where the weak man is worried about the difficulty of the course. Strong man's joyful at the opportunity to run. God has given something as powerful as the sun. A specific Dwelling Place. And a specific job to do. And that powerful Sun rejoices to obey the Creator.

Now. We know that the sun does not revolve revolve around the earth, right? so, in verse 6, when David says that, the sun's circuit is, from the end of the Heavens to the other end, he speaking poetically rather than precisely We know that the apparent movement of the sun is due to the Earth's rotation, but we still call it a Sunset and a sunrise. Nobody says Oh, What a Beautiful Earth rotation.

To the point, David is making, is that the consistency and power of the sun is evidence to all who perceive the Sun's light and heat. That there is a Creator who is more powerful and more constant. God's glory is unmistakable in his creation. And it's enough to condemn those who suppress the truth that it proclaims. But God's creation was never intended to reveal. All of what God wants us to know about him. And it's not enough to Grant saving faith.

Creation is an appetizer to make us want more of God's glory. And to seek him to seek to know him more through his word. It should cause us to consider who he is and what she wants us to do and be

and the answer to those questions are found in his word.

So we looked at David's first depiction of God's glory and creation and now we'll look at the second depiction of God's glory in his word in verses 7 through 11.

As awesome as God's creation is in revealing, his eternal nature and divine Glory, his word is even more glorious. Is it more clearly reveals who God is?

And what he has done.

And what we should do in response.

It says the law of the Lord is perfect. Reviving The Soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure making wise, the simple, the precepts of the Lord are right rejoicing, the heart, the Commandment of the Lord is pure enlightening, the eyes, the fear of the Lord is clean and during forever. The rules of the Lord are true and righteous altogether more to be desired, are they than gold? Even much fine, gold sweeter also, than honey and drippings of the honeycomb more over by them as your servant warrant in keeping them. There is great reward. A verses 7 through 9. Follow a pattern. Displaying an aspect of God's special Revelation followed by a descriptor of that aspect. And ending with an action that particular aspect of God's word performs in the life of the believer,

The very specific pattern. You can hear it as you read through it, but then verses 10 and 11. It shows the surpassing worth of God's word. Let's look a little closer at the pattern in verses 7 through 9, verse 7 starts out. Describing the law of the Lord This was a common designation for the scriptures, which was at that time, the first five books of the Old Testament. The Hebrew Bible later, added the prophets in the writings. And then after Jesus, the Messiah came and died and rose again, we got the New Testament. But here David's referring to Genesis through Deuteronomy David says that these scriptures are perfect. The word he used means blameless without fault or complete. You can't find anything wrong with God's word. David also says that the law of the Lord revives, the soul, The, how can the law of the Lord revive the soul?

Not too long ago. We went through the book of Galatians. And Paul said something quite different about the law in Galatians Cindy. Galatians 3, 21 and 22 says is the log and contrary to the promises of God certainly not for if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law but the scriptures imprisoned, everything under sin, so that the Promise by faith. In Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe

Holland Plies hear that? God's laws cannot give life. So how is it? The David says that the law of the Lord revives, the soul or gives life. There's a careful distinction between the upper case law of the Lord, and the lower case laws found within God's word here. David's referring to the Holy Scripture, which gives life rather than individual commands themselves, which do not give life. The whole of scripture gives life because in that, we learn of God's character and how he is The Giver of Life.

we read of God's love and forgiveness is Justice and peace, his grace and mercy We read how he is slow to anger abounding in steadfast love and forgiveness yet. Still executes perfect Justice. We read all these things and the Holy Spirit and parts life to our souls. As we have faith in God to save us. From our sin. From his wrath against our sin. The law revives, the soul, as we look to the lawgiver for life, not because life can be found by obedience to the laws alone.

The next in verse 7 of Psalm 19, we read that the testimony of the Lord is sure reliable or faithful.

The Book of Genesis was written by Moses. but Moses was not there to experience the things he wrote about, God revealed, what the creation of the universe was like and then Moses wrote it down.

This testimony. Should not be second-guessed a written off as ancient understanding. Or uninformed many people, including some Believers even wrongly conclude that most did not record accurate facts in Genesis. So we can be discounted or interpreted as allegory because he had an ancient understanding of Science and how the universe works.

It doesn't matter if Moses understood modern science or not. Because Genesis is not Moses's. Testimony. It's God's testimony.

And God is all-knowing and infinite. This testimony is more sure than even the most credible scientific process known to man. And those who believe God's testimony are made wise. Because they've been given the absolute truth. Apart from God's revelation. All we can have is speculation.

The testimony of the Lord, makes wise the simple. Another word for simple here is just an uninformed person. Someone who does not know something. We saw how none of us can claim ignorance of God because he is revealed in creation. But all of us lack understanding, apart from God's word, when it comes to knowing, who got is and what he has done.

Next, in verse 8, we read that the precepts of the Lord are, right? Who knows what a precept is.

A precept is basically a command or directive something to do like when you're driving too fast in those red and blue lights are flashing in your rearview mirror, right? The precept is that when those lights flash, you pull over. Or you will be made to stop and get a very harsh penalty. The precepts of the Lord are basically his instructions. When such-and-such happens responding this way. These instructions are laid out quite extensively. In the first five, books of the Bible, God wants his people to behave a certain way, and he is laid out Specific Instructions, which David says are right. Straight smooth or level. God's instructions are not intended to be burdensome. Or difficult. It's our sin and selfishness that makes his instructions undesirable. So we cast them off and find ourselves under the burdensome weight of sin. On the Rocky and difficult path of selfishness. It sounds like Pilgrim's Progress.

the Bible is full of accounts where people did not follow the instructions of the Lord, and they suffered Until they obeyed. These accounts are examples of what not to do to dissuade us from doing likewise.

but David says, that these instructions from the Lord Rejoice, the heart, That's because obedience to the Lord is what we were made to do.

We were made to worship God by fearing him and obeying him. And when we do, what we are meant to do it, rejoices the heart.

also, in verse 8, David says that the Commandment of the Lord is pure The commandant here is a reference to the specific laws God put in place similar to his precepts are instructions but specifically in regard to legality and our righteousness before him. This is what we talked about earlier and Galatians. These laws were not intended to give life, but to show sin as sinful beyond measure. And to show that we cannot be righteous before God without his help. That's why David says that it enlightens the eyes. At some point, we all think we can be righteous on our own. We're blinded by our self righteousness. Sometimes I even believe that lie. I have to be reminded of the gospel and enlightened again to my dependence on Christ.

Just like the sky declares the glory of God and directs us to his word where we can know him more, the law of the Lord and lightens us to our need for a savior and directs us to depend on God for our salvation.

David talks about the fear of the Lord. Next in verse 9, You may remember we talked about the fear of the Lord, a few Sundays ago. The fear of the Lord is the emotional response to knowing god, that results in our Longing To please him. David says this emotional responses clean or pure? Many times the fear produced from other things is not Pure or clean. It's messy. It causes all kinds of difficulties. I saw a picture of a house that had completely collapsed in the caption. On this picture red, I got the spider.

People can be afraid of many different things. Heights, the Dark Water public speaking. These are the top phobias fear of all these things is not Pure or clean because being afraid of these things causes difficulties in life. But the fear of the Lord is pure and clean because again, it's what we were made to do. And it's what we will joyfully continue to do forever. David says that the fear of the Lord endures forever, it will be established to Eternity. It will be the joyful, emotional response of worship that we will engage and forever as we spend eternity.

Running more. And more. God and His Infinite Glory.

As verse 9 continues, David says that the rules of the Lord are true. Now, the word rules puts in my mind, a list of do's and don'ts, but that's not really what the Hebrew word means. David is talking about the judgments, the ruling Of the judge on your account, his verdict on whether you are guilty or not. And all of us will stand before the Lord and be judged. And his judgments are true firm trustworthy. Constant.

All of us have sinned. We're all guilty before the Lord to receive his condemnation but he has provided a way to receive forgiveness and be pronounced not guilty through the blood of his son Jesus to be accessed by faith.

If you've not placed your faith in Jesus yet, I implore you to do so now because there is coming a judgement day. None of us knows how much longer we have.

The next section of God's glory in his word has to do with its surpassing value. David Compares God's word to gold and honey. I've heard it said that the way to a woman's heart is through sparkly things and the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.

That's a little too narrow-minded, but David knows that wealth is something that nearly everyone desires and almost everyone has cravings for particular food. At some point. We just think of the Cravings pregnant women house like pickles and ice cream. When my wife was pregnant with her, second child, she craved anything. That was orange

Anyting from Orange divers to mac and cheese. Didn't matter just had to be orange.

When the pregnant women in our lives, have those Cravings. Well, let's just say we would do well not to hinder them. Gold and hunting are too Vivid, examples of things that people strongly desire. And David says that God's word is better. More desirous.

Because God's word satisfies. We're other desires. Leave us wanting Both gold and honey are part of God's creation which was designed to show, God's Beauty and graciousness to have made such beautiful and pleasing things for us to enjoy. But God's word is better because it shows us exactly who God is. Exactly who we are as needing Sinners and exactly what God did and what we must do to be saved from our sin, and from his judgment. David says in verse 11 more over by them is your servant warned and keeping them. There is great reward. God's word contains both warning against Disobedience and the promise of reward for obedience. They're both present and future effects from our response to God's word. Obedience produces all the present and continual blessings that we looked at in verses 7 through 9, as well as the future promise of eternal life and Disobedience that produces difficulties. In the present and the promise of judgment in the future.

So we saw David's first depiction of God's glory and creation and his second depiction of God's glory in his word. And now David concludes with God's glory and Redemption 2 verses 12 through 14. He says, who can discern his errors? Declare me, innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless and innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable. In your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. That first question, verse 12. Is a reflexive question. It's like saying, who can disown? Who can discern his own errors? These are the things that you don't realize our sin in the moment. There's no way to guard against sin when you don't even know what sin is.

That's why David praise to the Lord, to intervene. David request. That he be declared. Innocent or kept blameless from these hidden faults.

Ignorant is not a valid, excuse to send. Just because we don't know, something is a sin that doesn't automatically make us innocent. God must declare us innocent even if he's Hidden Falls just as much as the sins. We are aware of the sins committed in ignorance are no less sinful than the ones committed and full understanding of their sinfulness. David continues. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me. you see, once our sin is no longer hidden, it becomes presumptuous sin. If we continue in it, presumptuous sins are the ones where we know it's in. Are we do it anyway?

The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick. Who can understand it? Jeremiah 17:9 we lie to ourselves.

And say, it's not that bad. Or God will still forgive me. We may have even convinced ourselves that this is just the way that we are. We don't need to repent because God made me this way.

Those are all lies that our heart tells us. David prays that the Lord would not allow these sins to have dominion over him.

AC send enslaves us. But Jesus has freed us from this enslavement.

God gets the glory when we are freed from the Dominion of sin because we can't do it without him. A prisoner of sin, cannot free himself. Spiritually dead man. Cannot raise himself to life.

God is the one who must free us who must bring us to life, and he has done. So through the blood of his son. David says, then I shall be blameless and innocent of great transgression. You see if God has kept you from hidden sins and freed you from the Dominion of presumptuous sin and he's the one who is made you blameless and innocent. It's not of anything that you have done. Our righteousness is always a result of God's grace.

The David here is not talking about a one-time transformation to perfect righteousness.

If you place your faith in Jesus, then when the father looks at you, he sees the righteousness of his son, but we're all still growing in our christlikeness. None of us is completely blameless and innocent yet. We are being transformed. More and more into the likeness of the righteous one until we become like him. As we see him in his glory, at the resurrection of the Dead.

Without God's intervention, we're all bound to send so too. Without the cleansing of the New Covenant, our Good Deeds are tainted and unacceptable to God. David concludes the song with these well-known words, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable. In your sight. Oh Lord. My rock and my redeemer. Only through the cleansing power of the New Covenant in Jesus. Blood can any of our thoughts words or actions be considered acceptable? In God's sight.

imagine for a moment that someone breaks into your house while you're on vacation, They live in your house without your permission while you're gone.

This is wrong. It's a crime. Now, imagine that this person thought I'll just make up for my crime by cleaning the place up and doing laundry and stocking. The fridge. Will that make up for it? No, no, it wouldn't. But that's where we all are apart from the Redemption of Jesus. No amount of good. We do can change the fact that we are in a state of sin.

now, if that person was given permission to be in the house, then they wouldn't be trespassing. And the good things they do would be appreciated.

We have been cleansed by the blood of Christ. More than that, we've been adopted into God's family.

So that now the words of our mouths and the meditations of our heart can be acceptable to God.

And David calls got his Rock and Redeemer.

What's a Messianic title? The work of Jesus. The Messiah on the cross is the only thing that will cleanse us from sin and make our words and thoughts acceptable to God.

Now, if you remember one point from this sermon, this is it. I may speak slowly. And I'll repeat it so you can write it down if you're taking notes.

God's glory is displayed in his creation. Which directs us to seek more of his glory in his word. And experienced his ultimate Glory. In Redemption. Through faith in Jesus Christ.

I'll say it again for you. God's glory is displayed in his creation which directs us to seek more of his glory in his word and experience, his ultimate glory in Redemption through faith, in Jesus Christ. so, when you see, God's glory on display in creation. Remember. The God's word shows more of his glory. And when you read, Of God's glory in his word made drive you to experience God's glory in the good news of the Gospel.

He loves you so much that he gave his own son to redeem you from sin and death. And all you need to do is have faith in Jesus. That's the most glorious truth about God. Revealed to us.

Let's pray.

Father, You Are So Glorious. Even the sky cannot help but Proclaim it all day and all night.

Thank you for showing us your glory in your creation. In your word and in Redemption through the blood of Christ.

Lord, I pray that every time we see your glory, it would cause us to want more of you. And I pray that as we desire, more of you that you would satisfy her desire by showing us more of your glory and reminding us of our Redemption.

I pray that you would use us. The lives of our Brothers and Sisters in Christ. To remind each other of your glory in the gospel. To Spur each other on to levengood works.

We know that our good works, do not save us. But we desire to do, what would please you because you've saved us? Through the blood of your son, Jesus.

Father, we also desire to be used by you. To reach the people of Benicia. because we know that you desire to be To be worshipped and you desire all to be saved and that none would perish.

Father. Please use us to further your kingdom.

Give us opportunities to show. People your glory in your word and in your gospel that they might believe and receive eternal life.