God Speaks to You
Psalm 19
Thank you for taking interest in reading this blog. If you don’t know a lot about the Bible, I hope these posts will help you learn. If you are looking for a tool to help you remain in God’s Word, I hope these posts will help you. Today I encourage you to open your Bible to Psalm 19 (or go to www.biblegateway.com). Go ahead and read it. As you read it, take note of words or phrases that stick out to you. These words or phrases might be things you don’t understand and have questions about, or things that you learned new. These words or phrases might be ideas you want to remember.
Psalm 19 is a beautiful poem that shows off the glory of God and His wisdom in the world. Most psalms were written to be sung as hymns of praise or grief. Many can be prayed as we cry out to the Lord for help. This particular psalm reveals the truth of God through nature and His written word.
The Psalm can be organized into three sections: The Message in Creation (1-6), the Message in God’s Law (7-9), and a person’s response to the message (10-14). The message in creation declares the glory of God to the end of the world. The heavens and the sky show off God’s handiwork, His creative work. God made all these things, and as we observe them, we recognize God exists and has designed His creation. The psalmist draws our attention to the sun in verses 5-6. The sun shows off the radiance, joy, order and purpose evident in God’s creation. As we see beauty in the stars, we realize how good it is and how good God is to us. We rejoice in God’s creation as we take in the vast ocean or high mountains. We understand, just as the sun rises and stays on course throughout the day, giving light and heat to each of us, the world is not randomly assembled, but systematically designed to function with a purpose. I cannot help but see the power and creativity of God in the world He has made. God has made Himself known to us through His creation.
God has also made Himself known in His written word. The psalmist turns attention from creation to God’s law in verses 7-9. Several words describe God’s written word including law, testimony, precepts, commandments, and rules. Creation has shown us God’s power and purpose to create a world for us, and His word shows us how to live within it. The law of the Lord is called perfect, sure, right, pure, clean, true and righteous. God has revealed how to live the right way in the world He made. His instructions are fulfilling for us, reviving the soul, making us wise, rejoicing hearts, and enlightening our eyes. I certainly long for truth, justice, purity, and assurance in this world, and God has promised these things in His written word. How marvelous that the One who created all things speaks directly to us and reveals how we are to enjoy life to the fullest!
But, it is clear that there is an opposite, hurtful and shameful way of living in this world. As I observe the world today I see its beauty and its worth, but I also see a lot that is ugly and heartbreaking. The psalmist in verses 10-14 recognizes the glory of God in creation and God’s law, and by it he is warned against another way. The psalmist, like many of us, tends to hide disobedience and immorality hoping no one sees it. We often deliberately sin, presuming our way is better than God’s way. We hear the message of God’s design and purpose in creation, the truth and purity of life in God’s word, and we reject it. But the psalmist desires to live blameless before the Lord, his rock and his redeemer. He chooses to marvel in the wonder of God’s work and word for our good and His glory.
As you reflect on this passage this week, consider the following questions:
What do you learn about God through the message of creation?
What do you learn about God’s word in Psalm 19?
What do you learn about our response to his message to us?
How does this passage change the way you think about your life each day?