Hymn: Mission Praise No. 506, O Lord my God
Reading Psalm 19
According to the heading Psalm 19 is a psalm of David. We do not know when it was written but David, at some time, must have looked up and marvelled at what he saw in the heavens above him. I am sure that verse one is familiar to all of us: ‘The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork.’
As David meditates on how the sun dominates and illuminates everything under it in physical life, he thinks about how the word of God dominates and illuminates in spiritual life. This leads him to contemplate divine revelation in nature and then reflect upon divine revelation in the written word. He ponders what the Bible is and the role it should play in the life of the believer.
The psalm easily divides into three sections which could be considered under the following headings:
1-6 THE REVELATION OF GOD IN THE SKY
7-9 THE REVELATION OF GOD IN THE SCRIPTURES
10-14 THE RESPONSE TO THE WORD OF GOD IN THE SERVANT
For the sake of precision, let me point out that in the first section (vv.1-6) about divine revelation in nature, the name ‘God’ (v.1) is used. This name ‘God’ would remind us that he is the sovereign creator.
In the last half of the psalm the name ‘the Lord’ is used; occurring seven times. The name ‘the Lord’ brings before us the mercy and love of the covenant-keeping God.
This evening I won’t deal with the psalm in detail but would just like to point out a few things from vv. 7-14 for your consideration.
(7-9) THE DESCRIPTION OF THE WORD OF THE LORD.
David makes six statements, each one containing a different name for the word of God, followed by a description of what it does.
It is perfect
‘The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.’ (v.7a)
This means that the word of the Lord is without blemish, complete, lacking nothing. It is flawless, without error. It is not misleading, it has integrity. God’s word contains everything we need to know about who God is. It also tells us about ourselves and the devastating impact of our sins. It tells us about the atoning sacrifice of our Saviour and how we can be saved. God’s word is perfect, restoring the soul.
This word ‘restore,’ in Hebrew can mean to revive or to restore but it can also mean to return, as in repent. The KJV translates it as ‘convert’, ‘The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.’
As it is read and applied God’s perfect word has an effect on the soul. His word tells how we can be returned to a right relationship with God. It restores us to God as it is the means by which we are drawn into a right relationship with him.
It is sure
‘The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.’ (v.7b)
The testimony (covenant) of the Lord is ‘trustworthy.’ We can rely upon it. When all around us there is fake news and conflicting messages the truth of God’s word is unchanging; it is sure and trustworthy.
The word ‘simple’ does not refer to someone one who is incapable of understanding but to someone who is lacking in knowledge. The idea is of a rather naïve person who needs to gain wisdom in order to live a life that pleases the Lord. God will reveal himself to anyone who comes to the Bible with an open mind. His word makes us wise for without it we would be lost in our own confused thinking.
It is right
‘The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.’ (v.8a)
A statute is something appointed, that is, a directive which, if followed, will lead successfully to the goal of a productive and useful life. The thought is that of orders or directions, which if followed allow us to go where God wants us to go. God’s directions are exactly right and they are always right. David says that they cause the heart to rejoice. This is because they keep us in a right relationship with God.
It is pure
‘The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.’ (v8b)
The word pure here means ‘without pollution’ and can describe the purity and radiance of sunlight. The NIV translates: ‘The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.’
Psalm 119:105 says, ‘Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.’
Proverbs 6:23 says, ‘For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life.’
Without God’s word we would have no spiritual understanding. Like the brilliance of the sun it banishes the darkness and enables us to see clearly. Through it God shows us where to step, what to avoid and which way to take. By following God’s word we can make sound choices in life.
It is clean
‘The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever.’ (v.9a)
The fear of the Lord is clean – the word ‘fear’ is used for the word of God because the fear of the Lord is one of the effects God’s word has upon the heart. This is a literary technique known as metonymy (using a single characteristic of an object to describe the whole object). The word of the Lord produces reverence and awe. That fear of the Lord is clean; i.e. it has a purifying effect on us, and it endures forever. It does not change.
1 Peter 1:24-25 says, ‘For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever’
It is true
‘The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.’ (v.9b)
God’s judgments are true. The word ‘judgments’ here refers to God’s decisions. These are his declarations about what ought not to be and what should be. The idea behind ‘judgment’ is that of a legal ruling. All God’s decisions are based on the truth and are therefore righteous altogether. God gives true justice.
V. 10 THE DESIRE FOR THE WORD OF THE LORD
‘More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.’
The psalmist now speaks about the desirability of God’s word. David says that God’s word is sweeter than honey or the drippings from the honeycomb. If we love God, then his word will be precious to us, like gold, and sweet to us, like honey.
David’s words challenge us to ask: ‘What do I treasure most in life?’ Many people pursue wealth, success or pleasure. But David tells us that God’s word is more valuable than any of these things. It is more precious than gold because it produces what money cannot buy – wisdom, righteousness, and a relationship with God. It is sweeter than honey because it satisfies the deepest longings of the heart.
VV. 11-13 THE DISCERNMENT OF THE WORD OF THE LORD
‘Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.’
God’s word warns us against sins that we commit unintentionally and those which we commit wilfully. When we read God’s word it rewards us. That is, it produces good results by helping us to avoid falling into sin.
David, who calls himself a servant (v.11) of the Lord, realizes that, despite his knowledge of God’s word, he is prone to sin. He identifies two types of sins: secret faults and presumptuous sins. Hidden faults are those sins which we commit unknowingly and unintentionally. Wilful sins, on the other hand, are deliberate acts of disobedience when we know what is right but choose to ignore that and sin anyway.
Recognizing the fact that all of us, because of spiritual insensitivity, commit sins that we do not even discern, David (v.12) asks a rhetorical question: ‘Errors, who can discern them?’
As we read and study God’s word and allow it to direct our thinking, God will show us hidden faults in our lives which we could not otherwise see. Verse 12 reminds us that we must pray for cleansing from secret faults.
Verse 13 reminds us that believers ought also to pray for preservation from presumptuous sins. These are arrogant, premeditated sins which are committed wilfully. We presume that we can get away with them. We view them as insignificant, thinking and hoping that somehow God will see them that way as well.
If David could be cleansed from secret sins and preserved from committing presumptuous sins he would be innocent of ‘the great transgression.’ By this he probably means a state of rebellion against the Lord.
V. 14 THE DEVOTION OF THE SERVANT OF THE LORD
‘Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.’
David’s final plea is for his life to be pleasing to God – not just in outward actions, but in the words he speaks and the thoughts he thinks. He desires to live a life that honours God, recognizing that God is his Rock (strength and stability) and his Redeemer (the one who saves him).
SUMMATION
In Psalm 19:7-14 David celebrates the beauty, value, and power of God’s word. It is perfect, it is sure, it is right, it is pure, it is clean and it is righteous. It is more valuable than gold and sweeter than honey. It warns us of dangers and brings great reward when we follow it. It reveals our sins and leads us to forgiveness, and ultimately, shapes our lives so that we may live in a way that pleases God.
Let us therefore commit ourselves to treasuring God’s word; allowing it to restore our souls, guide our steps, and transform our hearts.
Short talk delivered at a Sunday evening prayer meeting, 22 September, 2024
Written Exposition 