Summary of Psalm 19:
Psalm 19 is a celebration of divine revelation and humble human response. We should take from this Psalm comfort in the fact that we serve a God who is personal and cares enough to make Himself known.
Verses 1-6 poetically celebrate general revelation (the way nature makes God known to us).
Verses 7-10 highlight six components (law, testimony, precept, commandment, fear of the Lord, and rules) of God’s special revelation (the Bible) and their function in our lives (reviving the soul, making wise, rejoicing the heart, and enlightening the eyes).
Verses 11-14 meditate on the human condition if we were without God’s revelation and pray that God’s full revelation would have its intended redemptive impact in our lives.
Celebrating General Revelation:
David was moved by the sun as it passed through the sky over the Mediterranean Sea. What aspect of God’s creation moves you? David says that nature speaks and when nature speaks its voice is heard (v. 3). David gives voice to the sun, sky, and sea through poetry. How can you give voice to those aspects of nature that move you?
A key part to giving a voice to someone or something is listening. If we are not paying attention, we will either be ignorant of the message or distort the message. Over the next several weeks take a piece of nature (flower, rock, leaf, sand, etc…) and keep it in a place of frequent usage (pocket, table, car dash, etc…). Use this as a reminder to look for God’s fingerprint in your world. Too often God’s omnipresence becomes more academic than comforting because we only think of it as truth and not also reality.
God’s messages in creation are: I AM here, I AM with you, I AM creative, I AM beautiful, I AM practical, I AM large, I AM peaceful, I AM diverse, I AM for everyone, I AM sustaining you, I AM inescapable, I AM attentive to details, I AM capable, etc… Look for I AM’s message in your yard, on your commute, and in your body. As you take comfort in those messages share that comfort with others.
Using Special Revelation as God Intended
God’s Word (Jesus and the Bible) is meant to meet man’s greatest need. Use the chart below to examine each aspect of God’s Word highlighted in Psalm 19, the purpose of God’s Word, and what this reveals about the human condition. Then reflect on the changes you need to make in order to value God’s Word more fully.
Aspect of God’s Word Function of God’s Word Human Condition Application
Law Revives the Soul Dead in Our Sin
(Eph 2:1)
Testimony Makes Wise the Simple Foolish
(Prov 22:15)
Precepts Rejoices the Heart Without Hope
(John 15:5)
Commandments Enlightening the Eyes Blind
(John 9:39)
Fear of the Lord Endures Forever Temporal & Fickle
(Psalm 39:4-8)
Rules Most Desirable & Satisfying Too Easily Pleased
(Isaiah 55:2)
The Humble Human Response:
David did not respond to the majesty of natural revelation or the sufficiency of special revelation with pride (“I’ve got everything I need. I don’t need anyone. I will be able to do everything right now.”). Rather he was humbled. He recognized that neither nature nor Bible were sufficient to overcome the deceitfulness of sin in the heart of a proud man (v. 12). David realized the grandeur and breadth of revelation revealed how prone he was to distort God’s truth, deny his sin, succumb to impure motives, and blame others. He needed everything God had revealed to overcome sin. David’s response to God’s revelation was questions of self-examination and prayers for assistance. May our response be the same.