THE RIGHT RESPONSE TO THE REALITY AND REVELATION OF GOD

Have you not heard of the madman who lit a lamp in the bright morning and went to the marketplace crying ceaselessly, "I seek God! I seek God!" There were many among those standing there who didn't believe in God so he made them laugh. "Is God lost?" one of them said. "Has he gone astray like a child?" said another. "Or is he hiding? Has he gone on board ship and emigrated?" So they laughed and shouted to one another. The man sprang into their midst and looked daggers at them. "Where is God?" he cried. "I will tell you. We have killed him--you and I We are all his killers! But how have we done this? How could we swallow up the sea? Who gave us the sponge to wipe away the horizon? What will we do as the earth is set loose from its sun?" Friedrich Nietzsche, 1889

Nietzsche's point was not that God does not exist, but that God has become irrelevant. Men and women may assert that God exists or that He does not, but it makes little difference either way. God is dead not because He doesn't exist, but because we live, play, procreate, govern, and die as though He doesn't.

CONTEXT OF THE TEXT

The text before us celebrates God’s Law and thus is classified as a Torah psalm. (The Torah is the Hebrew term for the first five books of the Bible). Upon observation it appears to combine two separate psalms, since the second half differs in content and tone (compare vv. 1-6, 7-14).

The first half describes how God’s creation proclaims His glory (vv. 1–6). The psalmist then extols the beauty and value of God’s Law (vv. 7–11), and asks Yahweh to keep him blameless and acceptable (vv. 12–14). The two halves also use different names for God. The first uses the Hebrew word el (“God”) while the second uses yhwh (“Yahweh”). The difference in divine names may simply reflect the difference in content.

The Hebrew name el emphasizes God as Creator, while yhwh—God’s personal covenant name—relates more to the Law (see Exod 3). The psalm as a whole emphasizes that God, the supreme Creator, reveals His perfect Law to His people.

TRANSITION TO THESIS

This text is relevant for us today because it helps us to consider the reality of the existence of God, The revelation of Himself through His Word, and the right response to reflection of His reality and revelation.

CENTRAL IDEA Knowing that God exists obligates individuals to give Him the Glory.

I believe that the Lord wants us to take some serious time out during this penitential period called Lent to reflect on this word and join the psalmist in saying: “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight; O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.”

THE REALITY HIS EXISTENCE (v.1-6)

a) The psalm is attributed to David whom we know was a shepherd. We can easily imagine him out in the open fields keeping the flock when He looks up and beholds the wonders of the day and night sky. He says that “the heavens tell of the glory of God.” Every day and every night they are speaking and revealing knowledge about El (God). They are talking, says David, “without even making a sound.” See Ps 19:3

Psalm 19:3 KJV 1900

3 There is no speech nor language, Where their voice is not heard.

He made the determination that there had to be a creator behind the created order. He proclaims God’s existence by ascribing the magnificence of heaven to Him.

This, Paul says is irrefutable proof, despite the assertion of the atheist who insist that there is no God.

Romans 1:19–20 NASB 2020

19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

b) One evening as Napoleon Bonaparte was returning to France from an expedition to Egypt, a group of his officers began discussing the existence of God. Thoroughly caught up in the atheistic spirit of the times, the officers were unanimous in their denial of God’s existence. Finally, someone suggested they ask Napoleon, who was standing alone on the deck of their vessel. On hearing the question, “Is there a God?” he raised his hand and pointed to the starry sky, and simply asked, “Gentlemen, who made all that?”

The existence of God does not just face us with something to be believed or rejected, but someone to be accepted or rejected.

Peter S. Williams

The sun, as a central celestial body, is highlighted as a powerful witness to God’s creative hand. Just as the sun radiates light and life, God’s creation testifies to His majesty and wisdom.The sun is not worshipped as a deity but rather points to the Creator. It does not seek glory for itself but magnifies the glory of God.

Transition to next movement: Transitioning from the cosmic to the personal, the psalm shifts its focus to the Torah (God’s instruction or law). Just as the sun gives life, God’s law brings life to those who follow it.

THE REVELATION OF HIS WORD

a) Historically, the two avenues through which God has taken the initiative to reveal Himself have been labeled general and special revelation. General revelation includes all that God has revealed in the world around us, including man, while special revelation includes various means He used to communicate His message in what was codified in the Bible.

See Hebrews 1: 1-2

Hebrews 1:1–2(NASB 2020)

1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world.

General revelation is sometimes called natural theology, and special revelation is called revealed theology.

Charles Caldwell Ryrie

The Faithlife Study Bible says of verse 7-9, “The psalmist makes a series of statements using different Hebrew terms for the Law or Torah. He describes the law (torah), testimony (eduth), precepts (piqqudim), commandment (mitswah), rules (mishpat), and fear (yir'ah) of Yahweh with positive attributes. See Psalm 19:7-9

Psalm 19:7–9 (NASB 2020)

7 The Law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.

The psalmist also describes the effect of the Law to revive, give wisdom, cause rejoicing, and enlighten.

b) Poet Elizabeth Goldring developed blindness as an adult. According to writers Ron Kotulak and Jon Van, one day a doctor was testing her eyes with a laser device called a scanning laser ophthalmoscope when Goldring by chance noticed something important. As the laser scanned her eye, she could “see” certain images.

Further experiments were done by Robert Webb, the inventor of the laser device. Goldring found that the laser device was able to project on the retina of her eyes faces and words that she could see.

Based on these experiments, researchers believe many blind people have parts of their retinas that may be able to sense visual information projected directly onto their retinas by a laser.

After the experiments Goldring said, “That was the first time in several months that I had seen a word, and for a poet, that’s an incredible feeling.”

Just as Elizabeth Goldring could not see without the assistance of this laser device projecting words and images into her eyes, there are many truths we cannot see unless God reveals them to us by his Spirit. We are blind about spiritual things apart from revelation.

Larson, Craig Brian. 2002. 750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers & Writers. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

What does it mean to us that God has given a disclosure of himself?

Application: We should not view the Lord’s revelation of his word as a burden, but as a guide for right living. Believers recognition that God actively seeks to reveal Himself and His will to them should foster a personal relationship with God.

THE RESPONSE TO THE REALITY AND REVELATION

See Psalm 19:12-14

Psalm 19:12–14 NASB 2020

12 Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults. 13 Also keep Your servant back from presumptuous sins; Let them not rule over me; Then I will be innocent, And I will be blameless of great wrongdoing. 14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.

Recognizing his own shortcomings, David prays for forgiveness and cleansing (19:12-13).He desires that his words and thoughts be pleasing to God (19:14). These verses encourage self-awareness, humility, resistance to temptation, and alignment of our thoughts and words with virtuous values. They remind us of our human fallibility and the need for divine guidance and forgiveness

Verse 12: “Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.” David acknowledges that humans, including himself, often fail to recognize their own faults

This could be applied in our lives by encouraging self-reflection and humility, acknowledging that we all have blind spots and need others’ perspectives to see them.

Verse 13: “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.” David asks God to keep him from intentional sins that could dominate him.

In practical terms, this could mean actively seeking God’s help to resist temptations and making conscious efforts to avoid knowingly committing wrongs.

Verse 14: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” David desires that his words and thoughts be pleasing to God

1 This can be applied by striving to align our words and thoughts with values that are pleasing to God, such as love, kindness, and truth.

CONCLUSION

Seek God’s Revelation: Just as David marveled at the heavens and meditated on God’s Word, we should seek both general and specific revelation. Observe creation, study Scripture, and listen for God’s voice.

Submit to God’s Authority: In a world of conflicting opinions, God’s authoritative Word provides clarity. We must submit to what He says, even when it challenges our preferences or cultural norms.

Pursue Holiness: Like David, recognize our imperfections and seek forgiveness. Let our words and thoughts align with God’s truth.

Find Joy in God’s Revelation: The heavens declare His glory, and His Word brings life. Let us find joy in knowing and obeying Him.

In summary, Psalm 19 invites us to marvel at God’s creation, treasure His Word, and respond with humility and obedience.

Closing illustration

A story told by Paul Lee Tan illustrates the meaning of redemption. He said that when A.J. Gordon was pastor of a church in Boston, he met a young boy in front of the sanctuary carrying a rusty cage in which several birds fluttered nervously. Gordon inquired, "Son, where did you get those birds?" The boy replied, "I trapped them out in the field." "What are you going to do with them?" "I'm going to play with them, and then I guess I'll just feed them to an old cat we have at home." When Gordon offered to buy them, the lad exclaimed, "Mister, you don't want them, they're just little old wild birds and can't sing very well." Gordon replied, "I'll give you $2 for the cage and the birds." "Okay, it's a deal, but you're making a bad bargain." The exchange was made and the boy went away whistling, happy with his shiny coins. Gordon walked around to the back of the church property, opened the door of the small wire coop, and let the struggling creatures soar into the blue. The next Sunday he took the empty cage into the pulpit and used it to illustrate his sermon about Christ's coming to seek and to save the lost -- paying for them with His own precious blood. "That boy told me the birds were not songsters," said Gordon, "but when I released them and they winged their way heavenward, it seemed to me they were singing, 'Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed!"

You and I have been held captive to sin, but Christ has purchased our pardon and set us at liberty. When a person has this life-changing experience, he will want to sing, "Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed!"

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