Psalm 19: The Theology of Life

Scripture Reading

John 1:14–18 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth… For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

Intro

What is the meaning and purpose of life?

That… is the grand question.

One men have been trying to answer for generations.

One every single person must ask.

What is the purpose of my life?

What am I truly living for?

But the purpose and meaning of life is not one that we just get to determine for ourselves.

We don’t just decide what we want to live for…

Its given to us… its bestowed upon us by our Creator.

The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

That is the theology of life.

The whole purpose of life… the whole meaning of everything! is… the glory of God.

Soli Deo Gloria… the glory of God alone.

Psalm 19 is about that glory.

Specifically… its about that glory and… what it means for us.

The overall flow of the Psalm is that God is Creator.

He is the Almighty, All-Glorious God who has revealed Himself in His Creation and in His Word.

And as our Creator all of our lives belong to Him.

Its a Psalm that worships God… Celebrates His will… and says my life belongs to you.

Its the theology of life.

The fundamental… basic truth at the bottom of everything.

The foundational truth on which all of creation and all of your life is built.

God is glorious and worthy of all of our life, love, worship, and obedience.

That’s the big idea of Psalm 19.

God is glorious and worthy of all of our life, love, worship, and obedience.

The question is… does that Truth govern everything about your life?

What are you truly living for?

What is the meaning and purpose of your life?

Let’s start with point number 1… from Psalm 19… the starting point of everything…

I. The Heavens Declares the Glory of God

Psalm 19:1–4 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 are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.

All creation speaks to the glory of God.

Theologically this is what we call “General Revelation” as opposed to “Special Revelation” which is God’s revelation of Himself in His Word and most fully in the Word incarnate, Jesus Christ.

The idea being that you can look out at creation and see the glory of God.

The sky above proclaims his handiwork.

Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.

This is why Psalm 14:1 says The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

Its impossible to look out at creation and not say God exists.

All this something didn’t come from nothing.

It came from God.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1).

If you get this wrong… you can’t get anything right about the meaning and purpose of life.

Without this foundation that it is God who has made us and we are His everything falls apart (Psalm 100:3).

Everywhere you will look for meaning and purpose in life will be a waterless waste.

A broken cistern that can hold no water (Jeremiah 2:13).

This is why our world and our culture has fallen of a cliff.

We think we can reject God and everything will just be fine.

But if there is no God then who is there to say what is right or wrong?

So we get to determine it for ourselves.

Its the Fall all over again… For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil (Genesis 3:5).

So Men reject God not just out of foolishness or ignorance…

Day to Day pours out speech.

There is no speech… there are no words… whose voice is not heard.

All creation speaks in a language that is plan to all.

But Men reject God out of a desire to fulfill and satisfy their desires and the lusts of their flesh.

This is why our culture has turned Science into a religion and bought into the lie of evolution.

If we can get rid of God and any kind of higher meaning or higher purpose in life… then we can justify all kinds of wickedness and have the sins our hearts so desire.

Its not because the preaching of creation is not plain to them.

What does Paul say in Romans 1:18-23?

Romans 1:18–23 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

What 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.

NEW SLIDE

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

Paul says they are without excuse because what can be known about God is plain to them ever since the creation of the world in the things that have been made.

Day to day pours out speech.

The heavens declare the glory of God… that God exists and is worthy of all our life, worship, love, and obedience.

The glory of creation points to the glory of the Creator!

The Heavens praise the glory of God and we think we should not?

How proud… how arrogant of us to think that we are higher than the heavens.

This is why rejecting God leads to all kinds of sin ungodliness in life like what Paul says here and like what we see in our culture.

When you reject God you are rejecting the fundamental truth that undergirds all things.

God is our Creator and worthy of all of our worship.

So when a culture as a whole rejects that… we let go of the rope and fall into all kinds of insanity like we see out there today.

Only Enough to Condemn

Now we should be clear… this knowledge of God that comes from creation is not sufficient to save (1689 1:1).

Creation tells us about God’s glory but not about Christ and the cross and God’s plan for salvation.

The glory of God in creation is only enough to say that there is a God and all of our life belongs to Him.

In other words… its enough to leave us without excuse… to condemn us for our sin and rebellion.

What Does Creation Say?

But that doesn’t mean creation doesn’t tell us something glorious about God.

Paul even says 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 (Romans 1:20).

Well what does Creation say?

Eternal Power

Almighty

First, His eternal power.

Creation says that God is Almighty.

He brought everything that is into being.

He created all things.

And He brought all creation into being by His Word… God said and it was so (Hebrews 11:3).

Eternal

Creation also says that God is Eternal.

Creation itself… had a beginning.

Which means that there was Creator… a Mover… someone outside of that creation that brought that creation into being.

Meaning that that Mover existed before Creation.

God is eternal…

He never had a beginning.

God simply is…

Psalm 90:2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

Aseity

Now here’s the thing you need to understand about God’s Eternity.

If God is eternal then that means He subsists in and of Himself.

You and I exist… our life and our being comes from something.

We depend on other things to keep us going.

God on the other hand subsists in Himself.

He is not dependent on anyone or anything for His own self-existence.

This is what we call theologically God’s Aseity or Self-Sufficiency.

He is.

He is the eternal and foundational being (MacArthur, Biblical Doctrine, 168).

And as such He is the source of all life (John 5:26).

He is the fountain of living waters (Jeremiah 2:3)

All life, all breath, everything comes from Him and depends on Him for their source and continued existence.

As Acts 17:28 says In him we live and move and have our being.

What that means is all of our life comes from Him and therefore belongs to Him.

The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

Even by the light of nature we understand that we do not give or sustain our own life.

Our life comes from another and therefore belongs to another.

The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

Divine Nature

Paul also not only do we see His eternal power but also His divine nature.

In other words, from the light of nature we can see aspects of who God is (1689 2:1).

Wd can see His goodness in sending the rain on the Just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45).

We can see His wisdom in how He made the world…

There is an order and a fitness to the world.

How else do you explain the plants using the light of the sun to produce air to breath.

Or how clouds that carry the rain float to take the rain everywhere it needs to go.

Have you ever thought about how clouds are heavy and yet the fly without fuel or power?

That’s the wisdom of God… we couldn’t do that.

We can see His holiness and purity in the fresh fallen snow and life in the rushing stream.

You can see his power in the mountains… his infinity in the oceans…

His love and care in His providence and how He cares for the world.

His strength and judgment in the storm.

His peace and mercy in the morning dawn.

His infinity and transcendence in the night sky with all the stars.

We could go on but all creation proclaims God’s glory if you have eyes to see!

Its that sense of awe you feel when you see that sunset or mountain or storm that makes you think of God and give Him thanks.

Sun

For the Psalmist… he looks at the Sun.

Verses 4-6…

Psalm 19:4–6 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 is nothing hidden from its heat.

David chooses the sun because of how it reflects God’s glory.

The Bible says that God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5).

That He dwells in unapproachable light and that He has clothed Himself with splendor and majesty covering Himself with light as a garment (1 Timothy 6:16; Psalm 104:1-2).

You cannot stare at the sun without losing your eyesight how much more the radiant brilliance of the glory of God?

The Sun gives life… warmth… David said nothing is hidden from its heat.

The Sun shows God’s faithfulness… it rises every morning… its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them.

His immutability… God never changes … the Sun is always there even if you can’t see it and its hidden by the clouds (James 1:17; Malachi 3:6).

No matter the circumstances of life God promises are always sure.

And the Sun shows God’s Kingdom and reign.

God made the sun to rule over the day (Genesis 1:6).

And God’s Kingdom is the victory of light over darkness.

But there is also another reason why David uses the Sun.

One True God

You see… all the surrounding cultures worshiped the Sun.

They saw the Sun as a god.

And David said no… there is only one true God (Isaiah 45:5-6).

And what you worship as a God is part of His creation and serves Him.

There are not many gods but One and He is the God of all things.

Summary/Transition

So here’s the main point from this first part of the Psalm.

God is all glorious and He is our Creator.

The Heavens Declare the Glory of God.

All Creation speaks that God is God and all of our lives belong to Him.

And that takes us to point number 2…

II. God’s Word Declares God’s Will for Our Life

We talked about General Revelation… here we get into Special Revelation.

Like we said General Revelation is enough to make Man know there is a God and to leave Him without excuse… it is not enough to give Him a saving knowledge of the Truth.

For that we need God’s Word.

Whereas Creation reveals God’s glory, Scripture reveals God’s glory and God’s will.

Scripture gives us a fuller doctrine of God’s glory…

It tells us what God’s faithfulness is…

What God’s goodness and holiness is actually like.

But Scripture also gives us God’s Will… God’s commands for our life.

And God’s Will also declares God’s Glory because God’s Law is a reflection of God’s holy character.

God’s commands are not arbitrary edicts… they are reflection of who God is.

God says do not lie because God is true (Exodus 20:16).

He says do not commit adultery because He is faithful (Exodus 20:14).

Scripture reveals God’s glory more than creation ever could and gives us God’s will for our life.

David here glories in God’s Will.

He loves God’s will… Delights in God’s Will.

As John will later say His commandments are not burdensome (1 John 5:3).

This shows us the heart of the man after God’s own heart.

God’s people love God’s Will… we want to live all of our life according to His commandments.

Here’s what David says…

Psalm 19:7–11 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. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

Now notice what David does here.

Verses 7-9 are basically 6 lines… 6 couplets praising God’s Word

The first four use the second line to talk about one of the blessings or benefits of God’s Word with the last two in verse 9 switching that up and telling us why God’s Word is worthy of all our faith.

And then verses 10 and 11 glory in God’s Word as the most precious thing imaginable our life.

Law of the Lord

David starts with the Law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.

It brings refreshment and life.

Not in the sense that God’s Law can give salvation.

No one will be saved by works of the Law (Romans 3:20).

The idea is sin leads to death… where as following God leads to green pastures and still waters.

The same phrase is used in Psalm 23 when it says He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake (Psalm 23:3).

Testimony

He says the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

The testimony is God’s own testimony that His Word is true.

Thats why it says it is sure - it is trustworthy and dependable and it will never lead us astray.

Therefore it makes wise the simple.

It shows us how to live.

Precepts

The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.

Precepts are God’s instructions that guide us down to the smallest details of life.

And these precepts… following God even in the smallest things… rejoices the heart.

Like Psalm 16:4 says The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply.

Commandments

The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

That pure is literally radiant… bright… shining.

God’s Word shines as light in the darkness…

It opens blind eyes.

Your Word is a lamp to my feet (Psalm 119:105).

Fear/Rules

Verse 9…

Now this is where David switches it up from talking about what the Word does in us… reviving the soul… making wise… rejoicing the heart…

To talk about the trustworthiness and rock that is the Word.

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.

God’s Word is Eternal and Good.

And as such it is worthy of all our faith and careful observance.

And that leads into verse 10.

More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward (Psalm 19:10-11).

God’s Word is something to be Treasured… Delighted in… Devoted to.

More precious than Gold and sweeter than honey!

Because it is God’s… own… Word.

God’s revelation of Himself and His will for our life.

The idea is basically 2 Timothy 3:16–17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

There’s this treasuring of God’s Word where we hold fast to it and guard it with all of our life.

That means guarding our ways according to God’s Word striving to keep all of God’s Commandments.

The heart of the Psalm is another Psalm of David Psalm 119:9–16…

How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes! With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.

Transition/Infinite Gap

So in Psalm 19 we have God’s Glory Alone in verses 1-6 and God’s Word Alone in verses 7-11…

Two Solas of the Reformation.

But here’s what’s really interesting about this passage.

When you take God’s Glory and God’s Word… a great problem arises.

Verses 1-6 set God’s Glory above the heavens (Psalm 113:4, 8:1).

He is infinitely glorious worthy of all of our worship.

The One True God.

And then… verses 7-11 lay out God’s will for our life.

Perfect obedience to His word.

Now here’s the problem… We’ve all fallen short.

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).

Before the Fall… God’s glory was already higher than the heavens.

There was already an infinite gap between us and Him.

But after the Fall that infinite gap has only been made wider.

We have fallen short of loving, worshiping, and obeying God for all that He is in His glory.

That’s what falling short means… We did not live up to who He is.

So God’s Glory and God’s Word… by themselves… condemn us in our sin.

There is an infinite gap between God’s Glory and living all of our lives according to His will.

We need a bridge to bridge that gap… to span that gulf and save us from our sin.

What we need are the other three solas of the Reformation:

Grace Alone…

Faith Alone…

Christ Alone…

And that takes us to point number 3.

III. God’s Glory and God’s Word Declare God’s Grace

Psalm 19:12–13 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.

In the mirror of God’s Law… David sees his own sin.

All the ways he’s fallen short.

He doesn’t look at the Law and say OK got it.

He looks at the Law and sees that it is perfect… the same root word for blameless in verse 13.

Sure… Stable… Steadfast.

Right.

Pure/Radiant.

Clean.

True.

All the things we are not!

Two Great Commandments

The two great commandments are what?

Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, mind soul and strength.

And Love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 23:26-29).

And God’s Law… God’s Word… God’s Glory requires perfect, perpetual, and universal obedience.

Perfect as in full and complete with no shortcomings.

Perpetual as in always and all of the time.

And Universal as in every detail of life both in the inward heart and our outward actions.

And so if you’ve failed at one point of the Law in one moment with one breath… the Bible says you are guilty of all of it (James 2:10).

And Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them (Galatians 3:10).

So if you’ve ever lied…

Ever had a lustful thought…

If you have ever been angry or hated your brother…

If you’ve ever stolen or coveted what you can’t have… even if it was a stick of gum when you were five.

If you’ve ever disobeyed your parents…

Spoken any evil word…

If you have ever… in any of your thoughts… any of your words… in your heart… in your works or your deeds… failed to love the Lord your God with all your heart mind, soul, and strength or your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37).

If you’ve ever committed even one single sin in one brief moment of your life and fallen short of the glory of God…

Then you are guilty before the Law and under the full weight of ht curse.

And the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).

How to Be Declared Innocent

And so in light of God’s Glory and God’s Word… David Calls out for God’s Grace!

David… just like all of us is guilty according to the Law.

Who can discern his errors?… There’s too many to search out.

Declare me innocent of hidden faults.

Justify me! Declare me righteous in your sight!

But how?

God’s glory demands that no sin go unpunished.

If God were to simply let sin slide He’d be agreeing with all of us that He’s not all that glorious.

But God never lies (Titus 1:2, Numbers 23:19).

He cannot diminish His glory nor will He share His glory with another (Isaiah 42:8, 48:11).

You see this confuses people… why couldn’t God just forgive?

We don’t need a God that has wrath or judgment… that doesn’t seem like a very loving God.

But if God didn’t have wrath against sin… He wouldn’t be God at all!

So you see the problem… Declare me innocent!

And God is God who is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love… forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.

But He is also a God who will by no means clear the guilty (Exodus 34:5-7).

What could ever bridge that infinitely infinite gap?

God’s answer was the cross.

Grace Alone… Faith Alone… Christ Alone.

The Word doesn’t just condemn us in our sin… it answers our sin.

Jesus is the Word incarnate in Human Flesh.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1).

Jesus took on Human flesh and became a man.

He was born under God’s Perfect… Sure… right… pure…. radiant… clean… true Law and lived the perfect and righteous life we failed to live.

He is the only man that ever lived all of His life for God’s glory.

He said, “I always do the things that are pleasing to him” (John 8:29).

Jesus lived a perfect and sinless life.

And He died on the cross for us.

He gave up His life and suffered God’s wrath to save us from our sins.

With His arms stretched wide… nails in His hands… He bridged that infinite gap that we might be justified… declared innocent in Him.

The whole Psalm looks for and anticipates Christ who revealed God’s Glory and fulfilled all the righteous requirements of God’s Word.

He is the True Word that revives the soul literally in the New Birth.

He makes wise the simple.

He Rejoices the heart… (John 10:11, John 15:11).

He opens blind eyes.

And He endures forever as our Great High Priest and Mediator who alone is righteous and all our righteousness is found in Him.

You and I… by Grace Alone through Faith Alone in Christ alone stand before God righteous in Christ.

Declared innocent… like David was hoping for… in Him.

God’s glory and God’s Word declare the Good News of God’s Grace.

To go back to that passage…

Romans 3:23–26 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…

That’s what we’ve been talking about in this Psalm…

and are justified by his grace as a gift,

Declared innocent!

through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Grace Alone… Faith Alone… Christ Alone.

whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love… forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty (Exodus 34:5-7).

Christ bridged the gap we never could and now because of God’s grace we are free from sin to live a holy and righteous life.

To truly live for God’s Glory!

Psalm 19:13–14 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.

What he’s praying for is sanctification.

Declare me innocent and give me victory over sin.

Keep me back from sinning against you!

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Verse 14 is a prayer of dedication… Let me live all of my life for you.

What he’s saying is Let the words of my mouth… my outward religion.

And the meditation of my heart… my inward soul be pleasing to you.

And its no coincidence that that word acceptable is the same word used in the book of Leviticus to talk about offering God sacrifices (Leviticus 22:20).

What He’s saying is let my inward heart and outward life be living sacrifice.

Its the theology of life.

Let me live all of my life for your glory.

The meaning and purpose of life is to live all of your life for God’s glory.

The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship (Romans 12:1).

Its not enough to not sin.

You were made for more than trying not to mess up really bad.

You were made to glorify God with your heart… and your thoughts… and your words… and your deeds.

To live all of your life as a living sacrifice for Him proclaiming God’s glory.

And that’s how the Psalm ends.

O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Its an expression of faith.

A wholehearted trust that says you are my God… my Lord… my Hope… and my salvation.

Conclusion

What is the meaning of life?

Worship God and follow His Word.

Its all for His glory.

That is the foundational truth… that is the theology of life.

God is glorious and worthy of all of our life, love, worship, and obedience.

We’ll ask that question again… does that Truth govern everything about your life?

The big things and the small.

What are you truly living for?

What is the meaning and purpose of your life?

Are you living for yourself and your kingdom or are you living for Him.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Let’s Pray