Psalm 19 Divine revelation

Introduction

This psalm was written by King David. In the Psalm he focuses on the two of the three ways God has revealed himself. The greatest way that God has revealed himself to mankind is through his Son, Jesus Christ.

The other two ways are through creation, the things he has made, and through the Scriptures, the Bible.

In this Psalm David speaks about these two methods of divine revelation.

They are often referred to as general revelation and special revelation.

As we are locked down and seem to have much more time on our hands than we have previously had. One of the most important things we can do at this time as believers is seek to know God more.

This Psalm is helpful because it discusses two ways that God has decided to reveal himself to us.

I want us to look at this psalm in three parts.

First we have General revelation- Creation v.1-6

Second we have Special revelation- Scripture v.7-11

Third we have a personal response- David’s prayer v.12-14

I. General revelation- Creation v.1-6

Firstly then David begins by focusing on creation.

Here David says that creation shows to us the glory of God.

In v.1 he says “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.”

David is saying that we can see the majesty, the power and wisdom of God by looking at the things he has made, by observing the universe.

The universe displays the power of God.

Next he says that this declaration of God’s glory is constant and that there is no one who does not see it.

First we see that this declaration of God’s glory happens all the time in v.2

The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.

v.2“ Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge.”

And the firmament shows His handiwork.

The New King James Version Psalm 19

Day unto day utters speech,

And night unto night reveals knowledge.

3 There is no speech nor language

Where their voice is not heard.

4 Their line has gone out through all the earth,

And their words to the end of the world.

“ Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge.”

And night unto night reveals knowledge.

Then we see in v.3-4 that everyone can see this “There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world.”

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), .

Where their voice is not heard.

Where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world.

What David is saying here is very simple. Everyone can see that there is a God by the things that have been created. The universe declares his glory.

4 Their line has gone out through all the earth,

4 Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world.

The Apostle Paul says the same thing in I will read v.20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.”

And their words to the end of the world.

And their words to the end of the world.

Then in v.5-6 David says that the Sun is a prime example of God’s glory being shown in creation.

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), .

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The point that David is making is that we can understand certain things about God from his creation. When we look at the created order, we see that God is infinitely wise, we see that he is all powerful, we see that he has an eye for beauty.

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), .

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), .

We hear the songs of the birds in the trees, we feel the heat of the sun, and enjoy the cool and gentle breeze and we realise we have an awesome and majestic God.

The wonderful truth is that through the Lord Jesus Christ we can come to know this God for ourselves.

Those of us who already do can know him more. One of the best ways we can make the best of this lockdown is by using it to take time to know God more.

One way we can know about God is from his creation.

Yet if we stop at creation and go no further we would not have enough information about God to have a correct knowledge of him. We must not stop at creation.

Thankfully David doesn’t stop there either.

He goes on to speak about the Scriptures, the Bible.

He has spoken about General revelation- Creation. Next, he goes on to speak about special revelation- Scripture.

II. Special revelation- Scripture v.7-11

In v.7-11 David turns his mind to the word of God..

He tells us what it is like and he does us what it does.

He uses several synanyms to refer to the word of God, he uses different words to refer to the same thing. He calls it the law, the testimony, the statutes, the commandment, the fear of the LORD, the judgements. These are all refering to the Word of God.

Then he uses several descriptions about it.

He tells us what it is like and he does us what it does

He uses several adjectives and then several verbs to describe the word of God.

First we will look at what it is like.

He says it is perfect, it is sure or reliable, it is right, it is pure, it is clean, it is true and righteous.

Then he goes on and says what it does;

He says it converts the soul, it makes wise the simple, it rejoices the heart, it enlightens the eyes, it endures forever.

David is saying what Paul says in “...the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The Scriptures goes much further in revealing to us who God is. We learn about what he has done, what he is like. We learn about ourselves, where we have come from, what we are doing here and where wew are going.

16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

We learn about what has gone wrong and how God has worked through Jesus Christ to make it right.

We learn that we are sinners and yet that Jesus Christ is the Saviour and he saves to the uttermost all who come to God by him.

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), .

Due to the fact that the Scriptures do so much and are so needful for us to know God and to know what he wants, becauseThey make us wise for salvation David says that they should be more imprtant to us that money and more satisfying to us that honey.

In v.10 he says “More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.”

Yea, than much fine gold;

Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

In v.11 he again explains their benefit “Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward.”

And in keeping them there is great reward.”

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The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), .

David knew the surpassing worth of the Scriptures. He knew that the word of God was precious.

I’m sure that he studied the portions of Scripture he had at the time often.

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), .

He knew that they revealed to him who God is and how he can know him for himself.

The question is do we love the Scriptures like David did. Do we agree that they are more valuble and desirable that wealth and do we agree they satisfy more than honey?

During lockdown are we studying them and seeking to know God through his word?

If you haven’t been then I would encourage you to use the rest of the lockdown to do so.

David has spoken about general revelation, special revelation finally at the end of the psalm he see his personal response- David’s prayer.

III. Personal response- David’s prayer v.12-14

Here we see what happens when a person knows God through the ways he has chosen to reveal himself.

We see that the result is confession of dependance and need of God’s grace and he see a confident trust in the goodness and love of God.

We see that David confesses his need of God’s grace by asking for his cleansing from sin and his help not to sin. v.12-13

We see that David has a confident trust in the goodness and love of God by his final sentence in the Psalm. “O LORD, my strength and my redeemer.”

The two outcomes of a knowledge of David’s dependance on the grace of God and his confident trust in the goodness and grace of God came as a result of knowing God through his creation and through his word.

Conclusion

In this psalm we see God’s general revelation- creation, we see his special revelation- Scripture and we see David’s personal response- prayer.

If we want to know God more. To know our need of him and to trust in him more. Then let us use this time of lockdown to seek him.

Enjoy God’s creation as we go for our daily excersise, giving him the glory for what he has made. Let us study his word much knowing that it is more precious and satisfying that anything else by it we can know God and know ourselves. Let us seek God in prayer as David does in the final verse of this psalm, confessing our need of his grace and our confident trust in him.