Psalm 19

Psalm 19 ESV

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. 1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. 2 Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. 4 Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, 5 which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. 6 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. 7 The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving 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 rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. 11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. 12 Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. 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. 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.

Main Point: You must obey God’s special revelation to enjoy his general Revelation

Introduction

A. Our Allergy to Obedience

i.Independence Day

We celebrate when we told UK we won’t be obedient anymore and if they don’t like it then come at us, they did and we smacked them around…twice

ii. Other favorite holiday October 31st....Reformation day....we celebrate when we told the Pope we won’t be obedient anymore

iii. Save by grace through faith and not a work

B. Jesus Christ saves us by HIS obedience, and he saves us so we become obedient people

(biblical counseling is showing the couneslee how to obey God in their specific circumstance)

C. Psalm 19 is telling you about God’s two different ways he reveals himself

i. General (creation)

ii. Special (Bible)

One is to be enjoyed by the means of obeying the other

I remember obeying my parents as if I was doing them a favor

God does not need our obedience, we need our obedience to enjoy his general revelation

So, far from obedience being a curse word to our American protestant ears, it needs to be something we delight in, in order to enjoy God’s general revelation

I. You are to Enjoy God’s General Revelation (19:1-6)

A. 19:1 The sky proclaims the glory of God

i. 19:2 Constantly

ii. 19.3 Heard

iii. 19:4 Everywhere

This proclamation is therefore constantly heard everywhere

iiii. 19:5 Beautifully

Since this proclamation is beautiful (objectively) we are able to enjoy it

B. Therefore, you ALWAYS have an objective reason to enjoy God because of his general revelation that is constantly heard everywhere and is beautiful

This is the case even when you subjectively do not want to enjoy his general revelation…this needs to spur you on in those moments of emotional distress..that despite feelings I have an objective reason to enjoy God

Example: Working for Comcast—woke up with the grumpies—ignored God’s word for correction

Driving to first job and the sun is in my eyes—blinding me

My first job is a nightmare—tiny crawl spaces and the sun beating down on me as I climb a huge pole

Life just stinks—there is nothing good about this day

C. Why do many people not enjoy God in his general revelation? Why do you struggle to enjoy him in his general revealing? (the sun is screaming out praise to God and we respond by screaming back complaints)

Romans 1:18 ESV

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

This objectively beautiful proclamation becomes a proclamation of judgement and wrath when one is acting in unrighteousness (disobedience)

now this text is talking about the unbeliever and how they could be living in God’s world and yet reject him

But even Christians can be living disobediently in which creation all around us is not used for worship

So, you fail to join in worship to God with the sun because of your disobedient heart

An obedient heart leave his house and happily joins in worship with nature

The disobedient uses the nature around him to feed his grumbling heart

Same objective reality, used in two totally different ways

II. You Need to Obey God’s Special Revelation to Enjoy His General Revelation (19:7-11)

A. General formula for these verses

i. A noun that is possessed by the LORD (The Bible)

ii. Adjective describing the noun empowered by the LORD (The LORD owns and empowers it)

iii. A positive result for the one who obeys the noun empowered by the LORD

1. 19:7a

i. Law (torah=general instruction)

ii. Perfect

iii. Revives the Soul

2. 19:7b

i. Testimony (God’s witness)

ii. Sure

iii. Makes wise the simple

it has the power to make the simple wise

only the simple can become wise by it

3. 19:8a

i. Precepts (commands)

ii.Right

iii. Rejoices the heart

Spurgeon said that these three shows the journey of the believer

Soul is revived, grows in wisdom, results in rejoicing of the heart

4. 19:8b

i. Commandment (an authoritative order)

ii.Pure

iii. Enlightening the eyes

5. 19:9a

i. Fear

ii. Clean

iii. Enduring forever

6. 19:9b

i. Rules

ii. True and Righteous

iii. (19:11) Warned and Great Reward

The great reward of keeping the word of God is to enjoy his general revelation in true worship

B. Problem: In order for you to realize this you have to have the renewed heart of 19:10

1.More desirable than Gold (possessions)

2. Sweeter than honey (luxury)

The reason why you do not find your worship in God’s general revelation is because his special revelation has take a back seat in our desires

III. Your need for God’s grace in order to have worship in his general revelation (19:12-14)

The Word of God shows us our error

19:12 Who can discern his errors?

More than stating our natural inclinations to sin, he says who can even understand his errors?

But then he asks for forgiveness of sins

Hidden from the sinner (12)

Purposeful from the sinner (13)

Then he asks for a renewed heart (14)

Topped off with a cry to the LORD as rock and redeemer

There is only one redeemer who can forgive you of your sins and give you a new heart where you desire God’s word more than wealth and luxury

It’s the one who said:

If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water

I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father but through me

I am the light of the world, whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life

Before Abraham was, I AM

If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free

If you love me, you will keep my commandments

Jesus Christ, through forgiveness of sins, gives you a new heart of love for him

That enables you to then keep his commandments

Jesus Christ saves not through your obedience but through his

And after he has done his work, he saves you to obedience

The word of God becomes delightful to you and you are empowered to obey from the heart by faith in him

So that as the sun comes out of its chamber to shout proclamations of God’s glory

Your heart, filled with the Word, responds with sweet songs of worship

We can only enjoy God’s general revelation through obedience to his special revelation

And Jesus Christ our Lord is the source and enabler of that blessed obedience

So that our enjoyment of God’s creation becomes married to our worship of Christ as redeemer and king

So when you wake up tomorrow the sun bursting forth from its chamber proclaiming God’s glory

To the birds singing songs of praise to our King

to the wind amongst the tree branches making a sweet melody of worship to our God

And the only melody playing in your heart is one of murmuring and complaints or just simply indifference

Proclaim the work of Christ to your soul, open up his word with the aim to show him your love by your obedience

With a confidence that it is only through gospel obedience that one can enjoy the general revelation of our king