The Heavens Declare

I. Introduction

This past week we heard about and saw some amazing images collected from space! The new James Webb Space Telescope capture it’s first full-color images and spectroscopic data that was released on Tuesday July 12, 2022 in a 10:30am broadcast from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD. Unfortunately, the majority of those who are sponsoring this endeavor are secular scientists who don’t believe the Bible and oppose our Biblical worldview. This is easily seen in the goals and questions they have stated for the project to answer such as: “How did the universe begin?" or "When were the first stars and galaxies created?" or "How do planets form?" and "How do we fit in the cosmos?” (https://northropgrumman.com/wp-content/uploads/JWST-Datasheet.pdf). They intend to prove their claims by “looking back in time” to the Big Bang as they push the idea of cosmological evolution. Today I want to briefly look at Psalm 19 which helps to answer some of those questions and that leads us to look at these issues with Biblical glasses on.

II. Revelation of the Creation (Psalm 19:1-6)

Psalm 19:1 ESV

1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

A. Heavens declare God’s glory

B. Sky proclaims God’s work

Genesis 1:14–16 ESV

14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. 16 And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars.

Hebrews 1:4 ESV

4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

Colossians 1:17 ESV

17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

C. The universality of the revelation (Psalm 19:2-4a)

Psalm 19:2–4 ESV

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,

D. The peculiarity of the revelation (Psalm 19:4b-6)

Psalm 19:4–6 ESV

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.

III. Revelation of God’s Word (Psalm 19:7-9)

Psalm 19:7–9 ESV

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.

A. Words describing God’s word: (1) law, (2) testimony, (3) precepts, (4) commandment, (5) fear, (6) rules

B. The character of God’s Word: (1) perfect, (2) sure, (3) right, (4) pure, (5) clean, (6) true

C. What the Word will do for people: (1) revive the soul, (2) make wise the simple, (3) rejoice the heart, (4) enlightening the eyes, (5) enduring forever, (6) show God’s righteousness!

IV. How People Fit in God’s Cosmos (Psalm 19:10-14)

A. More desirable than gold and sweeter than honey

B. Be warned by His Word and be rewarded for obedience to it

C. Discern your errors and refrain from secret sin

D. Refrain from presumptuous sins and be free from their dominion.

E. Be blameless and innocent of great transgression.

F. Let your words and your thoughts be acceptable in the Lord’s sight!