Psalm 19 – His Glory – No Excuses
By Bunni Pounds
*This blog is part of our weekly, virtual Bible Study through the book of Psalms. For information on how to participate, please visit this page.
“The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork.
Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals knowledge.
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.” (verses 1-4)
The beauty of the heavens, the universe, is beyond what we can articulate and declare. The intricacies of the stars, the planets, and the Milky Way when studied - declare loudly to everyone that looks at them that there is a master planner – an invisible hand of a Creator.
This psalmist says, “there is not speech or language where their voice is not heard.”
This is a bold statement!
He is saying - there is not a people group among the earth’s people where the universe is not seen and heard for its majesty and where a Creator is not seen through the things that He has made.
Romans 1:18-20 puts it even more clear for us to understand– “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 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,”
I love biographies and when I was young. I read many Christian foreign missionary stories. I loved reading about courageous young people like Elizabeth and Jim Elliott who went where no one else wanted to go and where Jim and his friends gave us their lives attempting to bring the gospel to a people group that ended up killing him.
I remember reading Don Richardson’s book Peace Child about the incredible mission Don and his wife led to an indigenous culture where years into their communications with them - they stumbled upon their story of the “peace child”. The book tells the story of this tribe without Christ and how they discovered that within each culture there is a key to unlock the truth to people of a Creator. It is a powerful picture of God’s love for each people group. It shows us clearly that He is dropping “breadcrumbs” to wake people up that He is real, alive, and wants them to know Him.
This love of God displayed should give us great courage to reach out to others because we are only on a mission looking for the awakening people who are seeking after truth. We are following the heart of God to search for them knowing that He is already displaying His glory to them in some form. They are waiting for us to find them and connect the dots so they can see Jesus in the fullness of His story and His call on their lives. Psalm 19 gives me so much hope for the harvest of souls coming in.
”In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,
Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
Its rising is from one end of heaven,
And its circuit to the other end;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.”(Verses 4b-6)
Ultimately missions are about finding and developing worshippers of Jesus. It is not about the mission itself – it is about finding people who will accept the gospel and turn into worshippers of the Highest God.
Pastor John Piper says it so well – “Missions exists because worship does not.”
God sets a “tabernacle for the sun”. There is nothing hidden from its heat. It takes over. This is also the way that God takes over the places where His presence is carried. It only starts with one person being obedient to carry His presence and life into an atmosphere where this is foreign to others. That light takes over everything and demands a response. Therefore, the power of the gospel produces worshippers of Jesus. When we discover His salvation and His redemption – we don’t want anything else. Jesus becomes the brightest thing in the room and takes over our lives.
“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
The statutes 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 judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.” (Verses 7-11)
The law of the Lord is the instructions of God. This passage explains that these laws or instructions are sure, wise, perfect, pure, clean, and righteous. The fear of the Lord (reverence and respect for God) should lead us to desire for more holiness, not less.
We should desire the instructions of God – not run away from them.
One of my favorite scriptures concerning law and grace is Romans 6:14 “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” It shows that the power of grace is that sin doesn’t have a hold on us any longer.”
Where the law reveals the truth of our weaknesses and our need for God – grace empowers us to walk in His statutes and instructions and to become Christlike. We can live in a way that previously we were unable to live because we were caught in our transgressions and sins – BUT God…
Romans 6:18 – “And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.”
What an incredible promise of transformation. The GRACE of God produces empowerment and righteousness.
Here is the psalmist in Psalm 19 going even deeper into His desire to be clean before the Lord.
“Who can understand his errors?
Cleanse me from secret faults.
Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins;
Let them not have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
And I shall be innocent of great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. (Verses 12-14)
So often in the church we try to see what we can get away with as a Christian instead of desiring for God to cleanse our lives to the uttermost.
This passage is a heart cry for every thought and motivation to be cleansed by God and is an acknowledgment that all our strength comes from the Redeemer.
If we are dependent on God – our heart changes from wanting to see what we can get by with as a believer to desiring His best for us. Just because grace says we CAN – doesn’t mean that we SHOULD.
All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. – 1 Corinthians 10:23
What edifies? What will produce more Christ followers? What will cause our light to shine the brightest?
Just as the heavens declare the glory of God and we are without excuse to see our Creator in each culture, in the same way – we are without excuse to not desire to be like Him.
As we seek truth and our hearts exposed by His instructions – nothing will be hidden, and we will be freely in love with Him – standing in the light of His glory.
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