Psalm 19 God’s two books
Prayer: please join me in prayer…
Introduction:
20 years ago, the coworker sitting in the cubicle next to me stood up, turned around, and faced me. Then he confidently said, “Dave, I will believe in God when he speaks to me. Until that happens I refuse to believe that God exists. Surely, if God exists then he would speak to me. Right???”
Some of you have probably asked the same question. You wonder why God has not spoken to you?
This is a legitimate question.
If you have wondered this, you are not alone. Does God speak to us? If so how does he speak to us, and what is he saying?
This brings us to Psalm 19.
According to Psalm 19 God is speaking to all of us, all the time. In fact, God speech is so constant that we have learned to tune it out. But if we stop to listen we will be transformed and amazed.
This morning we will look at three aspects of God’s speech from Psalm 19…
God speaks through the skies God speaks through the scriptures God speaks through the son.
First, God speaks through the skies
How???
God speaks through the stars in the skies.
Psalm 19:1 (ESV) — 1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
The heavens and the skies refer to the stars of the night sky. David’s point is simple. The stars speak of the glory and splendor of their creator.
But what exactly do they say?
Illustration:
The stars speak of God’s vastness and infinite power…
The biggest and brightest known star in our own galaxy is Eta Carinae. It is more than 100 times larger than the sun…. If the sun and Eta Carinae were the same distance from the earth, Eta Carinae would be 4 million times brighter than the sun.” (Redmond, 44)
There is a star named IRS 65… if the sun were 18 inches tall this star would be as tall as Mt. Everest. (Redmond, 44)
If our galaxy (the Milky Way) were the size of North America, our solar system would be the size of a quarter.
Astronomers estimate that the Milky way has anywhere from 100 billion to 400 billion stars in it.
Our galaxy is mostly empty space… it would take five years at the speed of light to get from our solar system to the nearest star (Alpha century).
How many galaxies are there?
The lowest estimate is 100 billion galaxies and the high estimate is now two trillion galaxies…
Most galaxies have over 100 billion stars in them…
The heavens declare the glory of God and the skies above proclaim his handiwork.
It is not just the stars in distant Galaxies that speak of the glory of God.
God also speaks through the sun in the skies.
Psalm 19:4c–6 (ESV) — 4... In them (in the heavens) 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.
In comparing the sun to a bridegroom David marvels at the splendor and radiance of the sun. In comparing the sun to a strong man, champion, or warrior David marvels at the power of the sun to provide warmth and light.
When David writes about the sun rising he is not trying to make a scientifically precise statement. He is using the language of poetry and every day speech to describe what he sees from his perspective. Even in our scientific age we talk about the sun rising and setting.
Back to the point of these verses…
King David inspired by the Holy Spirit tells us that the stars and the sun speak to us about the glory of God.
Illustration:
Our sun is rather impressive.
The sun is 93 million miles away, yet we still have to wear sun glasses, hats, and sun screen to protect ourselves from its destructive power…
“To produce the observed energy emitted from the sun’s solar surface, the equivalent of one hundred billion hydrogen bombs must explode every second in its unfathomably hot, dense core.” (Redmond, 123)
It was hot a few weeks ago… 107. But the sun’s core burns at 27 million degrees Fahrenheit.
“A pinhead heated to the temperature of the center of the sun would emit enough heat to kill anyone who ventured within a thousand miles of it.” (Redmond, 127)
“99.9% of all matter in our solar system is contained within the sun.” (Redmond, 129)
1.3 million earths could fit inside the sun… (image)
We see God’s splendor and majesty in the sun…
God speaks through the stars in the skies God speaks through the sun in the skies
God speaks to everyone in the skies
Psalm 19:1–4 (ESV) — 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,
In verse 1 the verbs declare and proclaim are in the participle form meaning that creation constantly proclaims the glory of its creator. Day after day and night after night they pour fourth speech. No one can escape this speech.
Furthermore, this speech goes to everyone “Their voice goes out to all the earth…”
God is continually speaking to everyone all the time through the existence and the glory of the stars and the sun.
Paul picks up on this theme in Romans 1:19-20.
Romans 1:19–20 (ESV) — 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them (everyone), because God has shown it to them. 20 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.
Everyone has sufficient evidence to believe that God exists. Which means that there are no atheists, just truth suppressors.
Objections…
Science has gotten rid of God!!!
Let me recommend two outstanding books- “The Case for the Creator” and “I don’t have enough faith to be an Atheist”. Now, more than ever, is the best time to be a Christian who loves science, because science is increasingly on our side.
God speaks through the stars in the skies God speaks through the sun in the skies God speaks to everyone in the skies
Illustration:
There have been many great speeches in history-
Ronald Reagan’s “Tear down this wall” speech, delivered in 1987 near the Berlin Wall.
Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” speech delivered in Gettysburg Pa in 1863.
Patrick Henry’s “Give me liberty or give me death” speech delivered in 1775 in Richmond Va. Martin Luther King’s Jr. “I have a dream” speech delivered in Washington DC in 1963
But at the top of this list must be God’s speech through creation. This speech is great because everyone hears it all the time… No one can escape this speech.
But that leads to a very important question…
What is god Saying through the skies???
The skies say that God exists…
The stars and the sun, and all of creation for that matter, speak to us that God exists. Which is why the Bible says that if we deny this evidence we are fools.
Psalm 14:1 (ESV) — 1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”...
God exists, and he is speaking to you and he wants you to respond to his speech by worshipping him alone.
You don’t need a PhD in apologetics to defend the faith. All you need to do is point to the skies and ask your skeptical friend where the stars came from. Ask him or her why there is something and not nothing? If he says, “the big bang” explain to him that the most recent science argues that before the big bang there was nothing… no time, no space, and no matter. We all know that nothing comes from nothing… something outside of time, space, and matter must have created everything. The God of the Bible dwells outside of time, space, and matter.
The skies say that god exists…
The skies say that God is powerful…
He spoke billions of Galaxies in to place by the power of his word… and currently sustains every single sub atomic particle in the universe through his son Jesus Christ.
What problems do you Face???
Health, financial, relational, besetting sins, etc… do you think God is big enough to handle your problems? Yes!!!
The skies say that God exists The skies say that God is powerful
The skies say that we are small…
The size of the universe humbles us, and it should. It reminds us that we are next to nothing. We live in a little blue dot in an incomprehensibly large universe.
Illustration:
Show the pale blue dot…
This picture was taken on February 14, 1990, by the Voyager 1 space probe from a distance of about 3.7 billion miles away…
No one had ever seen planet earth from this far away… this view rocked the scientific community.
Reflecting on this pale blue dot, Carl Sagan wrote,
“That’s here. That’s home. That’s us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every ‘superstar’, every ‘supreme leader,’ every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived here- on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam. The earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena…. Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged by this point of pale light.” (Redmond, 56-57)
Sagan is right that we seem small, insignificant, and fragile in light of the vast cosmos.
“We are vapors inhabiting a miniscule speck in a measureless sea of cosmic wonder.” (Louie Giglio)
Yet we have value because we are made in God’s image. Furthermore, we know we have value since God came to this planet and hung on a cross to redeem it…
Theologians call God’s speech through creation general revelation.
As wonderful as general revelation is, is it not enough to bring the knowledge of salvation. This brings us to our next point…
First, God speaks through the skies (verses 1-4)
Second, God speaks through the scriptures (verses 7-11)
Maybe you are wondering…
Why should I listen to the scriptures? The psalmist gives us 11 reasons…
First, the scriptures speak more clearly than the skies.
Psalm 19:7–11 (ESV) — 7 The law of the LORD (LAW IS THE WORD TORAH WHICH REFERS TO ALL OF GOD’S REVELATION IN THE SCRIPTURES) 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.
In verses 1-4 the word for God is Elohim highlighting God’s power. But in verses 7-11 the word YHWH is used 7 times for God. YHWH is the covenant name for God. In other words, the God who spoke the universes into existence (1-4) is the God who wants a relationship with you and me (7-11).
God’s word explains how this relationship is possible. God’s revelation through nature cannot do this. The stars do not tell us that Jesus died for our sins. We can know about God the creator through nature, but we can’t know about God the redeemer through nature. God reveals his specific plan of salvation only in the Scriptures.
Second, the scriptures revive the soul.
Psalm 19:7 (ESV) — 7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul;
This means that God’s word brings healing and life to the whole person by making us aware of God’s grace and forgiveness.
Third, the scriptures make us wise.
Psalm 19:7 (ESV) — 7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;
Wisdom is the skill of godly living. The Bible makes us wise in all areas of our lives; finances, relationships, work, family, leisure, etc… God’s word also makes us wise in the ways of salvation (2 Tim 3:15).
Fourth, the scriptures rejoice the heart.
Psalm 19:8 (ESV) — 8 the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;
That is the word of God brings inner tranquility and peace.
Fifth, the scriptures enlighten the eyes.
Psalm 19:8 (ESV) — 8 the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;
It gives light to our lives allowing us to no longer stumble around in the darkness of sin and futility and life without God.
Sixth, the scriptures cause us to fear God.
Psalm 19:9 (ESV) — 9 the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.
This is a very good thing…
Proverbs 14:27 (ESV) — 27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death.
Seventh, the scriptures can be trusted.
Psalm 19:9 (ESV) — 9 the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.
The bible does not contain errors therefore it can be trusted in all that it says. objection… this is what the Bible says about itself… don’t contradict the bible’s view about itself.
Eight, the scriptures are more valuable than Money.
Psalm 19:10 (ESV) — 10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; Would you rather have a huge pile of money or God’s word? God’s word is like Gold in this sense we must dig for its treasures. Great wealth is hidden in the word of God but we must apply ourselves to a lifetime of digging to access these treasures.
Ninth, the scriptures are sweeter than honey.
Psalm 19:10 (ESV) — 10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
Honey was the sweetest food available in the ANE.
Tenth, the scriptures warn us.
Psalm 19:11 (ESV) — 11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
They act as a lighthouse warning ships of dangerous rocks ahead.
Eleventh, obeying the scriptures lead to great rewards.
Psalm 19:11 (ESV) — 11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
How many of you like the sound of “a great reward?”
I just listed eleven benefits of listening to God’s voice in the scriptures. There are many more…
We do things if we truly believe they are beneficial to us, don’t we?
Illustration:
Pantry challenge… lots of rice, bread, and other fake stuff. (starvation money)
If the doctor tells you that you have high blood pressure and you must change your diet and exercise, or you will die in a few months…
We don’t really believe this. If we did, we would act. We lack faith. We need to pray that God would give us faith to believe what the Bible says about itself.
Although reading the Bible is beneficial we must never ever forget that reading the Bible does not save our souls. This brings us to the last point…
God speaks through the skies God speaks through the scriptures
Third, God speaks of the son.
What does he say?
God speaks about the need for his son!
Psalm 19:12–13 (ESV) — 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.
God’s speech through the sun reaches into nearly every crevice of His creation. In a similar sense God speech through the scriptures reaches into every crevice of our lives bringing conviction.
In these three verses we learn that we need a redeemer…
Through God’s word…
(v. 12a ) We become aware of our errors (v. 12b) We admit that we have hidden sins that we may not even be aware of (v. 13) We are aware that we sometimes sin presumptuously or arrogantly becoming enslaved
We are not perfect, we have all sinned… we need a redeemer! This takes us to verse 14.
God speaks about the need of his son…
God speaks about the nature of his son…
Psalm 19:14 (ESV) — 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.
God’s word cuts deep. God’s word makes us aware of our sins. But God’s word also makes us aware of the savior. The very last word in psalm 19 is a word of hope. The last word in verse 14 is the word redeemer.
A redeemer would come 1000 years after David wrote the words of psalm 19.
He would commit no errors (v. 12) He would have no hidden sins (v. 12) He would never sin presumptuously (v. 13) He would always be blameless and innocent (v. 13) The words of his mouth and the meditations of his heart would always be acceptable in God’s sight (v. 14)
This redeemer always listened to and obeyed God’s speech in the skies and the scriptures.
This redeemer is Jesus. He is called the redeemer because he suffered and died in our place on a Roman cross redeeming us or freeing us from the penalty of sin and the wrath of God Almighty. God has acted through his son to save us from death, judgment, and a life of futility.
Do you feel trapped or enslaved by anger, lust, greed, anxiety, or pride? Jesus Christ can free you.
God speech in the skies and the scriptures is ultimately meant to lead you to Jesus Christ, the answer to all of your problems and all of the world’s problems.
Do you know this Jesus?
Back to my friend Levi at State Farm insurance… He said he would believe in God, if God spoke to him. God is speaking to him. God is speaking to everyone through super nova’s, distant galaxies, the galactic grandeur of the night sky, and the words of holy scripture. His speech is directing us to Christ.
Have you heard his voice? Have you responded to his voice?
Lets pray…