Psalm 19
We will study this psalm as if it consisted of 2 poems; the first poem is verses 1-6 and the second 7-14. Many expositors agree that this psalm has these two distinct parts because there are two different names for God and two different compositions, one ancient, and one more recent.
In the first part (1-6) the shorter form of the name “God” (El) speaks of His power, especially that power exhibited as Creator, and which can be observed in the sky—in worlds, infinite worlds. In the second part (7-14)—the Scriptures—“LORD” (Yahweh) fits the relational theme found there. God has revealed Himself to mankind through these two avenues, what He has wrought and what He has written. He is the God of creation and He is the God of revelation. The human race stands accountable to Him because of His nonverbal and verbal communications. Psalm 19 eloquently summarizes these two prominent avenues of God’s self-disclosure.
The testimony of the universe comes forth consistently and clearly, but sinful mankind persistently resists it. For this reason, general revelation cannot convert sinners, but it does make them highly accountable (Romans 1:18). Salvation ultimately comes through special revelation alone, that is, as the Word of God is effectually applied by the Spirit of God.
This poem begins, as does Psalm 8, with David gazing at the heavens and wondering at the mystery of creation. But man does not see God by looking at the sky; what he sees is the glory of God’s creation. “No man can see God and live” (Exodus 33:20). Glory, to Old Testament man was the outward “clothing” of God. It did not hide or cover His “being,” rather it revealed His actions. As the living God, He is always doing, creating, recreating, producing order out of original chaos (Genesis 1:2), bringing light at each dawn out of the darkness of night.
To say that we see the glory of God in this psalm, means that as modern, scientifically-minded persons we are reading something into it. The poem talks of hearing the Word of God, which is proclaimed by the skies. It declares that behind the whole majesty of nature there is sound, the sound of the Word of God. The whole creation, even without the use of words, sounds forth the divine Word; when put into Greek, this is the word Logos that we meet in John 1:1.
But Logos can mean more than word. It can also mean “reason” or “meaning.” And so this psalm is proclaiming that the heavenly bodies are not mere matter, to be understood merely as scientific phenomena. They shout to all who have ears to hear that behind them and their movements lies the meaning of the universe.
The word “knowledge” in verse 2 may be translated “powerfully.” Thus David is saying that natural phenomena are means through which the meaning of the universe is expressed.
Then he turns his attention to the sun. In the Egypt of David’s day the sun was the supreme god, and each Pharaoh was his representative on earth. Here David has liberated himself from such myths, and simply uses their imagery to display poetically the greatness of God.
PRAY
Father thank you for the beauty of your creation! Thank you that we can see your works displayed powerfully in all that you have made!