Psalm 19

Of David

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handywork.

2 Day unto day uttered speech, and night unto night shows knowledge.

3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.

4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,

5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber and rejoices as a strong man to run a race.

6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

8 The statutes 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 judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

10 More to be desired are they then gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.

13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.

14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.  (KJV)

Reading this psalm, I picture David as a young boy enjoying the pleasures of working out in the fields keeping watch over his father’s flocks with the other shepherds.  As he was out in the wilderness keeping these flocks he witnessed the greatness of the world around him.  He witnessed the sunrise and sunset every day.  He also witnessed the weather patterns and well as the marvels of the landscape surrounding him.  In the evening, he would probably set around the campfire and hears of the stories of Israel’s past history from the older shepherds.  It reminds me of the time when I was young working on the dairy farm in Indiana and witnessing the wonders of God in the world around me.  As we were milking the cows I can still recall the radio planning the song of Tell Me the Story of Jesus playing in the background from the gospel station.  These memories help build the stage for this psalm.

This psalm gives to us the ways that we can know God. First there is nature (natural Revelation) that declares God to us. The heavens declare his glory, the skies proclaim his work, night after night they display knowledge and by this knowledge, we can know God in an impersonal way. However, just observing the world around us scream that there must be a creator, one vastly greater than men.

Paul also writes in Romans chapter one about how the invisible things of God from the creation of the world can be clearly seen being understood by the things that are made, even God’s eternal power.  

But we also have special written revelation of his written Word (law, statutes, precepts, commands, and ordinances) which to the seeker of God is more precious than gold and sweeter than honey. As I study this psalm, I realized the importance of staying in God’s word daily. His word revives my soul, it gives me wisdom, it gives me a joy and peace beyond understanding, and gives me light and direction for my daily life. By keeping them and meditating on them one can keep himself blameless, and innocent of great transgression. Yes, as we continue our journey in this life we will sometime slip and fall as we follow Christ, but as long as we stay in his word, we will not commit great transgressions.

Paul uses the argument of both natural revelation and the special written revelation as that there is no respect of person with God.  In Roman chapter one and two Paul writes “that as many as have sinned without the law shall also perish without the law and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law.”  In these chapters he describes how the Gentiles which have not the law are without excuse when they do by nature the things contained in the law.  Not only do they know the judgment of God, that they which commit the things against nature but have pleasure in them.   This is why verse twelve is important for us to understand.  “Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.”  Because we realize that there will be a day that God shall the secrets of men by Jesus according to my gospel as Paul write about in Roman 2:16.