Psalm 19

Psalm 19

A Psalm in praise of God's creation, and in praise of His Holy Word, our Bible.

1. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the great area of the sky shows his handywork.

2. Day after day, and night after night, they speak to us, and show knowledge.

3. There is no language where their voice is not heard.

4. They are throughout all the earth, and their words go to the end of the world. In them he has set a place for the sun,

5. Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his room, and as happy as a strong man about to run a race.

6. He goes from one end of heaven to the other, and nothing is hid from the heat of it.

7. The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, and makes wise the simple.

8. The statutes of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, giving light to the eyes.

9. The fear of the LORD is clean, lasting for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

10. They are more to be desired than gold, and they are sweeter than honey or the honeycomb.

11. Even more, by them is your servant warned: and in keeping them, there is great reward.

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

13. Keep your servant from sins of being too confident; let them not have authority 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 things my heart dwells upon, be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

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In this psalm, David is telling us about two great things that speak to us of the Lord God. The first of these great things is His creation, the heavens and the sky where the stars and the sun are. David says that these things speak to us, no matter what our language, they speak to everyone in the whole earth. Do you ever look at the stars with wonder at their beauty? Do you see how they are arranged in order? That is how they speak to us. Because God created them, they are not there by chance.

David speaks of the sun, that is as brilliant as a bridegroom about to be married. He tells us that the sun goes throughout the whole earth, and nothing is hid from the heat of it.

Then David tells us about the word of God. When David wrote this psalm, the bible as we know it didn't exist, but there were books of God's law and commandments and history that David could read and learn from. And David tells us that God's law is perfect, converting a person. That means that a person can read the bible, and believe what it says, and receive the Lord Jesus as their Saviour. It makes simple people wise, it gives us a happy heart, and it is pure, gives us understanding. "giving light to the eyes" means understanding. David says that the word of God is more to be desired than gold, and that it is sweeter than honey. 

And lastly, David asks that the Lord keep him from being too confident and sinning because of it. Because he knows that by following the teachings of God's word he will be innocent. And then David asks that his words, and the thoughts of his heart, will be acceptable to the Lord, his strength and his redeemer. Again David shows us his personal relationship with the Lord.

Vicki C. Gross