PSALM 19:1-14

9/11/11 Draft 2
PSALM 19
The Witness of God in the
World, 19:1-14
For the director of music.
A psalm of David.
1. The witness of nature The heavens declare the
a. The sky declares God’s glory, glory of God; the skies
His existence & creative power proclaim the work of his
hands.
1) The sky reveals God & His 2 Day after day they pour
infinite knowledge during forth speech; night after
both day & night night they display knowledge.
2) The sky shouts out the 3 There is no speech or
message of God’s existence language where their voice
& power to all nations is not heard.
• To all the earth 4 Their voice goes out into
• To the ends of the world all the earth, their words to
the ends of the world. In the
b. The sun declares God’s ma- heavens he has pitched a
jestic glory tent for the sun,
1) It is like a bridegroom 5 Which is like a bride-
richly dressed in glory groom coming forth from
2) It is like an eager, strong his pavilion, like a champi-
athlete ready to run on rejoicing to run his
course.
• It rises at one end of the 6 It rises at one end of the
sky & runs its course to heavens and makes its cir-
the other end cuit to the other; nothing is
• It provides heat for all hidden from its heat.
2. The specific witness of God’s Word 7 The law of the LORD is
a. God’s law is perfect: It is the perfect, reviving the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are source of conversion (salvation)
trustworthy, making wise b. God’s testimony is trustwor-
the simple. thy: It is the source of wisdom
8 The precepts of the LORD c. God’s statutes are right:
are right, giving joy to the They bring joy to the heart
heart. The commands of the d. God’s commands are pure:
LORD are radiant, giving 1) They give light to life
light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the LORD is 2) They stir fear of the LORD that
pure, enduring forever. The is pure & that lasts forever
ordinances of the LORD e. God’s judgments or laws are
are sure and altogether true & fair (righteous, just)
righteous.
10 They are more precious 1) They are more precious
than gold, than much pure than pure gold
gold; they are sweeter than 2) They are sweeter than
honey, than honey from the pure honey
comb.
11 By them is your servant 3) They warn & reward
warned; in keeping them those who hear & obey
there is great reward. them
12 Who can discern his er- 3. The impact of God’s witness:
rors? Forgive my hidden Stirs us to cry out to God
faults. a. Cry out for forgiveness
13 Keep your servant also b. Cry out for the protective
from willful sins; may they power of God—the power to
not rule over me. Then will I live a new life
be blameless, innocent of 1) To avoid deliberate sin
great transgression. 2) To be blameless
14 May the words of my c. Cry out for help in pleasing God
mouth and the meditation 1) Pleasing Him in our words
of my heart be pleasing in & thoughts (meditation)
your sight, O LORD, my Rock 2) Pleasing Him because He
and my Redeemer. is our Rock, Redeemer

PSALM 19
The Witness of God in the World, 19:1-14
(19:1-14) Introduction: American President Abraham
Lincoln said, "I can see how it might be possible for a
man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I
cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens
and say there is no God."
David proclaimed this message of God’s existence in
what is one of the most treasured psalms and one of the
world’s most beautiful poems. Psalm 19 is rich in theolo-
gy. It eloquently illustrates the astounding truth that God,
the magnificent artist of the skies, wants people to know
Him personally. He has made Himself known to us
through natural or general revelation and through special
or specific revelation: nature and the Bible, His works and
His Word.
This psalm makes a significant distinction between
natural and special revelation. In discussing the witness
of the skies, David used the name God (El), which is a
general name that means strong, powerful one. When he
discussed the witness of the Scripture, He referred to
God as the LORD—Yahweh or Jehovah—His personal
name. As stated, an important distinction emerges from
these names: nature reveals that there is a God, a power-
ful, intelligent, personal Being who created and ordered
it all. Scripture reveals who this God is: His personal
name, His nature, and His incredible love and plan for
humanity.
We do not know the exact time or occasion when Da-
vid penned these inspired words. Perhaps it was in the
years of his youth, while witnessing a beautiful sunrise as
his father’s sheep began to rouse (vv.5-6). It might have
been on a cloudy afternoon in the wilderness while he
was a fugitive from Saul. Still, the words may have come
to mind one quiet evening on his palace balcony as he
gazed at a breathtaking sunset. Whatever the time or
place, the marvelous meditations of this beloved psalm
continue to thrill God’s people today. They stir us to fall
on our faces to worship the one who longs for us to know
Him in a personal, intimate way. This is, The Witness of
God in the World, 19:1-14.
1. The witness of nature (vv.1-6)
2. The specific witness of God’s word (vv.7-11).
3. The impact of God’s witness: Stirs us to cry out to
God (vv.12-14).

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 PSALM 19:1-14
1(19:1-6) The witness of nature.
As David pondered the majesty of the heavens, the Spirit
of God opened his heart to understand what we refer to
as God’s general revelation of Himself to humanity. The
Holy Spirit moved upon him to record this remarkable
message (2 Pe.1:21).
a. The sky declares God’s glory, His existence and cre-
ative power (vv.1-4).
David was awestruck as he witnessed the wonders of
the sky, recognizing a vital truth: the heavens speak.
They proclaim the message of God’s glory (v.1). The
definition of the word glory falls short of conveying all
that is contained in its meaning. The Hebrew word
(kabode) literally means weightiness or heaviness, but
in a positive way. It can be defined as honor, splendor,
or greatness. To give glory is to assign a person the
weight of honor he or she is due.
In relation to God, the concept of glory is something
far more. Sometimes it is the manifestation of His
presence. When God appears in the Bible, it is de-
scribed as glory (Ex.16:10; 40:34; Eze.9:3). But it is al-
so the manifestation of God’s Person—all that He is
(Jn.1:14). Whenever some aspect of God—His charac-
ter, His nature, His power, His holiness, His majesty—
is illuminated, it is called glory. When the very essence
of God is manifest, in part or in whole, it is glory.
Words themselves cannot convey the glory of God.
All the adjectives we can collect—magnificent, mar-
velous, amazing, awesome, dazzling, blinding, illustri-
ous, radiant, resplendent, splendid, wonderful—are
woefully inadequate. God’s glory cannot be described;
it must be witnessed.
And witnessed it is when we look up into the heav-
ens. God’s glory is the theme of the sermon of the
skies. They declare the existence and the essence of
God, His presence and His Person. The heavens pro-
claim the fact that there is a God, a personal Being
greater than the skies, who created and ordered them.
Their vastness and beauty herald the truth that this
God is almighty, a God of infinite wisdom and ability.
This is natural or general revelation: God has revealed
Himself to every human being through His creation.
David describes the nature of this celestial sermon:
First, it is an uninterrupted, continuous message
(v.2). Every day, the sun, the clouds, and the azure
background testify of God. Every night, the stars con-
vey knowledge of the one who numbers and names
them all (Ps.147:4). This preacher is never silent;
people cannot escape its voice. Twenty-four hours a
day, the skies shout the glories of the God who dwells
beyond them.
Second, it is a universal message, one that reaches
every human being (vv.3-4a). It extends to every na-
tion and every corner of the earth. Its language is uni-
versal, a tongue understood by all. This is possible be-
142
cause it is a “wordless speech,” 1 a language that
“transcends human communication without the use of
speech, words, and sounds.” 2
In translating verse three, newer versions express
that the heavens speak inaudibly and without words.
Note these translations:
“There is no speech, nor are there
words; Their voice is not heard” (Ps.19:3,
NASB).
“There is no speech, nor are there
words, whose voice is not heard” (Ps.
19:3, ESV).
“They speak without a sound or
word; their voice is never heard” (Ps.
19:3, NLT).
b. The sun declares God’s majestic glory (vv.4-6).
David’s reference to the sunrise suggests that he
wrote this psalm in the early morning. Dawn declares
the glory of God in a magnificent way. Apparently, Da-
vid recognized the sun as the primary body of the uni-
verse (v.4b). He described the skies as a tabernacle or
tent in which the sun dwells, “the place the sun goes
when it sets.” 3
The emerging of the morning sun over the horizon
reminded David of a bridegroom gloriously and excit-
edly leaving his chamber on his wedding day (v.5a).
He compared the daily circuit of the sun—its rising in
the east to its setting in the west—to a strong, condi-
tioned runner speeding triumphantly across the
course of a race (vv.5b-6a). As the sun travels its route,
it provides heat for everything it crosses (v.6b). No-
body—not one individual—escapes its warmth; nor
does anybody escape the message it proclaims.
It is crucial to understand that David wrote poeti-
cally, not scientifically. Skeptics of God’s inspired
Word point to this passage and others like it as proof
of scientific errors in Scripture. This is not the case.
David spoke of things as they appear, just as we do to-
day. “Similar terminology is often used today when we
speak of the sun’s rising and setting, even though the
earth, not the sun, actually does the moving. Bible
writers used the ‘language of appearance’ just as peo-
ple always have. Without it, the intended message
would be awkward at best and probably not under-
stood at all. When the Bible touches on scientific sub-
jects, it is entirely accurate.” 4
Thought 1. The Bible declares that a person who
denies the existence of God is a fool (Ps.14:1; 53:1).
When considering the wonders of nature, simple
1 Derek Kidner. Psalms 1-72, p.115.
2 Frank E. Gaebelein. Expositor’s Bible Commentary, p.180.
3 Donald Williams. Psalms 1-72, p.160.
4 Donald B. DeYoung. Astronomy and the Bible, (Grand Rapids, MI:
Baker Book House, 2000), p.17.
 PSALM 19:1-14
intelligence and reason should convince anyone of the
reality of God. This is the beginning of faith: believing
what God has revealed about Himself through nature.
The New Testament firmly establishes and clearly ex-
plains this truth (Ro.1:20; 10:17-18).
In Ro.10:18, Paul quoted Ps.19:4 as proof that all
people have heard the truth. Every individual has re-
ceived the foundation of saving faith: the proof that
there is a God to whom we are responsible. God has
spoken to every one of us through His creation.
Paul began with this general revelation when
preaching the gospel to those who believed in false
gods. When the people of Lystra declared that he and
Barnabas were the Greek gods Jupiter and Mercury,
Paul pointed them to God’s revelation of Himself
through nature (Ac.14:17). Paul also reasoned with
the superstitious people of Athens from this same ba-
sis (Ac.17:22-28).
Pastor and author Harry A. Ironside wrote:
When we study the book of creation, when we
look up into the heaven and look abroad over the
earth, we find everywhere the evidences of divine
power and might and wisdom. I cannot understand
intelligent people questioning the reality or person-
ality of God when they look out over this wonderful
creation. If there were no mind behind this universe,
the suns and the starry systems would have long
since crashed together and the universe would have
gone to pieces; but the One who created the universe
is "upholding all things by the word of His power”
(He.1:3).
…This is the testimony then of nature, and every
man is responsible to heed that testimony. No honest
man can look up into the heaven without the realiza-
tion that there must be a God and without the
realization that that God is a God of order, a God of
righ-teousness. And what is righteousness? It is simp-
ly orderliness, and this universe is run in an orderly
way, and therefore the testimony of the heavens is
enough to convict a man of the need of repentance,
of getting right with the God of the universe. 5
Yet he has not left himself without
testimony: He has shown kindness by
giving you rain from heaven and crops in
their seasons; he provides you with plen-
ty of food and fills your hearts with joy"
(Ac.14:17).
Paul then stood up in the meeting of
the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens!
I see that in every way you are very reli-
gious. For as I walked around and looked
carefully at your objects of worship, I
even found an altar with this inscription:
5 H.A. Ironside. Ironside Commentary—Psalms. WORDsearch CROSS
e-book.
143
TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you
worship as something unknown I am go-
ing to proclaim to you. "The God who
made the world and everything in it is
the Lord of heaven and earth and does
not live in temples built by hands. And he
is not served by human hands, as if he
needed anything, because he himself
gives all men life and breath and every-
thing else. From one man he made every
nation of men, that they should inhabit
the whole earth; and he determined the
times set for them and the exact places
where they should live. God did this so
that men would seek him and perhaps
reach out for him and find him, though he
is not far from each one of us. 'For in him
we live and move and have our being.' As
some of your own poets have said, 'We
are his offspring' (Ac.17:22-28).
For since the creation of the world
God's invisible qualities—his eternal
power and divine nature—have been
clearly seen, being understood from
what has been made, so that men are
without excuse (Ro. 1:20).
Consequently, faith comes from hear-
ing the message, and the message is
heard through the word of Christ. But I
ask: Did they not hear? Of course they
did: "Their voice has gone out into all the
earth, their words to the ends of the
world" (Ro.10:17-18).
2 (19:7-11) The specific witness of God’s Word.
Nature reveals that there is a glorious God and Creator.
Scripture reveals this God to humanity. God has given His
holy, inspired Word that we might know Him and that
we might understand His purpose for our lives and for
the world.
Scripture begins precisely where nature leaves off:
God immediately introduces and identifies Himself in His
Word as the Creator (Ge.1:1). The opening (special or
specific revelation) is linked to creation (general revela-
tion). God begins His Word by immediately answering
the questions raised by the witness of nature: Who made
all of this? How did it come to pass?
God progressively reveals more and more of Himself
throughout the pages of Scripture until He fully reveals
Himself through His Son, Jesus Christ. From that point
forward, God is known by and through Christ:
The Word became flesh and made his
dwelling among us. We have seen his glo-
ry, the glory of the One and Only, who
came from the Father, full of grace and
truth (Jn.1:14).
 PSALM 19:1-14
Jesus answered: "Don't you know me,
Philip, even after I have been among you
such a long time? Anyone who has seen
me has seen the Father. How can you say,
'Show us the Father'? (Jn.14:9).
He is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn over all creation. For by him
all things were created: things in heaven
and on earth, visible and invisible,
whether thrones or powers or rulers or
authorities; all things were created by
him and for him. He is before all things,
and in him all things hold together. And
he is the head of the body, the church; he
is the beginning and the firstborn from
among the dead, so that in everything he
might have the supremacy. For God was
pleased to have all his fullness dwell in
him (Col.1:15-19).
In the past God spoke to our forefa-
thers through the prophets at many
times and in various ways, but in these
last days he has spoken to us by his Son,
whom he appointed heir of all things, and
through whom he made the universe.
The Son is the radiance of God's glory
and the exact representation of his being,
sustaining all things by his powerful
word. After he had provided purification
for sins, he sat down at the right hand of
the Majesty in heaven (He.1:1-3).
In this passage, David sings the praises of God’s won-
derful Word. He adheres to a deliberate method, offering
an important truth of the Bible, then follows it with an
invaluable benefit. Verses 7, 8, and 9 are a forerunner to
Psalm 119, the psalm acclaimed for its glorious exalta-
tion of Scripture. The synonyms used for the Bible in
these three verses appear repeatedly in Psalm 119. Each
presents a different aspect or purpose of God’s Word, but
each also refers to the Bible in its entirety. Note the sub-
tle but distinct terms in the verses…
• the law of the LORD…converts the soul
• the testimony of the LORD…makes wise the simple
• the statutes of the LORD…rejoice the heart
• the commandment of the LORD…enlightens the eyes
• the fear of the LORD…endures forever
• the judgments of the LORD…are true and righteous
a. God’s law is perfect: It is the source of conversion
(salvation) (v.7a).
God’s law (torah) refers to His teachings or instruc-
tions. It is used both of the law given to Israel through
Moses and of God’s complete teachings in the entire
Bible. David states that the law is both perfect and that
it converts the soul.
Perfect has two shades of meaning. It means com-
plete or entire. God’s Word is His complete revelation
144
to humanity. This is a significant statement about the
sufficiency of the Scripture. God’s Word provides eve-
rything God wants us to know and everything we need
to know for this life and for preparation for eternity.
Perfect also means flawless, undefiled, without blem-
ish or spot. This, too, is an essential statement about
the inerrancy of Scripture. Every word of every state-
ment in the Bible is true.
Reviving (shub) means turning or returning to. The
first great benefit of Scripture is that it leads us to turn
to God. “As the sun returns in the heavens, so God’s
Word returns the sinner to God.” 6 Scripture tells
us everything we need to know about salvation.
God’s perfect law reveals our sinfulness and great need
for a Savior. It tells us about Jesus Christ and that
salvation is possible only through faith in Him. Paul ex-
plained the broad purpose of God’s law in relation
to salvation:
What, then, was the purpose of the
law? It was added because of transgres-
sions until the Seed to whom the promise
referred had come. The law was put into
effect through angels by a mediator. A
mediator, however, does not represent
just one party; but God is one. Is the law,
therefore, opposed to the promises of
God? Absolutely not! For if a law had
been given that could impart life, then
righteousness would certainly have come
by the law. But the Scripture declares
that the whole world is a prisoner of sin,
so that what was promised, being given
through faith in Jesus Christ, might be
given to those who believe. Before this
faith came, we were held prisoners by
the law, locked up until faith should be
revealed. So the law was put in charge to
lead us to Christ that we might be justi-
fied by faith (Ga.3:19-24).
Note also these declarations about Scripture’s role in
salvation:
And how from infancy you have
known the holy Scriptures, which are
able to make you wise for salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus (2 Ti.3:15).
For you have been born again, not of
perishable seed, but of imperishable,
through the living and enduring word of
God (1 Pe.1:23).
6 John Phillips. Exploring Psalms, Volume 1. WORDsearch CROSS
e-book.
 PSALM 19:1-14
b. God’s testimony is trustworthy: It is the source of
wisdom (v.7b).
God’s witness in His Word is trustworthy: you can be-
lieve it and build your life upon it. It is a solid founda-
tion, one that will not crumble but will stand through
the storms of life (Mt.7:24-25). God’s Word will sup-
port you or hold you up in every situation you face.
The second great benefit of Scripture is that it gives
wisdom. Think about this wonderful truth: nature re-
veals that there is an all-wise God, one who designed
and created an intricate, magnificent universe. Scrip-
ture reveals God’s amazing wisdom to humanity.
Through God’s Word, every person has the privilege of
gaining wisdom from the LORD Himself. But a person
has to take action. God will not force His Word or
Himself on anyone.
Those who are simple lack discernment and good
judgment because they are inexperienced and un-
learned (see outline and notes—Pr.1:4 for more dis-
cussion). By studying God’s Word, they can acquire
the skills necessary to be successful in life and to
avoid its dangers. They can learn how to overcome or
to deal with every enemy—every destructive force—
they face (Ps.119:98). Every person who applies him-
or herself to the Bible receives wisdom that exceeds
all human education and learning (Ps.119:99). The
LORD heartily invites each of us to come and freely
partake of His life-giving wisdom (Pr.9:1-6).
c. God’s statutes are right: They bring joy to the
heart (v.8a).
The third great benefit of Scripture is that brings a
deep, abiding joy to life. The LORD’s statutes or precepts
are His “detailed instructions concerning the practical
matters of everyday life. For the Old Testament Jew,
the statutes related to what they ate, how they
dressed, how they kept clean, and so forth. God laid
down certain basic laws and commandments, and the
statutes applied them to specific situations.” 7 These
statutes are right—straight, upright, morally and ethi-
cally right. How do God’s statutes bring joy to the
heart?
 They give us clear direction for the specific situa-
tions and decisions we face in life. We have the
answers to our questions, and we know what to
do when we consult God’s Word. We are not left
wandering and unsure about what is right
(Ro.12:2; Ps.119:105; Pr.3:6; Is.30:21).
 They stir us to avoid the painful, tragic conse-
quences of sin. By obeying God’s precepts—doing
what is right—we reap the joyous benefits of
righteousness, and we spare ourselves the excru-
ciating wages of sin (Ro.6:23; Ga.6:7-8; Js.1:15;
De.30:15-20).
7 Warren W. Wiersbe. The Bible Exposition Commentary. WORDsearch
CROSS e-book.
145
 They teach us how to please the LORD. Those who
truly and sincerely love God desire to please Him
(Jn.8:29; 2 Ti.2:4). Pleasing the LORD brings a calm
assurance and peace to our hearts that result in
joy flooding our souls (1 Th.4:1).
 They give us insight into God’s purpose for our
trials and afflictions. This makes it possible for us
to rejoice in the midst of life’s most difficult mo-
ments (Ro.5:3-4; 2 Co.12:9-10; Js.1:2-5; 1 Pe.1:6-8).
d. God’s commands are pure (vv.8b-9a).
By using the word radiant, David again declares that
God’s Word is perfect, flawless, and undefiled. Radiant
is also translated as clean (Jb.11:4; Ps.73:1; Pr.14:4),
choice (Song 6:9), and clear (Song 6:10). Grasp its sig-
nificance in this verse: God’s Word is a shining light
for our lives. The fourth great benefit of Scripture is
that it gives light to our eyes (v.8b). What does this
mean? It means that God’s Word guides us in life, giv-
ing us insight and understanding (Ps.43:3; 78:14;
119:105, 130). It means that God’s Word brightens
our eyes or fills us with life and strength (Ps.27:1;
36:9; 38:10; 56:13).
The fifth great benefit of Scripture is that it stirs us
to fear the LORD (v.9a). Notice De.4:10:
Remember the day you stood before
the LORD your God at Horeb, when he said
to me, "Assemble the people before me to
hear my words so that they may learn to
revere me as long as they live in the land
and may teach them to their children"
(De.4:10).
To fear the LORD is to reverence Him and to recog-
nize His sovereignty, power, holiness, and righteous-
ness. It is to understand that these attributes demand
His judgment and wrath upon all sin. This fear drives
us to believe the gospel: to receive forgiveness of sins
and to establish a relationship with God through His
Son, Jesus Christ. The fear of the LORD is pure—
cleansing and purifying. It compels us to live in obedi-
ence to God’s commands, to walk in holiness and
righteousness. It endures forever, that is, it leads us to
eternal life.
Note here that the fear of the LORD may also be un-
derstood as another synonym for God’s Word. Bible
teacher and commentator Warren Wiersbe explains,
“This is an unusual name for the Scriptures, but it re-
minds us that we cannot learn the Word of God unless
we show reverence and respect for the God of the
Word. To teach the Bible is to teach the fear of the
Lord.” 8
8 Ibid.
 PSALM 19:1-14
e. God’s judgments or laws are true and fair (righ-
teous, just) (vv.9b-11).
The word judgments emphasizes what God has
deemed to be right and wrong. It is another term for
God’s law. Every one of God’s ordinances is a reflection
of His holy character: He is the very embodiment of
truth and righteousness. This word reminds us that
we all are accountable to God and that God will judge
the world in righteousness according to His Holy Word.
David concluded his exaltation of Scripture by pro-
claiming what God’s Word meant to him personally.
He would rather have God’s Word than gold (v.10a;
Ps.119:72, 127). In fact, he would not just choose the
Word of God over a small measure of gold but over
much—a tremendous quantity of pure gold (paz). This
is gold that has been carefully refined; it is the purest,
most valuable gold.
David loved the Word of God. It was sweet to him,
like the taste of fresh honey from the comb (v.10b;
119:103). He truly valued what God’s commandments
did for Him: the Word warned him of the consequenc-
es of disobedience, and it rewarded him for obedience
to its teachings (v.11). The reward for obeying Scrip-
ture is great or abundant. Our reward in this life is the
blessings of God, and our reward after this life will be
received when we stand before God in judgment and
enjoy eternity in His glorious presence.
Thought 1. As Jesus stood face to face against Satan in
the wilderness, He declared the supreme importance
of God’s specific, written witness:
Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man
does not live on bread alone, but on eve-
ry word that comes from the mouth of
God'" (Mt.4:4).
Jesus’ quotation of De.8:3 is a reminder that every
one of us needs the Word of God, and that it is the
source and substance of life. Notice again the great
benefits of Scripture outlined by David in this passage:
 It is the source of salvation (v.7).
 It gives wisdom (v.7).
 It brings true joy to life (v.8).
 It enlightens our eyes (v.8).
 It stirs us to fear the LORD (v.9).
Through the Word of God we are born again, and
we are completely equipped for every need of this life
and for eternity (2 Ti.2:16, 1 Pe.1:23). God’s Word is
alive and powerful. It is inspired. What does this
mean? It means that it has been breathed by God, giv-
en to us through His Holy Spirit. It is not just another
book; it is God’s Book. Through it He has revealed
Himself, His undeniable love for us, and His purpose
for the world and for all of mankind. It is perfect, true,
authoritative, trustworthy, and sufficient for every
human need.
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May we—like David—treasure, love, and appreci-
ate God’s Holy Word. If we will read it, study it, medi-
tate on it, and obey it, we will please the LORD and
enjoy the fullness of God’s blessings through its
life-changing power!
Sanctify them by the truth; your word
is truth (Jn.17:17).
And how from infancy you have
known the holy Scriptures, which are
able to make you wise for salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture
is God-breathed and is useful for teach-
ing, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness, so that the man of God
may be thoroughly equipped for every
good work (2 Ti.3:15-17).
For the word of God is living and ac-
tive. Sharper than any double-edged
sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul
and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges
the thoughts and attitudes of the heart
(He.4:12).
For you have been born again, not of
perishable seed, but of imperishable,
through the living and enduring word of
God. For, "All men are like grass, and all
their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall, but
the word of the Lord stands forever." And
this is the word that was preached to you
(1 Pe.1:23-25).
Like newborn babies, crave pure
spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow
up in your salvation (1 Pe.2:2).
And we have the word of the proph-
ets made more certain, and you will do
well to pay attention to it, as to a light
shining in a dark place, until the day
dawns and the morning star rises in your
hearts. Above all, you must understand
that no prophecy of Scripture came about
by the prophet's own interpretation. For
prophecy never had its origin in the will
of man, but men spoke from God as they
were carried along by the Holy Spirit
(2 Pe.1:19-21).
3 (19:12-14) The impact of God’s witness: Stirs us to
cry out to God.
God’s supreme witnesses—nature and the Scripture—
are windows: through them we see God. But they are also
mirrors: in them we see ourselves.
In general revelation—God’s witness through His
works—we see that God’s wisdom and power are infi-
nite, limitless. In contrast, we are small; we are subject to
Him; we are his servants (vv.11, 13).
 PSALM 19:1-14
In special or specific revelation—God’s witness through
His Word—we see that God is righteous and holy. We, on
the other hand, are sinners who fall desperately short of
all that God is and all that He commands. We are sepa-
rated from Him, slaves to sin, and hopelessly doomed to
face His judgment. But we also see in Scripture that God
loves us, loves us so much that He gave His own Son, Je-
sus Christ, as the payment for our sin. We learn that we
can be reconciled to God through faith in His Son.
We see the great glory of God in the sky and the great
grace of God in the Scripture. These revelations call us to
a relationship with God. When the truth of nature and
the truth of Scripture penetrate our darkened minds and
hardened hearts, we cry out to God. We long to be clean,
purified from sin, in order that we might know Him per-
sonally, please Him, and walk in fellowship with Him.
a. Cry out for forgiveness (v.12).
While the Bible speaks specifically and in considerable
detail about God’s judgment and our accountability,
the Scripture teaches that general revelation is suffi-
cient to show us that we are condemned before God
and must answer to Him.
The wrath of God is being revealed
from heaven against all the godlessness
and wickedness of men who suppress the
truth by their wickedness, since what
may be known about God is plain to
them, because God has made it plain to
them. For since the creation of the world
God's invisible qualities—his eternal
power and divine nature—have been
clearly seen, being understood from
what has been made, so that men are
without excuse....Although they know
God's righteous decree that those who do
such things deserve death, they not only
continue to do these very things but also
approve of those who practice them
(Ro.1:18-20, 32).
Scripture also teaches that God has activated the
conscience of every human being. God has written His
holy law in every person’s heart, including those who
have never seen a copy of God’s written Word, the Ho-
ly Bible. This is another facet of general revelation.
(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not
have the law, do by nature things re-
quired by the law, they are a law for
themselves, even though they do not
have the law, since they show that the
requirements of the law are written on
their hearts, their consciences also bear-
ing witness, and their thoughts now ac-
cusing, now even defending them.) This
will take place on the day when God will
147
judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ,
as my gospel declares (Ro.2:14-16).
The teaching of this passage is crucial: every per-
son is without excuse before God. God has revealed to
every human being his or her sinfulness and account-
ability to Him. Those who do not have God’s written
word will be justly judged by God according to the
knowledge He has given them through nature and
conscience. Those who have God’s written Word will
be judged according to the more complete revelation
they have received through Scripture.
When we comprehend God’s revelation, we see
ourselves as unclean before Him (Jb.42:5-6; Is.6:5).
Therefore, we must cry out to God for forgiveness. Da-
vid longed for complete forgiveness; he wanted no
sins standing between him and God. He recognized
the sober fact that no individual can fully understand
or discern his or her sinfulness. As Scripture says, our
very nature “comes short of God’s glory”—His holy,
perfect being (Ro.3:23). We can never know how sin-
ful and short of God’s blazing, holy nature we are. We
are more sinful than we realize. David pled with God
to cleanse him from all his sins, including those that
were known only by God, sins that were hidden from
his own awareness.
b. Cry out for the protective power of God—the pow-
er to live a new life (v.13).
Through the Scripture David also understood that God
could change him, that he could be upright and innocent
or blameless in God’s sight. Sin did not have dominion—
reign, control, power, authority—over him. He asked
God to protect him from willful (zed) sins: sins of pride;
sins committed rebelliously, and intentionally; sins
committed while thinking that God would never con-
demn him. David never wanted to commit willful sins.
What a wonderful, powerful truth! We do not have
to be slaves to sin. It is possible for us, through the
power of God’s indwelling Spirit, to be set free from
sin’s dominion in our lives.
In the same way, count yourselves
dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mor-
tal body so that you obey its evil desires.
Do not offer the parts of your body to sin,
as instruments of wickedness, but rather
offer yourselves to God, as those who have
been brought from death to life; and offer
the parts of your body to him as instru-
ments of righteousness. For sin shall not be
your master, because you are not under
law, but under grace (Ro.6:11-14).
Jesus taught us to pray as David prayed, for God to
protect us and deliver us from the temptation to sin
(Mt. 6:13). As long as we are in these bodies we will
never be totally free from temptation. In fact, the Bible
 PSALM 19:1-14
teaches that all are tempted (1 Co.10:13; Js.1:14). How
then does God protect us?
 He will never allow us to be tempted above what
we are able to resist (1 Co.10:13).
 He will always provide a way for us to escape
temptation (1 Co.10:13).
 He will bestow the power to overcome temptation
through His indwelling Spirit (Ro.8:1-13; Ga.5:16).
 He has given us a spiritual armor to clothe us and
protect us from Satan’s fiery darts of temptation
(Ep.6:11-17).
 He has given His Word to lead us away from
temptation and to use in resisting Satan (Mt.4:3-
11; Ep.6:17; Re.12:11; Ps.119:9, 11, 133).
We have the most wonderful promise in God’s
Word: He knows how to deliver us from temptation
(2 Pe.2:9). When we submit ourselves fully to Him and
strongly resist Satan, he will flee from us. When we stay
close to God, God promises to be near us in times of
temptation. We can live cleanly and purely when we fully
devote our minds to Him and His Holy Word (Js.4:7-8).
c. Cry out for help in pleasing God (v.14).
David longed to please the LORD, and He asked God to
make everything in his life acceptable to Him. David
not only prayed for outward holiness, but also for pu-
rity within: he wanted his thoughts as well as his words
to be acceptable to the LORD. He understood that true
righteousness is more than outward actions. It pene-
trates all the way to the heart and changes us from
within (Mt.5:20-28; 23:25-28; Ps.51:6, 10; 139:23-24).
Through the witnesses of God’s works and His
Word, David understood that the LORD was His rock
(strength) and his redeemer. When he observed the
beauty of nature and looked up into the sky at night,
he knew that the mighty God of creation, the One who
made the skies, was the strength of his life. He rested
in the power that created the universe. The Holy Word
of God taught him how to establish a relationship with
Jehovah, the God who keeps covenant with those
whose faith is in Him.
Thought 1. This precious psalm begins in heaven and
ends in the human heart. Meditate on this glorious,
blessed truth: the God who made the skies, who
dwells beyond the sun and stars, is reaching out to
you. He wants a relationship with you. He wants to
live in your heart. “All of revelation, general and spe-
cial, all of God’s streams of communication to us, have
but one goal. God wants us to know Him, to worship
Him, to obey Him. All of the [heavens] and all of [the
Bible] are for us.” 9
God has removed all the barriers that stand be-
tween us and Him. Our sin separates us from God. But
God is our Redeemer; He gave His Son to set us free
from the penalty and power of sin. We can be forgiven.
9 Donald Williams. Psalms 1-72, p.165.
148
We can be clean in His sight; we can be reconciled to
God. We can have a relationship with Him. We can live
in His strength and walk in holiness. We can live for-
ever with Him, in His glorious presence.
The awesome message of the skies is that there is a
God and we clearly need Him. The awesome message
of the Scripture is that this God loves us and has come
to us through His Son, Jesus Christ. If we will believe
in Him and cry out to Him, He will forgive and cleanse
us and make us acceptable to Him.
But now a righteousness from God,
apart from law, has been made known, to
which the Law and the Prophets testify.
This righteousness from God comes
through faith in Jesus Christ to all who
believe. There is no difference, for all
have sinned and fall short of the glory of
God, and are justified freely by his grace
through the redemption that came by
Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sac-
rifice of atonement, through faith in his
blood. He did this to demonstrate his jus-
tice, because in his forbearance he had
left the sins committed beforehand un-
punished—he did it to demonstrate his
justice at the present time, so as to be
just and the one who justifies those who
have faith in Jesus (Ro.3:21-26).
But now that you have been set free
from sin and have become slaves to God,
the benefit you reap leads to holiness,
and the result is eternal life. For the wag-
es of sin is death, but the gift of God is
eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord
(Ro.6:22-23).
In him we have redemption through
his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in ac-
cordance with the riches of God's grace
that he lavished on us with all wisdom
and understanding. And he made known
to us the mystery of his will according to
his good pleasure, which he purposed in
Christ (Ep.1:7-9).
This is the message we have heard
from him and declare to you: God is light;
in him there is no darkness at all. If we
claim to have fellowship with him yet
walk in the darkness, we lie and do not
live by the truth. But if we walk in the
light, as he is in the light, we have fellow-
ship with one another, and the blood of
Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If
we claim to be without sin, we deceive
ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we
confess our sins, he is faithful and just
and will forgive us our sins and purify us
from all unrighteousness (1 Jn.1:5-9).