By Toni Ford
From the very beginning of the Bible, one of the first things we learn is that God speaks. Genesis 1:3 tells us, “And God said, ‘Let there be light.”’ God is not silent; He talks to us. In Psalm 19, King David wrote a beautiful psalm describing how God speaks to us. One commentary described it as a psalm displaying God’s character. I believe both descriptions, which allow us a window into the heart of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The first half of Psalm 19 describes how God speaks through nature, in that even the heavens declare God’s glory. In his commentary on the Psalms, Preaching the Word, James Johnston describes this as “general revelation, God revealing His power and greatness through nature to all people everywhere.”
The second half of Psalm 19 tells us that God speaks through His Word, the Bible. James Johnston describes this half as “special revelation: “God speaks to anyone who reads the words of His Book, the Bible. Personally, one of the first things I love when reading this psalm is that the God of this universe, who made heaven and earth, shows no partiality to whom He will reveal Himself to. The very core of God’s heart is that all people would come to know Him and accept Him as their personal Savior. He gives each person the opportunity to know and accept Him, first through nature itself and second through His Word, which is the ultimate truth and will never disappear. The overall message of Psalm 19 is that the glory of God displayed in the heavens points us to the grace of God displayed in the Bible.
Psalm 19:1-4 says “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world.”
King David was a shepherd, so he spent the majority of his time outside tending to his sheep. I can just picture David one evening while looking after his sheep, staring up at the night sky and writing these verses. Still to this day, thousands of years later, we, along with every other human being, are able to see the display of God’s glory in the skies above and on the earth below. Day and night, this witness to God’s glory has been constant since the beginning of time.
What is also amazing is that language, culture or distance are not barriers for any person on this earth when it comes to witnessing God’s glory through nature. The voice of the heavens reaches the farthest corner of the globe, and men and women in every age and every place have seen God’s glory in the heavens!
As believers, we have the responsibility to take the time to look up and see the majesty and power of our Father and praise Him! If you are a non-believer, you also have a responsibility for what you see in the skies above – will you choose to recognize Him and accept Him as your personal Savior? As a result of the goodness of God, when we are born, we are all given the same playing field and the same ability to experience His power and glory as a result of His creation.
Yes, the creation does eloquently declare God’s glory. However, He also gave us His written Word so that we have clarity in understanding who He is and knowing Him personally. Psalm 19: 7-10 says, “The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.”
So much could be said about these verses, but as a summary, we see the character of God’s Word along with the perfections of God’s Word and its effects on God’s people. We see that His Word, the law of the Lord, is perfect, reviving the soul. God’s perfect and unblemished Word brings life to the human heart.
We also see the testimony or decrees of the Lord make us wise and teach us how to live. His commands also are clear and give us direction and insight for living, which ultimately brings joy to our hearts. Without God’s Word, we are in the dark. We stumble through life, but with His Word we are given light, which helps us understand ourselves and others. It gives us this insight for living, which we so desperately need, especially in this day and age.
David describes God’s Word as true and fair, and His Words are more desirable than gold and sweeter than honey. God’s Word is the greatest treasure for those who love Him, greater than the finest tasting food, the best-smelling perfume, the most fashionable clothes and the fastest cars. The Bible is better than all things!
If you know the God of the Bible, you love Him and serve Him with deep respect and reverence. You cannot play games with the Lord God of Israel. His glory is overwhelming, and His Word is truth. When we stop to recognize the one true God, there is no doubt that He will take your breath away. God is truly amazing!
My prayer for this week is that each of us would take time and learn to see God’s glory in the heavens and love His Word for ourselves. The sky and the Scriptures teach us to obey God, and this is what ultimately strengthens our hearts and gives us great joy.
If you would like me to join you in prayer, please e-mail me at tonif77@gmail.com. I would love to pray for you!