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OT
Psalms 19:1-14
esv
The Law of the Lord Is Perfect 19 To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. 1 i The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above 1 proclaims his handiwork. 2 Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. 4 j Their k voice 1 goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for l the sun, 5 m which comes out like n a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. 6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat. 7 o The law of the Lord is perfect, 1 p reviving the soul; q the testimony of the Lord is r sure, s making wise t the simple; 8 u the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is v pure, w enlightening the eyes; 9 the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules 1 of the Lord are x true, and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than y gold, even much z fine gold; a sweeter also than honey and drippings of b the honeycomb. 11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned; c in keeping them there is great reward. 12 d Who can discern his errors? e Declare me innocent from f hidden faults. 13 g Keep back your servant also from h presumptuous sins; let them not have i dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. 14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord , my j rock and my k redeemer.
Psalms 19:1-15
wlc
19 1 לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד ׃ 2 הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם מְֽסַפְּרִ֥ים כְּבֽוֹד ־ אֵ֑ל וּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יָ֝דָ֗יו מַגִּ֥יד הָרָקִֽיעַ ׃ 3 י֣וֹם לְ֭יוֹם יַבִּ֣יעַֽ אֹ֑מֶר וְלַ֥יְלָה לְּ֝לַ֗יְלָה יְחַוֶּה ־ דָּֽעַת ׃ 4 אֵֽין ־ אֹ֭מֶר וְאֵ֣ין דְּבָרִ֑ים בְּ֝לִ֗י נִשְׁמָ֥ע קוֹלָֽם ׃ 5 בְּכָל ־ הָאָ֨רֶץ ׀ יָ֘צָ֤א קַוָּ֗ם וּבִקְצֵ֣ה תֵ֭בֵל מִלֵּיהֶ֑ם לַ֝שֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ שָֽׂם ־ אֹ֥הֶל בָּהֶֽם ׃ 6 וְה֗וּא כְּ֭חָתָן יֹצֵ֣א מֵחֻפָּת֑וֹ יָשִׂ֥ישׂ כְּ֝גִבּ֗וֹר לָר֥וּץ אֹֽרַח ׃ 7 מִקְצֵ֤ה הַשָּׁמַ֨יִם ׀ מֽוֹצָא֗וֹ וּתְקוּפָת֥וֹ עַל ־ קְצוֹתָ֑ם וְאֵ֥ין נִ֝סְתָּ֗ר מֵֽחַמָּתוֹ 1 ׃ 8 תּ֘וֹרַ֤ת יְהוָ֣ה תְּ֭מִימָה מְשִׁ֣יבַת נָ֑פֶשׁ עֵד֥וּת יְהוָ֥ה נֶ֝אֱמָנָ֗ה מַחְכִּ֥ימַת פֶּֽתִי ׃ 9 פִּקּ֘וּדֵ֤י יְהוָ֣ה יְ֭שָׁרִים מְשַׂמְּחֵי ־ לֵ֑ב מִצְוַ֥ת יְהוָ֥ה בָּ֝רָ֗ה מְאִירַ֥ת עֵינָֽיִם ׃ 10 יִרְאַ֤ת יְהוָ֨ה ׀ טְהוֹרָה֮ עוֹמֶ֪דֶת לָ֫עַ֥ד מִֽשְׁפְּטֵי ־ יְהוָ֥ה אֱמֶ֑ת צָֽדְק֥וּ יַחְדָּֽו ׃ 11 הַֽנֶּחֱמָדִ֗ים מִ֭זָּהָב וּמִפַּ֣ז רָ֑ב וּמְתוּקִ֥ים מִ֝דְּבַ֗שׁ וְנֹ֣פֶת צוּפִֽים ׃ 12 גַּֽם ־ עַ֭בְדְּךָ נִזְהָ֣ר בָּהֶ֑ם בְּ֝שָׁמְרָ֗ם עֵ֣קֶב רָֽב ׃ 13 שְׁגִיא֥וֹת מִֽי ־ יָבִ֑ין מִֽנִּסְתָּר֥וֹת נַקֵּֽנִי ׃ 14 גַּ֤ם מִזֵּדִ֨ים ׀ חֲשֹׂ֬ךְ עַבְדֶּ֗ךָ אַֽל ־ יִמְשְׁלוּ ־ בִ֣י אָ֣ז אֵיתָ֑ם וְ֝נִקֵּ֗יתִי מִפֶּ֥שַֽׁע רָֽב ׃ 15 יִֽהְי֥וּ לְרָצ֨וֹן ׀ אִמְרֵי ־ פִ֡י וְהֶגְי֣וֹן לִבִּ֣י לְפָנֶ֑יךָ יְ֝הוָ֗ה צוּרִ֥י וְגֹאֲלִֽי ׃
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Notes
Praise the God who has revealed himself! Intro This Psalm praises God for his glory in the two ways he revealed himself; creation and Scripture. It models for us how to respond to God's revelation, or 'light'; praise, and humble repentance. David. Ultimately, Jesus sings this Psalm, and becomes the very fulfilment; in Him the very Word of God has become flesh; God's self-expression. In him we see the glory of God, the exact imprint of his nature; the exact radiance of his beauty. v14 'meditation' cf Psalm 1.2 ; here's the righteous man at prayer and meditation again. 'Rock' the link to Psalm 18 1. Praise the God who has revealed himself everyday, everywhere, in creation (v1-6) Universal revelation of God (information about God); time (day to day, night to night), and space (ends of the earth) Creation up there speaks; this is informational; transmitted each passing day. meaning of v3: Waltke's translation: 'there is no speech, and there are no words; their voice is inaudible'. I.e., no literal words, yet universally heard and understood. No propaganda machine can out-do the created world and witness the sun shining everywhere is what ties the Psalm's ideas together 2. Praise the LORD who has revealed himself in the Bible (7-11) How to read the Bible - hermeneutics of delight! From one source of light to another Each phrase overlaps, yet shows a distinct beauty of God's words 3. Respond in worshipful faith and repentance (v12-14) v12-14 the natural prayer in response. We need exposing and healing by the word of God. v14 meditation cf Psalm 1.2 ; here's the righteous man at prayer and meditation again In gazing at Jesus' glory, through the gospel - so without fear of condemnation - we are transformed (2 Corinthians 3). This is how disciples are made. God's glory . He is glorious, pure, lovely, good, and so is every revelation of Him; his creation, his words. His Son. FCF. We disbelieve the goodness of God. We run from it, thinking it outdated and tyrannical. Or we think it not quite good enough, so we add to it. Examples in political systems and ideologies, in parenting. We refuse to 'meditate' on it at heart level, in real time. I.e., during the interactions I have right now, and the thoughts and emotions I feel right now. That's actually why I build my own rules, so as to avoid the law's scrutiny. Person of Jesus . He, in his very person, shows the beauty of the law. In every interaction we have a worked example of what 'meditating' on the law means. Not merely intellectual/abstract, but relational and earthy. Work of Jesus. Dies the death of a law-breaker, law-hater. In his death he suffers at the hands of those who doubt the goodness of God's law and so have added to it. Jesus the embodiment of the law; in both obedience and curse. Jesus the one who declares us innocent from fault, who frees us from sin's dominion and makes us blameless and innocent. He makes us acceptable in the LORD's sight. Union with Jesus . The law is now a dear friend to me. All three 'uses' of the law are dear to me. Constant 'meditation' and repentance, living 'in' the law (cf book of Proverbs) is a place of joy and comfort to me, the constant yielding of control. Invitation . Come and know the delight of turning your whole life to the shape of God, as his child. Confrontation . Stop avoiding God's address to you at heart level. Stop adding rules in order to try and control your world, and to control others. Consolation . Be declared pure and righteous in God's sight. Wrap-up 'Rock' the link to Psalm 18 The last Psalm zoomed in on Psalm 2; this Psalm zooms in on Psalm 1 . The unavoidability of the law; praising God's good words; and then, quite rightly, beginning with personal application. We never move beyond it. Why we insist on gospel-centred preaching to the heart each week from wherever we are in the Scriptures. Because that is what will lead us again and again to the glory of Jesus, and thus to growth in him.
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