“Psalm 19- The Song of Words and Works” (Part Two)

This week we are considering Psalm 19, and the witnesses that stand to declare the glory of God. We began yesterday by seeing the testimony of creation and today we add…

The Teaching of God’s Word (vv.7-11)

The heavens, however, are not the only witness God has given us of His power and glory. As God has dramatically and broadly revealed Himself in the creation, He has intimately revealed Himself in a detailed way in His inspired, inerrant Word.

Spurgeon wrote, “He is wisest who read both the world-book and the Word-book as two volumes of the same work, and feels concerning them, ‘My Father wrote them both.’” This cannot be minimized, and the psalmist understands it. Look at the creation and see the wonders of God, then look into His Word and see the majesty of the living, holy, omnipotent, personal God behind that creation!

1) Triplets of Truth (vv.7-9)

Again (as in Psalm 1) the writer uses a series of triplets to express the comprehensive worth and value of the Word of God. In each statement, he considers three different aspects of the Word by means of nouns, adjectives, and verbs…

1. The Titles of the Word (nouns)-

• Law- not just the law of Moses, but the whole body of scriptural truth. It is a comprehensive term for God’s revealed will.
• Testimony- the aspect of the Word in which it is truth attested to by God Himself.
• Precepts- indicates the precision with which the Word is given.
• Commandment- reflects the authority of God’s Word
• Fear- indicates the appropriate human response to the Word, for the purpose of the law is to put that reverential fear into human hearts (Deut 4:10).
• Judgments- the judicial decisions He has recorded as His response to various human situations.

Together these words show the practical purpose of revelation- to bring God’s will to bear on the hearer and generate intelligent reverence for God, well-founded trust and detailed obedience.

2. The Character of the Word (adjectives)-

• Perfect- flawless. It reflects a perfect harmony between God and His Word, for it affirms God’s integrity and uprightness.
• Sure- not just what is firm, but what is confirmed (verified, as in Gen. 42:20). In essence, they are trustworthy, for His statutes are not only true in principle, they are verifiable in the situations of life.
• Right- Morally right. God’s commands are founded in His righteousness, and therefore are righteous themselves. As a result, it is straightforward and just, and there is no hypocrisy in it. (ILL: JVM sociology professor, “Who will determine what is right?” There is only one eternally consistent standard of truth and right and good- God’s Word.
• Pure- it has no alloy, polluted, adulterated or diluted. It is the pure, sincere milk of the Word of God. See David’s comment in Psalm 12:6, “The words of the LORD are pure words; as silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times.”
• Clean- Corrupt things decay and rot, but that which is clean has an enduring quality to it.
• True- literally, “truth.” It applauds the Word for its dependability and consistency. The Word is forever settled in heaven, so it can always be trusted in the here and now!

These descriptors all move in a different world and a different value system from the compromise, insincerity and half-truths of discourse in a fallen world.

3. The Effects of the Word (verbs)-

• Restoring the soul- the word here means to restore from decay (80:19), from sorrow (Ruth 4:15) or even death (1 Kings 17:21-22). The Bible has a restorative quality by bringing healing, forgiveness and life to the one that turns to God.

• Making wise the simple- it is the source of true wisdom for all who are ready to hear it. Both the inexperienced (simple) and wise can develop and grow and embrace God’s will revealed in His word.
• Rejoicing the heart- this heartfelt joy is the equivalent of inner peace and tranquility, for it teaches us to love God with all our heart, our innermost being.
• Enlightening the eyes- This “lighting of the eyes” speaks of a life that has discernment and wisdom by the Word.
• Enduring forever- the truths of God are not like today’s ideas, locked into situations or circumstances. God’s truth does not waffle or vary, but rather it stands solid and firm- timeless is in its and implications. Boice wrote, “People today have a relative idea of truth today, believing that truth changes from generation to generation and from one person’s individual perception to another person’s individual perception. Nothing is certain. But by contrast, the Bible teaches that truth is absolute and unchanging and that it is grounded in the character of God, who is likewise unchanging.”
• Righteous altogether- Matthew Henry wrote, “They are all one piece.” Literally they are woven into one garment, one fabric. It is the “plenary” aspect of inspiration, for all the Word of God is equally inspired and altogether right.

B. Treasure of Truth (vv.10-11)

Valuable like gold- it was the most valuable commodity in the ancient world, and the more pure it was the more valuable it was. Here, the value of God’s Word eclipses even the most pure gold.

Sweet like honey- the sweetest substance in the ancient world. The point? The Word of God is not a burden to believers who long to please God with their lives. It is the sweetness of life.

Rewarding obedience- Although the wicked may seem to prosper on every hand, we can be assured that keeping the commandments of God’s Word will be to our ultimate good.

I wonder how much we really view the Word this way. I wonder if we really see the eternal value of its divine truth, and the difference it can make in our hearts, lives, homes, etc. David did- and look how he responded!

Tomorrow we’ll close our look at Psalm 19.