To be human is to have the ability to choose our responses.
In your grade school science classes you probably learned what distinguished living things, or organisms, from non-living things. Why is it that we say a dandelion is alive but a cloud is not, or that coral is alive but a rock is not.
We say something is alive if it does certain things: if it takes in food, can reproduce itself, and if it responds to stimuli. You bang a rock and, while you might chip it, the rock does not react. Whereas if you bang an animal, it may bite, curl up, or flee. Put a book in a dark room for a while and it will look the same in a month. Put a daisy in a dark room for a month and it will wilt and die.
Part of what it means to be alive is to be able to respond. But even among living things, there are different kinds of responding. There are involuntary responses, such as weakening and dying without water. There are instinctive responses, such as an animal who either fights or flees when threatened. Humans share both of those. We respond involuntarily. If the sun is in our face we’ll squint or blink. We respond instinctively. Our reflexes and adrenaline kick in if we’re threatened.
But there is a level of responding unique to us as humans and that is the ability, by an act of the will, to choose to adjust our lives according to what we see, know or experience. So even though we do not feel ill, we may still choose to quit smoking based on what health professionals tell us about the effects of cigarettes. After a friend tells us of a beautiful camping facility, we may choose to spend a weekend there, instead of camping elsewhere, as we originally planned.
On a deeper, more internal level, if someone says or does something hurtful to us, we can choose not to respond in kind, because we know that they are experiencing stress at work and that contributes to their irritableness. We choose compassion. Or we may say, ‘That’s no excuse’, and choose anger.
Part of what it means to be human is to have the ability to choose our response to circumstances, to knowledge, to experiences. We can choose to order our lives, values and actions around these things. Victor Frankl has famously said that the great human freedom that can never be taken away is ‘the freedom to choose one’s attitude in a given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way’. This is one of the things that creates such a wide gap of separation between us and what I think we can legitimately call the ‘lower’ animals.
Psalm 19 is a psalm about human response: our response to the revelation of God.
The idea of the ‘revelation’ of God is a very important one. Inherent in the word ‘revelation’ is the truth that the only reason we know anything about God is because he has made himself known. He is a self-disclosing God. We have not discovered him or found him. He has revealed himself.
His self-revelation has traditionally been understood as being of two levels: general and special. Consider this imperfect analogy: I know certain things about Tchaikovsky just by listening to his music. I know, obviously, that he is very musical. I can place him in the late 19th century based on the general sound of his music. I could, if I really studied his music, learn some things such as his methods, preferred instruments, his concepts of melody and harmony, and so on. That is general revelation.
But say a diary he had written came into my hands. That diary might reveal some of his thoughts in composing particular pieces. More than that, though, it might recount some of his growing up experiences, frustrations at school, petty crushes or jealousies, his political views as he got older, his relationships, emotions, values, and so on. That would be special revelation.
Similarly, God has revealed himself generally, and specially. And Psalm 19 speaks about both of these, starting with his general revelation in creation, here represented by the heavens:
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above declares his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.
Their measuring line goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
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.
The heavens declare the glory of God. The reality of God, his power, even aspects of his character are revealed in what he has made, just as a piece of art reveals the passion and skill of the artist.
David expressed a similar idea in Psalm 8, in which he said that in contemplating the heavens, the moon and stars, he was so overwhelmed by the greatness of God they implied, that David was amazed that such a God could be mindful of man.
Even though the heavens do not vocalize or form words, nevertheless they ‘declare‘ and ‘proclaim‘ the power and glory of the One who created them. Soundlessly, they ‘pour forth speech’. Notice that word ‘speech‘. It’s the Hebrew word emer. (Remember it. We are going to come back to it a little later.)
But the creation testifies to its Creator. There are two songs that really reflect that. The first is Ocean by ‘Ten Shekel Shirt’:
Something about the ocean makes me rise up in praise.
Something about the heavens makes me stand in awe again.
Something about the sunshine reminds me of your faithfulness.
Something about the ocean, and I’m lost in love again.
Creation testifies to its Creator. The heavens declare the glory of God. Psalm 19 indicates two things about the testimony of the heavens. First, it is continual: ‘Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. That is, whether one considers the sun in the day, or the moon and stars at night, the awesome power and glory of the Creator is revealed.
Psalm 19: 4-6 paints a poetic and kind of fun picture of the sun: likening the sun to a virile young man, an athletic champion, running his course from east to west and reveling in the day, with an infectious warmth that touches everyone and everything. The poetic joy of the sun reflects the real joy of its Maker, who has created this space (this ‘tent‘) in which the sun gets to play every day.
The other song is And Your Praise Goes On by Chris Rice:
The moon is high and the sunset fades.
The lullabies have all been sung.
We’re tuckin’ in another day
and stars appear now one by one.
But the stillness moves and the silence yields
and not a single beat is lost.
You can hear the chorus in the fields,
taking up where we left off.
And Your praise goes on, rising to Your throne
where You guard us while we dream.
Past the stars they fly. Your praises fill the sky
‘til You wake us with the dawn.
And Your praise goes on.
Now bring your warmth, O morning sun.
Chase the stars and the moon away
and wake us with your brightest song.
Add our voice to your refrain.
Now, rise up everything that lives!
Flap your wings and leap for joy!
Oh forest, lift your arms and sway!
Clap your hands, you ocean waves!
And Your praise goes on, rising to Your throne
where You bless our toil and play.
Through the clouds they rise.
Your praises fill the skies
‘til the setting of the sun.
And Your praise goes on.
God has given himself a continual witness to himself in the heavens.
Secondly, the testimony of the heavens is universal. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth; their words to the ends of the earth.
This is a very significant reality. It means that in creation alone there is sufficient evidence to demonstrate the reality of God. No one on the planet who is able to think rationally is without a witness to the reality of God.
Creation testifies to the reality of a Creator, and if one denies God, it is not because of lack of evidence, but because of a philosophical prejudice that has no room for the possibility of God.
The testimony of the heavens to the glory of God is universal.
Romans chapter 1 takes it one step further:
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
Not only is the reality of God revealed in Creation, but even elements of his character – his power and divine nature – are revealed. That is, we look at what has been made and we know not only that there is a Maker, but that he is therefore beyond nature, that he is all-powerful, that he has a will and a mind, and is therefore personal. Colour and variety tells me he’s an artist. Unfathomable complexity tells me he’s infinitely brilliant. It is impossible for me to imagine that he created with such precision and order on just a whim, so I also believe that he must have a purpose for his creation. All this is a reasonable inference just from observation of the created order.
God has revealed himself generally, in creation. He has also revealed himself specially, or specifically, in his word. Psalm 19:7-11 is a virtual love poem about the Scripture. The Scripture, for David, was the first five books of the Bible, the record of God’s creation, his relationships with the Israelite patriarchs, and the story of their origin as the unique covenant people of God. The bulk of it was the content of the covenant itself: the Law that God had given his people to reveal his own perfect goodness and to instruct them as to what it meant to live as his people. But it is significant that David never considered these laws a burden. He knew that living according to God’s ways actually made life better, fuller, safer, healthier, and so on. To disregard God’s laws would make life unnecessarily difficult for oneself.
It is amazing how over time we have managed to communicate to people that to live God’s way is a ‘giving-up’ proposition. We knuckle down under the ‘do’s’ and ‘don’ts’. We give up any sense of joy or fun, and live with a real conscious sense of sacrifice to do what God wants. That’s unfair to God. God is good. His ways are good. And he wants life to be full. Jesus himself said he came to give life to the full. Implying that when we live our way, life is less satisfying, and that in God’s way is genuine fullness.
I think that’s what Moses had in mind when, after he had given God’s Laws to the people, in Deuteronomy 32, he said:
‘Take to heart all the words that I am warning you today, that you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. For it is no empty word to you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.’
How does David consider God’s Law?
In Psalm 19:7-11 he uses five words for the Law: ‘law’… ‘statutes’… ‘precepts’… ‘commands’… and ‘ordinances’. He uses 10 descriptions: the laws are ‘perfect’… ‘trustworthy’… ‘right’… ‘radiant’… ‘pure’… ‘enduring forever’… ‘sure’… ‘altogether righteous’… ‘more precious than gold’… and ‘sweeter than honey’.
If someone described something to you as being perfect, trustworthy, radiant, enduring, precious and sweet, wouldn’t you think that what was being described was a great thing, something worth pursuing and attaining? Do you consider God’s Laws like that? When God says, ‘Take a day off every week without fail’, ‘sacrifice yourself for the best interests of others’, ‘do not lust’, ‘give generously’, ‘don’t gossip’, and ‘love your enemies’, are those things burdensome? Or are they the secret to the best and happiest life?
God’s Laws are not only objectively right. That is, we do not just abide by them because God commanded them and so, to be good and obedient, we do them. No. They are not just objectively right, but they are subjectively beneficial. Listen to the positive benefits of the Laws of God that David lists: By them ‘the soul is revived’… we are ‘made wise’… ‘joy comes to the heart’… and ‘light comes to the eyes’ (a Hebrew euphemism for perking up, having renewed energy [1 samuel 10:27]). Does your soul need reviving? Do you need joy, wisdom, or energy? No wonder David said, In keeping them there is great reward.
From God’s covenant, God has revealed himself more completely as the Scriptures filled out over time. God’s character, his mercy and his holiness and justice, was played out in his interactions with his people throughout Old Testament history. Then came the new covenant in Christ Jesus. After people proved themselves unable to perfectly conform to God’s ways, God’s Son came to live the life we should have lived, and die the death we should have died. He lived his Father’s will perfectly. He died in our place, bearing the judgment for our sins on the cross. In Christ God was most perfectly, most completely revealed. No one has seen God’s glory, but his one and only Son has made him known, says the gospel of John. And the revelation of God in Christ Jesus is preserved in the Word of God.
For us to by faith accept Jesus’ death for our sins, to come humbly but confidently to God on the basis of Christ, and to live under his Lordship, that is where life is found. The soul is not just revived, but made new. We are not just given wisdom, but we are given the Spirit of God and the mind of Christ. We are not just given joy, but our joy is made complete. He does not just give light to the eyes, but his incomparably great power is at work within us.
And we find that obedience and submission to God in Christ is actually the key to joy. No wonder Jesus said, ‘If anyone lays down his life, he will find it’. What is required of us is not just to keep Scripture outside ourselves and try to conform to it, but to take it in and be transformed by it. It has been said that ‘it’s not about getting through the Scripture, but getting the Scripture through us.’
In the Scriptures, the glory and character of God is revealed. In fact, the Bible goes so far as to say that his Word is ‘living and active’. There is power in it. We are a people of the Word, and want not only to be familiar with it, but to let it transform us, to sit under the knife of God’s word as it performs life surgery on us.
The heavens declare the glory of God: his reality and existence, his greatness and power, creativity and goodness. So, too, the Scriptures declare the glory of God: his moral perfection, his mercy and patience, his name, his will, his emotion, his activity and purpose.
How are we to respond to the revelation of the glory of God? We are a responding species, uniquely able to choose a response. That is a key understanding. God’s greatest gift to us is that he is not content to have us respond to him involuntarily or by instinct. He wants us to choose. It is the willing surrender of love that he desires of us.
So through Creation, Christ and the Scripture, God has burst into view, revealed himself and said, ‘Here I am!’ How do we respond to the revelation of the glory of God?
Look at verse 14: May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
That word – ‘words’ – is the word ‘emer‘ we saw earlier: The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech [emer]; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech [emer] or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the world, their words to the end of the earth.
Now, at the end of Psalm 19, he writes: May the words [emer] of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
It is our life, not just our Sunday singing, that constitutes worship. Romans 12 says, Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice. This is a spiritual, or reasonable act of worship. It’s not just a vague offering of ourselves. Sometimes we sing, ‘Lord, you have my heart’, by which we mean our affection. But it is the offering of our bodies, the vehicle by which we do life every day that God also wants. In other words, offer your days, your actions, and your behaviors. Live to the glory of God. Let your life be an observable declaration of the glory of God.
Wouldn’t it be great if people could notice us at work or home and say, ‘There is a solidity and substance to that person that I rarely see. What’s that all about?’ And if they know we are Christian, they should say, ‘I never really believed in God, and the Christians I’ve known haven’t made me consider Jesus, but if you are a Christian, and this is the kind of person you are, there must be something to it!’
We do not, of course, perfectly conform to God even now, of course. Neither the meditations of our hearts nor our words are as perfect as God’s own Law or God’s own heavens. Hence the cry for help in verses 12 & 13: Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me.
It is a journey for us, a process of aligning ourselves more and more to the character of God. The beauty of it is that it’s not even so much a matter of aligning ourselves to God as it is letting him align us to himself. He has forgiven our sins. He has given us everything we need for life and godliness: his wisdom, his Spirit, a new nature, and the church.
And he has given his word. He invites us to submit to it, and to him, and in so doing find real life that glorifies and pleases him, and satisfies us.
May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing in the sight of God. Guard your mouth. Keep a sharp eye out for gossip, muttering, criticism, complaint, and sarcasm. Let Ephesians 4:29 be your motto this week: Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their need, so that it may benefit those who listen.
Guard your heart. Be aware of what you are dwelling on, what thoughts and emotions you are giving free rein to. Be conscious of greed, lust, hate, self-justification, and the drift from God. Feed yourself with truth, virtue, joy, servanthood, generosity, patience, and trust.
There are two lions in your heart. One is noble and strong. One is vicious and destructive. Each day they do battle, and each day one is victorious. One is stronger and slays the other. One is weakened and overcome. Which is which depends on which one you feed.
What is our appropriate response to the revelation of the glory of God in creation and the Scripture? To submit ourselves to him and let our lives also become a declaration of his reality and glory.
O LORD God, the heavens declare your glory.
Your Word is perfect.
May the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, our Rock and our Redeemer.
Amen.