Coming out of a year like 2020, our hearts ache for solidity and assurance. Deep within, we yearn for normalcy, truth, and unity. There is a need to see beyond the immediate chaos and find hope, mercy, grace, and love. A desire to know that someone who loves us is in control of the present and the future. Throughout history, the hearts of people never seem to change. The type of events and situations may differ, but it seems our human reactions and emotional responses follow similar patterns. David wrote this psalm thousands of years ago. His words resonate with the assurance that our own modern hearts need.
1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above 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 Their voice 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, 5 which comes out like 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.
Immediately, David draws our attention to nature. It is as if he shouts to us, “Quit looking internally at your life and your problems, look up to the skies. See His glory and know that He is God!” Every day, every single person on Earth has the ability to see a beautiful sunrise, a sunset and a star filled sky. In its great expanse and magnitude, the sky reminds us just how small we are and just how great is our God. God could have created a plain and boring world. Instead, He created it with much beauty, diversity, and splendor. His very glory is on display for us all, believers and non-believers alike. He provided this general revelation of Himself so that as Paul says in Romans 1:20, “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.” Nature is a powerful means of drawing our hearts toward God, but it is limited in what it can tell us about God’s character. All of Creation should arouse our hearts and minds in a way that drives us to seek Him more. To hunt for a deeper knowledge. To move our hearts from a surface knowledge of God’s existence towards a deeper knowledge of who God really is, the Great I AM. As the psalm continues, David explains the means of knowing Him more fully – the Word of God!
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; 8 the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9 the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.
David did not have access to the full revelation of Scripture that we have today. He only had the foreshadowing of Jesus and the prophesized promises to come. Many today would see all the rules and regulations of God’s law as a negative but in the Law, David found beauty and reverence. He sees the Word of God as pure, clean, right, and perfect. The “testimony of the Lord is sure” meaning it is unchanging and permanent. As we read Scripture, our souls are revived, we are made wise, our hearts rejoice, and our eyes are enlightened! As you read those words, does your heart not stir within you? We want that! Our world spends countless time and energy trying to create purpose and satisfaction. Unfortunately, we often look everywhere and to everything besides God’s Word. In God, and only in Him, we will find a solid foundation of truth and righteousness. A permanence and expansiveness that diminishes our daily struggles. As we begin to dig deeper into Scripture, the Holy Spirit illuminates God’s character to us and we grow in intimacy with our Savior Lord.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. 11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
Can you picture David reflecting on how important God’s Word is to him? Even as he is writing, the importance grows. Not just gold but fine gold. Not just some honey but the entire honeycomb. The more we read God’s Laws, the greater our desire to obey should grow. This obedience is not given to earn God’s love, for that is already freely given by God through Jesus Christ our Savior. Our obedience is in response to His grace and mercy. We honor Him by following His commandments in obedience. Even as believers, we will still have many falls and failures. For this reason, David ends the psalm with a prayer for assistance from God.
12 Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. 13 Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have 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 rock and my redeemer.
In 1 Samuel and again in the book of Acts, David is called “a man after God’s own heart”. I believe the humility and reverence found in this ending prayer show us how he obtained that title. He acknowledges that he is at a loss, on his own, to follow God righteously. He pleads with God to enable him and to keep him from stumbling. David sees himself and his fractured human nature correctly because he has first taken the time to see the God in the created World and his Lord and Savior in the written Word. In seeking God first, he can find himself. How amazing that we have already been given this most valuable treasure? It is ours to see every morning the sun rises, and it is ours every time we open God’s Word.
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