Let Me Not Wander

Psalm 19 is one of my favorite passages in the Bible. There is so much in there. The first six verses paint this amazing picture of creation, and keeps telling us that there is a creator! But it doesn't tell us who that creator is until verse 7, it is Jehovah! And we also learn in verse 7 that the scriptures will teach us the specifics. Read more about Psalm 19 -- What is man? Intelligent Design The Message Version god or God The Bible

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer. (NASB) This Psalm ends with a petition that we should all pray every morning. And it might be even more important on a Monday morning. Let your words and your thoughts be acceptable to God today.

Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins; Let them not rule over me; Then I will be blameless, And I shall be acquitted of great transgression. (NASB) The presumptuous (or proud) sins are many times the worst. It isn't that we have given in to some great immorality, but we have simply presumed ourselves to be more than we are. If we can realize who we are, then we will be blameless (complete).

Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults. (NASB) The word "his" is referring to the servant (I believe). And really, who can discern or understand all of their own errors. We say so casually that "we are always sinning." But do we really believe that? We are all sinners. We have all fallen short of God's glory. The Psalmist believes that. This is why he prays, "Acquit me of hidden faults." He knows that there are too many to discern. He knows that he has sinned in ways that he hasn't even noticed.

Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. (KJV) Obviously we cannot fully keep GOD's law because we're imperfect. GOD accepts our attempt even though we don't even come close to keeping the law. GOD warns the wicked to stop being wicked and the righteous to continue to be righteous. There is "great reward": "Religion makes our comforts sweet, and our crosses easy, life truly valuable, and death itself truly desirable." -Matthew Henry The "religion" he speaks of does not have the same meaning that it does today. When he said religion, he meant Christianity: believing in Christ Jesus, the SON of GOD, to save us from Hell fire.

More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. (KJV) "Gold is only for the body, and the concerns of time; but grace is for the soul, and the concerns of eternity. The word of God, received by faith, is more precious than gold; it is sweet to the soul, sweeter than honey. The pleasure of sense soon surfeit, yet never satisfy; but those of religion are substantial and satisfying; there is no danger of excess." Matthew Henry's Commentary

The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. (KJV) The law and the word of the LORD is what brings about the fear of the LORD. This fear is clean or "pure" and it never ends. The judgments(ordinances or decisions) never contradict themselves. Every law is always 100% true and 100% righteous. They have no flaws. David wrote "altogether" so no one could exclude one of the laws. In the last day, GOD will judge every man, and we should be very fearful of HIM because of the purity of HIS judgments. GOD is the ultimate judge, HE has never falsely accused someone or wrongly judged them. That's why its so important to get the point across of how holy, pure and perfect GOD is. Not GOD alone, but everything HE says and does.

The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. (KJV) Its amazing that David says that the statutes(commands or decree) of the LORD give the heart joy. We are to obey GOD's law, but it won't be torture, we will enjoy obeying GOD. Enlighten: "to give information to; inform or instruct." We will be guided by HIS commandment because of its purity and holiness.

The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. (KJV) The first demonstration of GOD's glory was through his creation. The heavens and the firmament. Now David illustrates GOD's glory through the law. The fact that GOD's law is perfect is incredibly important. Imperfection is why man cannot enter heaven, based on his own works. With GOD everything must be perfect. The law is a witness of the LORD. And it gives the simple(the childlike, not mature) wisdom.

It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other, nothing is hidden from its heat. This verse shows that they were not ignorant about science. Verse 4 says GOD "pitched a tent for the sun." The NIV footnotes say that the sun is a mere creature of GOD, that the sun is the "supreme metaphor of the glory of GOD." It "sweeps across the whole extent of the heavens and pours out its heat on every creature."

Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,Which is a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run a course. When I read, "their words to the ends of the world," I think of people who have never heard the gospel before. When I was little I would always ask my parents about the people in a jungle in Africa, how were they supposed to get saved if they had never heard the good news of Jesus Christ? Well, here's the answer: they can see GOD's glory and presence through creation. GOD can reveal himself in so many ways.

Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. People can say that they don't see GOD or hear GOD, but there is evidence that HE is real all around us. Everyday there is proof of the one true GOD. There is no language barrier, just the magnificence of GOD's creation, in a sense, being spoken each day through the earth which he created.

The heavens declare the glory of GOD: and the firmament shows his handiwork. David acknowledges that there is a GOD, the GOD. Sometimes when I'm outside, I stare up at the sky and I am amazed. You know when the sun sets and its so beautiful, b/c the entire sky is a mixture of red, orange, and pink? That's when I see the glory of GOD. Or you can look at the word "heavens" in a broader sense: the universe. At night, w/the human eye we can see the moon, stars, and a couple planets. I can't imagine what David saw when he looked into the night sky. With no city lights to take away the blackness of night. If a descriptive poet like David uses the "heavens and firmament" to compare to GOD's glory how much more magnificent HE must truly be.