Psalm 19

Psalm 19 (NRSV)
¹ The heavens are telling the glory of God;
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
² Day to day pours forth speech,
and night to night declares knowledge.
³ There is no speech, nor are there words;
their voice is not heard;
⁴ yet their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun,
⁵ which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy,
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 nothing is hid from its heat.

⁷ The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the decrees of the Lord are sure,
making wise the simple;
⁸ the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear,
enlightening the eyes;
⁹ the fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true
and righteous altogether.
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.
¹² But who can detect their errors?
Clear me from hidden faults.
¹³ Keep back your servant also from the insolent;
do not let them 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 to you,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Psalm 19 seems to offer a hymn that connects nature in verses 1-6 to the law in verses 7-14. The date is during the divided monarchy. Some think an editor joined to psalms that originally had a separate existence. Yet, the combination of creation and law is not unique to this Psalm. Psalm 119:73 ties together God’s creation and God’s law.

Your hands have made and fashioned me;
            give me understanding that I may learn your commandments. 

The ordered universe and the order provided by Torah receive praise.

The same experience that inspired Psalm 8 inspired verses 1-6. Psalm 8 begins by declaring the majesty of the Lord from among all the earth. The Lord has set the divine glory about the heavens. This leads to reflection on the dignity of humanity. Here, the focus is on the peculiar character of the revelation of God in nature. These verses join other passages of the Bible that speak of the creative work of God: Psalm 104, Genesis 1-2, Isaiah 40:26-31, 42:5, 43, 45, Amos 4:12-13, Job 38-41, Romans 1:19-20, 25, John 1:1-5, 14, Hebrews 1:1-4, Colossians 1:15-23, Revelation 3:14. Creation yearns for redemption in Romans 8:18-23, 38-39. The Bible can long for a new heaven and new earth, as in Isaiah 65:17ff, Isaiah 66:22, II Peter 3:13, and Revelation 21:1. It looks for a new creation in II Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 6:15, Ephesians 4:24, Colossians 3:10. Psalm 98:4-9 also refers to the earth making a joyful noise and song. It refers to the sea roaring, the floods clapping their hands, and the hills singing for joy. Isaiah 55:12 says the mountains and hills will burst into song and trees will clap their hands. Psalm 19:1-6 emphasizes the beauty and order of nature as wordless testimony to the excellence of God. Even though nature tells and proclaims the glory of God, pouring forth in speech and declaring knowledge, people do not hear its voice. For that reason, then, we cannot read nature as a plain or obvious witness that leads to the praise of God. The claim that nature is the work of God is always debatable.[1] Yet, when we join the psalmist in such praise of God, we anticipate the eschatological praising of God. The wonders of the universe can reveal the excellence and beauty of God for those who have eyes to see.[2] For this poet, then, the contemplation of nature leads him to see that even nature serves God. The works of the master reveal the master. The destiny of all creatures is to offer praise and honor to God and extol divine glory.[3] Many persons in the ancient world sing the praise of objects in nature. For this author, human beings approach nature, which includes a large amount of inanimate objects, with wonder. Many cultures in the ancient world worshipped sun and moon. Part of the myth of that world was the sun-god rested during the night and the day welcomed him into the arms of the beloved. Thus, we see the poet uses the myth to refer to the sun as a bridegroom and the coming daylight as his wedding canopy. As in Genesis 1, God created sun, moon, and stars and their movement. The word “create” does not occur, but God “set a tent for the sun.” As powerful and pervasive as is the light and heat of the sun, it belongs to God. Creation is voiceless. Yet, it resonates universal praise back to its creator.

Many composers and hymn writers have written settings to biblical and other words of praise for and by God’s creation. One thinks of Haydn’s “The Heavens Are Telling,” from The Creation. One also thinks of such hymns as “All Creatures of our God and King” (which tracks the words of a prayer by St. Francis of Assisi). Its refrain of “Praise Him” and “Alleluia” summarizes well the spirit of these verses. It invites nature to lift its voice with us as believers as we offer this praise to God. It begins with inviting sun and moon to do so. It invites them to “find a voice” and “Make music for the Lord to hear.” Mother earth also unfolds blessings toward humanity, including flowers and fruits. It then invites human beings “of tender heart, Forgiving others,” to take its part in offering such praise in song. Even those who bear “pain and sorrow” are to offer their praise to God on whom they case their care. Even Death is “kind and gentle” as it leads us home in the way Christ has led. All things worship the Creator with humbleness. I think of “How Great Thou Art,” which invites us to consider the worlds and stars the hand of God has made. They display the power of God. His soul sings of the greatness of God. “This Is My Father’s World” says that to his “listening ears, All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.” Rocks, trees, skies, and seas are wonders from the hand of God. Birds raise carols and lilies declare the praise of their Maker. He hears the Father pass “in the rustling grass” and “speaks to me everywhere.” “Morning Has Broken” offers praise for the singing and morning, “God’s recreation of the new day.” “Cantemos al Señor” (“Let’s Sing unto the Lord”) invites us to sing praise “at the new day’s fresh beginning.” God made sky, stars, sun, and oceans filled with beauty. This hymn of adoration is to show the love, faith, and hope of all creation. Through all the Lord has made, we praise the greatness of the Lord. Finally, the last verse of “Love Divine, all Loves Excelling” reminds us that creation is imperfect enough that we have the hope of a new creation.

“Finish, then, thy new creation; 

pure and spotless let it be. 

Let us see thy great salvation 

perfectly restored in thee.” 

            In light of all this, I invite you to ponder the following, in the light of the entirety of Psalm 19. God created human beings as the culmination of creation, as Psalm 8:5 makes clear in the light of Genesis 1:26-31. Such a standing in creation gives humanity the special purpose of reflecting and expressing divine glory. Question 1 of the Westminster Larger Catechism reads, “What is the chief and highest end of man?” The answer: “Man’s chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever.” We follow Jesus Christ, the one who fully reflects the imago dei. Do we glorify God by our own words, lives and ministries?

            In verses 7-14, we can see its close relationship to Psalm 119. They share many of the same words as synonyms for Torah, law, decrees, precepts, commandments or instruction. They revive the soul, make wise the simple, rejoice the heart, and enlighten the eyes. It reminds us of the power of Torah to bring joy and purpose to a human life. We can see the delight in the Torah and the benefits of following it. It brings joy and blessing to those who obey it. Torah is a revelation of the will of the Lord. He has such a joyful confidence in the Torah that it has become higher than all earthly values. Verses 11-14 are a prayer of supplication. We learn that the chief reward is spiritual and focuses upon forgiveness. We do not have the wisdom to detect our errors, but Torah points them out. Only God can clear or free him from punishment of his hidden faults. He refers to himself as a servant of the Lord. His prayer involves keeping him from the insolent. Yet, he may also pray that the Lord would keep him from proud thoughts. He will then be blameless and innocent, terms used in the New Testament to mean the cleansing God brings through Jesus Christ. He concludes with a prayer involving his heart. Obedience to Torah is not simply an outward matter. Obedience is a matter of the heart. In Deuteronomy 6:1-6, they are to teach the decrees and commandments so that they will fear the Lord and have a long life. In Deuteronomy 30:11-14, the commandments are not too hard for them and are not far away, but in their mouths and hearts. Jeremiah 31:31-34 will promise a new covenant with the law put within them, writing it on their hearts. His heart meditation is that the Lord will find in the meditations of his heart an acceptable offering. He regards the Lord as his rock and redeemer. The Lord is the one who protects and delivers him.

Do we have a similar view to the psalmist who declares that knowing and following instructions from God and the ways of God is more valuable even than having a lot of money or indulging in tasty goodies? Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work” (John 4:34). In Isaiah 55:1-3, the prophet invites those thirsty, even those who have no money, to come to the “waters,” and to “buy and eat” that which the Lord gives freely. He invites people not to spend money or labor on that which is not bread and does not satisfy. He invites us to eat what is good. He defines this as listening to the Lord so that we might live.

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[1] Pannenberg, Systematic Theology Volume 2, 162.

[2] Pannenberg, Systematic Theology, Volume 3, 646.

[3] Pannenberg, Systematic Theology Volume 2, 56.