Psalm 20 (Part 1)

The Story Behind the Psalm 

This Psalm corresponds to Psalm 15.It directly deals with the period of time when the Jewish people were about the work of bringing the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem. At the same time there was a raging war with going on between the Jews and the Syrians. Before going to war, David writes this Psalm. We see this mentioned in verse 1 when he speaks of the Lord hearing him in the day of trouble. Then in verse 2 he seeks help from the sanctuary and from Zion. He reminds God in verse 6 that He saves His anointed, and then in that amazing verse 7, David speaks of the foolishness of trusting in chariots and horses (which were used in battle) and in the wisdom of trusting in the name of our Lord for battle. 

Charles Spurgeon points out that this is not only a Psalm of David, written by him, but a Psalm for David, written for him as King over a nation preparing to go to battle. Spurgeon breaks it down into these 4 helpful sections.

• Verses 1-4 are a prayer for the success of the king.
• Verses 5-7 express unwavering confidence in God and his Anointed.
• Verse 8 declares the defeat of the foe.
• Verse 9 is a concluding appeal to YHWH.

vs.1 - the God of Jacob

In this verse, David draws our attention to the LORD, identifying him as the God of Jacob.David says, “I’m in need of protection so I will turn to and think on the same God who protected Jacob. Now... this is an unique detail.How did God protect Jacob?  

• He certainly did not protect him from the need to flee from his brother Esau.
• He didn't prevent Jacob from being married to the wrong woman. 
• He didn't keep Laban from cheating Jacob by changing his wages ten times. 
• He didn't keep Jacob's wife, Rachel, from dying in childbirth. 
• He didn't keep Jacob’s son Joseph from being sold into slavery, his other sons from lying about it, and his son Simeon from being thrown into prison. 

What kind of protector is this God of Jacob?

Why would David have us look to Jacob as the example of Divine protection here?

• He is a sufficient protector -- this is the very lesson God was teaching Jacob when He wrenched his hip out of its socket at the same time that Esau was coming after him with 400 men. God didn't leave Jacob any power to flee or to fight, because God didn't need Jacob's help. 
• He is a just protector --  When God saw how Jacob was being cheated by Laban, He simply changed the laws of genetics so that Laban couldn't get away with his injustice. 
• He is a big picture protector -- Jacob didn't see any reason for being wed to Leah, or any reason for the loss of Joseph. But God had reasons, and those reasons came back to protect and provide for Jacob in the end. 

Application:

Here’s the point... God has a plan for your protection -- and for mine.Just like Jacob, we have a sufficient protector.Just like Jacob, we have a just protector.Just like Jacob, we have a big picture protector.God is our protector and defender... whom or what do we have to fear.

Psalm 19 (Part 3)

Introduction:

Tonight we conclude Psalm 19As we begin... allow me to summarize what we’ve discussed so far.
Let’s read together... vs.1-6 - Look up, look out, check your perspective and realize that you are surrounded by an awesome, great big world created by an Awesome, Infinitely bigger God and worship in the fact that He made all these things so that you would know Him more deeply and richly. God created all that is to bless you and guide you in your life of service and worship before Him. So... look up, look out, check your perspective... and worship God.vs.7-11 - Here what we’re instructed to do is look at Scripture.  This goes beyond a simple reading of God’s Words.  David says, “Meditate, memorize, study, and become intimately acquainted with the Words of God.”  Why?  Because they are perfect, because God intentionally gave us every letter, every space, every period... every jot and every tittle.  In God’s Word are the promises that are meant to encourage us, the hope that meant to sustain us, and the blessing that is meant to inform our walk. So... look at Scripture with all of the intent and purpose with which it was given to you.

Transition:

Now what’s left? vs.12-14Those of us who love God, delight in His ways, love His Word, cherish His fellowship, stand in awe of His greatness, and rest in His kindness—we still sin... we’re still prone to fall away... to lose our focus and turn from God’s intention and plan for our life towards our own.How do we deal with that? And that's what this text is about.

Two Ways of Sinning 

What David says in verses 12 and 13 is that there are two ways to lose our focus and fall into sin.The first is described in vs.12 - Unknown or Unconscious sin.There are different reasons why this might be the case for different people or different sins.One is that we simply may not yet have been taught clearly from Scripture that what we are doing is wrong.What would rectify that?  Knowing God, being aware of His holiness and our own imperfection... so it’s a perspective thing.Also, knowing God’s Word.Another reason is deception... and this might be self-deception or a type of deception that comes from false teaching.How would we rectify this? Knowing God, being aware of His holiness and our own imperfection... so it’s a perspective thing.Also, knowing God’s Word for ourselves.The other reason might be familiarity with our sin. This happens when we know an act or an attitude or a way of communicating is sinful, but it has become so much a part of us over the years that it comes out before we realize it.And it may be a week before the Holy Spirit pricks your conscience so that we realize what we’ve done and like Paul end up saying, "I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do." Then we go about the process of humbling ourselves, asking for forgiveness and repairing the damage that we may have caused.By the way, how would we rectify this? Knowing God, being aware of His holiness and our own imperfection... so it’s a perspective thing.Also, knowing God’s Word for ourselves.David also gives us a hint, on how to deal with this type of sin, in his prayer... he says, “cleanse me from secret faults.”The word "cleanse" means "acquit me, render me guiltless, forgive me." Or, as the apostle Paul would say, "Justify me, reckon me righteous, do not impute my baffling, hidden sinfulness to me, cancel it out."Ok... that's the first way of sinning: you are baffled by it and the act or attitude or word sneaks up on you because its sinfulness is somehow hidden from the eyes of your heart for a time.

The Second Way of Sinning

The second way of sinning comes out in vs.13 - Intentional or Conscious sin.These are sins that we commit because we presume to know better than God or presume that sin is no big deal. The point is not that there is a special category of extra-bad sins, like murder, rape, treason, and so on... the point is that there is a special category of sinning—namely, sinning in arrogant defiance of a known law. It's not so much what you do that puts sinning in this category as whether you do it with forethought, defiance, and rebellion. This is what David calls presumptuous sins. They are fully intentional, with our eyes open, and with a heart that says, "I know God says this is wrong and harmful, but I just don't care what God thinks; I'm going to do it anyway."Now... with this type of sin we have to assume an awareness of God and we also have to assume an awareness of God’s Word.So, how do we deal with this type of sinful rebellion in our lives?And the key to answering this question, again, lies in the way that David prays here...David prays "Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me." This is not a prayer for forgiveness and acquittal of baffling sins already committed; it's a prayer for power not to commit the presumptuous sin.The first prayer is a prayer for pardon; the second a prayer for power. Pardon for sins committed, and power not to commit sins. 

Careful Conclusion:

Now let's be very careful with the text. I want to avoid a misunderstanding of what I have said. The text does not say that we shouldn't pray for power over baffling sins and hidden faults. And the text does not say that we shouldn't pray for pardon for a presumptuous sin we commit and later feel remorse for. We absolutely should... however, what David is telling us here is this...First, he is saying that as long as we live, the old sinful nature (that has been crucified with Christ and should be reckoned dead) is going to continue to baffle us and at times frustrate us and anger us by sneaking up on us and causing us to do things and say things and feel things that we don't really mean and don't plan and hate as soon as we recognize them. Therefore pardon is utterly indispensable for a life of joy and hope and peace. We must believe that these sins are covered and forgiven when we pray, "cleanse me from secret faults."Guilt is very often what keeps us from continuing to walk in and grow in our lives with God... Paul would call them bad cargo items that are to be thrown overboard, not to weigh us down or detour us.Second, he is saying that we must and we can get victory over presumptuous sins. The focus here is on praying for power: "Keep back your servant from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me." I believe we can experience triumph over presumptuous sin, and that presumptuous sinning must cease to be the characteristic of our lives. God calls us to this and gives us the power to accomplish it through the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 19 (Part 2)

Introduction:

How do you become truly alive and not live as if you were dead? How do you become and stay wise and not live you life as a fool? And how do you become and stay joyful in God instead of becoming inevitably miserable in the brokenness of this world?The answer is: Meditate on the law of the Lord day and night (Psalm 1:1–3).

Transition:

Last time we were together we reflected on the first 6 verses of Psalm 19 where David challenges us to worship in and reflect on God’s creation.Essentially David says, “Push the pause button on life and look up . . . wonder, be amazed, and listen as the heavens sing to you about the glory of our Creator God.”This week David moves on from quiet reflection on Creation to the necessity for deep focus and concentration on the Divine Revelation of Scripture.

Psalm 19:7-11

⁷ The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul;

The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;

⁸ The statutes 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 judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

¹⁰ More to be desired are they than gold,

Yea, than much fine gold; 

Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

¹¹ Moreover by them Your servant is warned,

And in keeping them there is great reward.

The point of this text is this: Because the Scriptures are the Word of the Lord and because the Word of the Lord communicates to us the truths of the One true living God, they will have an effect on us that is better than the effects of anything else we can read or study or watch or listen to.

In List Form:

I want to give this to you, first, in list form, and then we’ll deal with what each list offers us in the way of application and transformation.
Analogies of Scripture

• More refined and desirable than pure gold

• Sweeter to the heart and soul than pure honey

• A great reward 

Descriptions of Scripture

• The law

• The testimony

• The statutes

• The commandments

• The fear

• The judgements

• The warnings

The Source of Scripture

• YHWH, YHWH, YHWH . . . 

• Six times in total

A Note on Analogies

In vs.10-11 we see a general statement of the immense value of God's Word for us here.It’s found in the first part of verse 10 and the last part of verse 11. David says first in verse 10 that the words of God are "more to be desired than gold, even much fine gold." And then at the end of verse 11, "In keeping them there is great reward."As I did last week, I’d like to quote John Piper on this section of Psalm 19:
If you have a choice between the Word of God and GOLD, choose the Word of God. If you have a choice between the Word of God and MUCH gold, choose the Word of God. If you have choice between the Word of God and much FINE gold, choose the Word of God. The point is plain. The benefits of knowing and doing the Word of God are greater than all that money can buy.So if you are tempted to read the stock page before you read the Bible in the morning, remind yourself that this is not shrewd behavior. It's like the child who chooses the penny over the dime because it's bigger. Adults look on and shake their heads and try to teach children how to see what is really more valuable. That is no doubt the way the angels in heaven look down at childish businessmen who study the stock page before they study the Bible. There is a difference however: the benefits of the Word of God over the benefits of gold are far greater than ten to one.

A Note on Descriptions

In the opening lines of this section, David describes the Word of God in great detail.What he’s not doing is, he’s not separating the text of the Bible into sections . . . this isn’t, “We’ll Genesis through Deuteronomy is the law and that parts perfect, and Joshua through Job is the testimony of the Lord and that parts pure.”Instead, what David is doing is talking about the blessings of every section, every letter, every word of God’s inspired Word.So what are some these benefits? What is this "great reward" that verse 11 is talking about that makes meditating on the Bible so much better than much fine gold?I’ll offer them to you in three parts: life, wisdom, and happiness. 

The Benefit of Life

The benefit of Scripture on our life in general is the very first thing David mentions, because it's the basis of everything else, vs.7 This is basically, life isn’t life without God.  You can live your entire life dead unless you find yourself in the Living Word.“Revive” here is another word for resurrect . . . and story after story shows that the Word of God has life giving power. 

• Phaitoon Hathamart described to us how it was Matthew 11:28–30 that gave him Christian life when he was a Buddhist. 

• St. Augustine said it was Romans 13:13 that stunned him into life. 

• For Martin Luther it was Romans 1:16. 

• For Jonathan Edwards it was 1 Timothy 1:17. 

• And for the murderer Tokichi Ichii, who was converted just before his execution in Japan in 1918, it was the simple word, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." He said, "I was stabbed to the heart, as if by a five-inch nail."

Our life begins with the Word and we stay alive by the Word. If we abandon the Word of God, we die spiritually . . . the sad thing is that, very often, those who abandon the Word of God are oblivious to their terminal state.Perhaps the chief symptom of neglecting the Word of God is denial that anything is spiritually wrong with you.Only the Word of God gives the life which matters in the end. Can you imagine someone on his deathbed whispering to an attending family member, "Please, read to me the figures in my savings account. O, read to me from my portfolio." But you can all imagine yourself saying in that hour, "Read me Psalm 23. Read to me Romans 8. Read Revelation 21."

The Benefit of Wisdom

Which leads us to the second benefit . . . the benefit of wisdom.  We benefit wisdom when we study Scripture.This in the second half of vs.7 "The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple"; and the second half of vs.8 "The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes."If you were in a pitch black room with no prior knowledge of your surroundings . . . would you get up and move around freely?  No, of course not . . . that would be foolish.And yet, Scripture tells us that this is so often the way that we live.  We stumble around in the darkness of our own hearts and minds, tripping over obstacles, falling down stairs of doubt, knocking our heads on despair, depression, hopeless, worry . . .And God’s standing there with a flashlight, holding it out for us, pleading with us to take it and use it and walk in wisdom.Scripture offers light in the darkness . . . it is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path . . . use it and benefit sight . . . benefit wisdom in your walk.

The Benefit of Joy

Finally, the Word of the LORD is the best source of deepest and lasting joy. This comes out in vs.8: "The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart." The Word of the LORD rejoices the heart and has an effect in our lives that compares to eating the most enjoyable thing David could think of—fresh honey straight from the comb.The Word of the LORD rejoices the heart and has an effect in our lives that compares to having an overabundance of the world’s most valuable resources and riches.We watch as the lost and dying world struggles to gain and retain these things . . . and they find tainted, deteriorating versions of these blessings at great personal cost . . . and God says, “You set your mind to pursue and to work towards foolish, empty things . . . instead, turn your efforts on Me and My Word and the benefit of life, wisdom, and joy will overflow.”

A Note on YHWH

Finally, notice that the Scriptures have these effects on us because they are the Word of the Lord.This is unmistakable from David's six-fold repetition. vs.7 "law of the Lord," "testimony of the Lord." vs.8 "statutes of the Lord," "commandment of the Lord." vs.9 "fear of the Lord,"  “judgements of the Lord.”Six times he uses the phrase "of the Lord," that is, of Yahweh.We’ve been driving this point home a lot recently . . . and I hope it has begun to really resonate with you (and if not don’t worry . . . I probably won’t stop anytime soon).But, the reason we have comfort, security, great joy and peace in any of the promises of the Bible is because of who these promises come from . . . because of the character and nature of our covenant God.The text of Scripture come from the God who says, "I am who I am" and there is no other, the God who created all that is and holds it in being, the God who knows all things that have ever been and that ever will be, and who understands perfectly how everything in the universe works, from galaxies to the subatomic energy. Remembering who the promise has come from is key to having our hope in the Bible.  This is why, so often, the Biblical authors begin their texts by reminding us . . . this is the God of Moses, the God of Abraham, the God of Jacob, the God of David, and so on.What their doing is reminding us that God is good, that God makes and keeps His promises . . . and that God is bent on reaching out to us to love us and to care for us and to be with us.

Psalm 19 (Part 1)

Introduction:

I woke up this morning, looked out the window and groaned . . . another abysmal day.The night before had ended with a quick begrudging bedside prayer with Julie and Audrey . . . “Lord, thank you for the rain that nourishes the ground . . .” and so on. Got into the church office while it was still relatively dark outside, turned the light on in my office, plugged in my computer and peered out the window at the parking lot, "bleck" gray and gross outside.After answering a few emails I quickly turned to my favorite activity . . . studying the Bible. It doesn’t matter how nasty things are in the outside world . . . there’s a whole new world, in fact there’s actually the promise of a better world, in the Scriptures.Now . . . let me ask you a question: when you were a child . . . if you had an attitude problem what would your parents do to you to help teach you that you needed to change it? Anyone else get a little smack on the backside or side of the head.Well . . . Psalm 19 tonight . . . For those of you who, like me, woke up and thought . . . Ugh . . . a little smack on the side of the head from a loving Parent is coming.

Scripture Reading: Psalm 19:1-6

¹ The heavens declare the glory of God;

And the firmament shows His handiwork.

² Day unto day utters speech,

And night unto night reveals knowledge.

³ There is no speech nor language

Where their voice is not heard.

⁴ Their line has gone out through all the earth,

And their words to the end of the world. 

In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,

⁵ Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,

And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.

⁶ Its rising is from one end of heaven,

And its circuit to the other end; 

And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

Transition:

The focus of these six verses is on what we see when we look up—the heavens, the skies, the firmament . . . and how we are to respond to them.I think, our common response, can best be summed up in a quote by Clyde Kilby, a literature teacher at Wheaton, said:The fall of man can hardly be more forcefully felt than simply in noting what we all do with a fresh snowfall or the first buds of spring. On Monday they fill us with delight and meaning and on Tuesday we ignore them. No amount of shouting to us that this is all wrong changes the fact for very long . . . Only some aesthetic power which is akin to God's own creativity has the capability for renewal, for giving us the power to see.He thinks the reason we pay so little attention to God's Creation is that we are fallen, sinful creatures. Based just on this morning I would be prone to agree . . . not only because I failed to see anything beautiful in God’s creation this morning . . . but also, after reflection, I cannot imagine that the angels in heaven get tired of God's beauty or that God himself grows weary of the beauty of his Son. And perhaps the reason we naturally respond this way to nature (which is an unnatural response when you really think about it) fallen man is plagued with the proverb: "Familiarity breeds contempt."

vs.1-3

vs.1 - what is it about children that reveals so much of our broken, tainted human perspective?  Audrey’s really starting to notice the moon and the stars.  A few nights back we were walking over to the church because I had forgotten something and she wanted to come and help me retrieve it . . . and as we stepped out into the open parking lot I heard a delighted gasp followed by, “Banana moon!” I stopped and indulged her curiosity for a few moments . . . and then it was off to church so that I could get my book about the wonder and majesty of God.Did you know that in creation, even fallen creation, we glimpse heaven.  All of creation is consistently praising God, singing His glory, singing His majesty . . . all of it.  And, perhaps, what’s even more profound is that creation does this, not with fancy speeches or well written books . . . but simply through it’s existence and obedience.vs.2-3 - Notice the paradox between verses 2 and 3. Verse 2: "Day to day pours forth speech . . . " Verse 3: "There is no speech . . . " It's the same Hebrew word for "speech" in both places.In other words, God means for there to be communication from his mind and heart to our mind and heart, but the medium of communication—the thing that carries the reality from his heart to my heart—is not written words; it's not spoken words.Instead it's light and color and contrast and shape and proportion and design and motion and magnitude, etc. God is singing to us, communicating to us everyday through wordless billboards . . . trees, plants, weather, animals . . . their simplicity, their complexity, their beauty . . . their very existence.John Piper, pastor and Reformed theologian, suggests that it might be helpful to compare this wordless communication to what happens when we see a painting. Two things come home to our minds immediately when someone shows us a painting.

• The first is that we sense immediately that this is a painting. It is not alive. It is not a real flower or a real person or a real landscape. It's a portrait. It's a painting. It is the work of a human hand. We don't have to think about it, or reason it out. There is a kind of speech, as the psalm says, but there are no words. We just see it and know it: someone made this.

• The second thing we sense immediately is some assessment of the painting: it is beautiful or ugly or lewd or frightening or just blah. We might think about this later and change our mind. But there is an immediate communication to our hearts without words or extended reasonings: this is glorious or not.

So far, through this Psalm, we’ve seen: 

• 1^st that the focus here is on the skies 

• 2^nd that the skies pour forth speech every day, every night, everywhere in the world. 

• 3^rd that this communication is without words. It is more immediate; it comes home to the mind and heart with direct force and certainty, and . . . 

• 4^th we have seen that the message of the skies is the glory of God. God is beautiful in his perfections, God is awesome in his power, God is beyond comprehension in his wisdom and knowledge.

vs.5-6

We’ll close with vs.5-6Verses 5 and 6 are simply poetic expressions of the joy that comes from witnessing and reflecting on God's creation. They are not teaching; they are exulting. They don't so much inform as they delight . . . and the best thing to do with such poetry is to enjoy it, to worship in it, to reflect on it, and to attempt to copy it’s pattern as well as our weak powers will allow us.