For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Psalm 19 – The Revelation of the Lord

1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.
3 They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
5     It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
    like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens
    and makes its circuit to the other;
    nothing is deprived of its warmth.

7 The law of the Lord is perfect,
    refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
    making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the Lord are right,
    giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
    giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is pure,
    enduring for ever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
    and all of them are righteous.

10 They are more precious than gold,
    than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
    than honey from the honeycomb.
11 By them your servant is warned;
    in keeping them there is great reward.
12 But who can discern their own errors?
    Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant also from wilful sins;
    may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
    innocent of great transgression.

14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
    be pleasing in your sight,
    Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

A. Find Out:    

1. What are the skies constantly doing? v.1-4
2. How many words describe God’s instructions? v.7-9
3. How are they each described? v.7-10
4. What do they each do? v.7-11
5. Of what is David conscious? v.12,13
6. What does he hope? v.14

B. Think:

1. Why should all the world know there is a God?
2. What do we learn here about the nature of all that God says?

C. Comment:

      Psalm 1 spoke of the man who delighted in God’s word. Different versions interchange the words to describe God’s word seen in verses 7-9, so it is perhaps better to consider them as different expressions of the same thing.

     First, the names given to God’s revealed word: Law, statutes, testimonies, precepts, commands, ordinances.

      Second, what they mean: direction, teaching, instruction, charges, duties, rules.

     Third, their nature or characteristics: they are perfect, they can be completely relied upon, they are always correct or completely right in what they say, they shine out in a world of indecision and self rule.

     Fourth, their effect: they revive or pick up the soul, they bring wisdom, they bring joy in security, they nourish us. All these words from God are precious and should be of greater value to us than anything else.

     But not only has God spoken through His proclaimed word, He is also seen through His creation. It is a hard heart that can gaze at the skies, whether day or night and say all that beauty and magnitude was an accident and not the design of a Creator God. Finally David desires to ensure that in the light of all this he is blameless and right before God, but he knows that he needs God’s help to achieve that.

D. Application?

1. The Lord’s word has been given to bless us in many different ways.
2. Evidence for the existence of God is all around us in Creation. It is a foolish or stubborn person who refuses to see it.