Meditations on the Psalms #38

Day 38

Psalm 19 part 2 The Revelation of Scripture

Spurgeon said “A wise person reads both the world-book and the word-book as two volumes of the same work and says “My father wrote them both.”

David abruptly shifts from praising the God who reveals Himself in creation to praising the same God for revealing Himself in His word. It is as if David said, “Creation tells us much about God, but His word tells us much more.”

The word is a greater revelation than creation because it reveals God as the covenant God of love, as reflected in the structure of this psalm. In Psalm 19:1-6, God is referred to as El – the most generic word for God in the Hebrew language (even more generic than the commonly used Elohim).

 David then explains seven glorious statements about the word of God; how wonderful and effective it is and also the results it brings. Law, testimony, statutes, commandment, fear, and judgments are poetic terms describing God’s written revelation in general, rather than one specific type of revelation (such as only the laws given in the ten commandments).

God’s word ‘restores the soul’. There is power in the reading, hearing and studying of the word of God that goes beyond intellectual benefit; it actually changes for the better. The Hebrew word translated here as ‘restoring’ is better understood as reviving; that is, bringing new life to the soul.

One of the great rewards of keeping the word of God is peace of mind. A martyr was fastened to the stake, and the sheriff who was to execute him expressed his sorrow that he should persevere in his opinions, and compel him to set fire to the pile. The martyr answered, ‘Do not trouble yourself, for I am not troubling myself. Come and lay your hand upon my heart, and see if it does not beat quietly.’ His request was complied with, and he was found to be quite calm. ‘Now,’ said he, ‘lay your hand on your own heart, and see if you are not more troubled than I am; and then go your way, and, instead of pitying me, pity yourself.’”

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