THE HEAVENS DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD

In the first four verses of this psalm, David adds to his statement of Psalm § that God has set His glory above the heavens by telling us that the heavens themselves demonstrate this fact. They declare or show and utter God’s existence and His power. The language of the heavens is universal, being able to communicate equally to all men, irrespective of their spoken language, in a voice that is everywhere heard, v. 3.

The N.T. bears out this same truth. The apostle Paul explains in Romans 1 that “the invisible things of him … are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead”; however, “when they knew God, they glorified him not as God … and changed the glory of … God into an image”, 1. 19-23. The images were of earthly things, because they refused the message from the heavens. The truth of God was changed “into a lie, and (they) worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator”, vv. 24, 25.

Although man can know about God’s existence and power through creation, and although his conscience will tell him that he is a sinner, Rom. 2. 15, he can know no more, and in particular he has no means of finding his way back to God. The latter half of our psalm shows that God’s Word is the only source of such knowledge, for “the law of God is perfect, converting the soul”, v. 7. The Word of God brings the will of God before us in different ways as expressed in the different words used to describe it; i.e., law, testimony, precepts, commandments, judgments, etc. These are amplified in Psalm 119, of which the latter half of Psalm 19 is a miniature.

The Word of God brings about a change in people: it makes them wise; it rejoices the heart and enlightens the (spiritual) eyes. The child of God today should desire His Word more than he or she would desire the most valuable things (much fine gold, v. 10), or the sweetest things obtainable (the droppings of the honeycomb). Peter tells us similarly that we should “desire the sincere (i.e., unadulterated) milk of the word”, 1 Pet. 2. 2. This milk is unaffected by the contamination in the world Proper use of the Bible warns the servant of God down here, and gives him the assurance of reward in a day to come. Note verses 11-14 of this psalm.