“THE GLORY OF GOD”
PSALM 19

I. Introduction
What is the glory of God? One definition is that, from our perspective, the glory of God is the external manifestation of His very being.

God’s glory “appeared” in Exodus 16.
Exodus 16:10 (as the Jews wandered in the wilderness)
10 And it came about as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.

God’s glory was “revealed” in Isaiah 40.
Isaiah 40:5 (referring to Jesus’ return and the establishment of His Millennial Kingdom)
5 “Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all flesh will see it toge-ther; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

But God’s glory is infinitely more than what appears or is revealed to man. Wouldn’t you love to see the full manifestation of God’s glory? I certainly would. But that won’t happen in this life. His glory is so radiant, so immense, so awesome, so powerful, and so holy that mere flesh and blood simply cannot exist in its presence. But Moses didn’t know that. Just like us, Moses wanted to see and to experience the complete manifestation of God’s glory. So God graciously gave Moses a glimpse – a little peek, if you will.

Moses had prayed and asked God to go with the Israelites and lead them through the wilder-ness so that the whole world would know that they, and they alone, were God’s own people. In Exodus 33 God answered Moses prayer.
*Exodus 33:17-23
17 The LORD said to Moses, “I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight and I have known you by name.”
18 Then Moses said, “I pray You, show me Your glory!”
19 And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I
will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.”
20 But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see My face and live!”
21 Then the LORD said, “Behold, there is a place by Me, and you shall stand there on the rock;
22 and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by.
23 Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.”

Later, in Exodus 34:29-35 we’re told that when Moses came down from Mt. Sinai his face radiated beams of light because he had been in such close proximity to God’s glory. He had not really seen God’s glory at all. He merely had a glimpse of God’s “back.” So it is clear that there are certain aspects of God’s glory that He is willing to reveal to us, (e.g., His name ‘YAHWEH’, His “back”), but there are other aspects of His glory that He will not reveal to us (e.g., His complete glory, His “face”).

You’ll remember that in the “Kenosis” Jesus voluntarily laid aside His visible glory so that He might walk among men.
Philippians 2:7-8
7 …(He) emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

In Jesus’ high priestly prayer before His crucifixion, He spoke of taking up that glory once again when He returned to His Father. He said…
John 17:5
5 “And now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.”

If you are a Christian, the day will come when you will stand in His presence and you will see the full manifestation of the glory that Jesus spoke about.

Just before Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead He comforted the dead man’s sister, Martha, with these words…
John 11:40b-44a
40b “Did I not say to you, if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
41 And so they removed the stone. And Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.
42 And I knew that You always hear Me, but because of the people standing around I said it, (so) that they may believe that You sent Me.”
43 And when He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Laza-rus, come forth.”
44a He who had died came forth…

Listen, even though you and I will not see the full expression of God’s glory in this life, we will see it when the Lord takes the church to be with Him at the Rapture, or when He comes for us individually when we pass from this life. But in the meantime, while we wait for whichever comes first, we can see glimpses of His glory all around us if we will only pay attention. A clear starlit night, the pounding of the surf, a summer thunderstorm and the awesome lightning that accompanies it, the sweet scent of a rose, the taste of fresh-picked fruit, or the face of a newborn baby. They’re all expressions of the glory of God.
And His glory is also here for us to read in the words of the book we now hold in our hands.
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II. Text
That’s what this morning’s text, Psalm 19, is all about. The glory of God’s creation and the glory of God’s written Word. With that in mind, let’s turn to the text.
*Psalm 19:1-14 (Please stand with me in honor of reading God’s Word.)
1 The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
2 Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard.
4 Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their utterances to the end of the world. In them He has placed a tent for the sun,
5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber; it rejoices as a strong man to run his course.
6 Its rising is from one end of the heavens, and its circuit to the other end of them; and there is nothing hidden from its heat.
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The precepts 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, they are righteous altogether.
10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.
13 Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins; let them not rule over me; then I shall be blameless, and I shall be acquitted of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19 is readily broken down into four distinct parts.
• In vv. 1-6 David recognizes God’s glory as it is seen in His creation of the heavens and the earth. Theologians often call this “Natural Revelation.”
• In vv. 7-9 David describes God’s glory as we find it in His written Word. This is often called “Special Revelation.”
• In vv. 10-11 David is moved by God’s glory, especially as it is revealed in His Word, because in it, he finds infinite worth and beauty, and its power to convict men.
• In vv. 12-14 David admits his sin and pleads for God’s glory to be revealed in him.

Charles Spurgeon referred to natural revelation – the creation – as God’s “World Book,”
and to special revelation – the Bible – as God’s “Word Book.” He said, “He is wisest who reads both as two volumes of the same work, and feels concerning them, ‘My Father wrote them both’.”

Let’s look first at God’s “World Book.”
*Psalm 19:1-6
1 The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
2 Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard.
4 Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their utterances to the end of the world. In them He has placed a tent for the sun,
5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber; it rejoices as a strong man to run his course.
6 Its rising is from one end of the heavens, and its circuit to the other end of them; and there is nothing hidden from its heat.

In v. 1 “heavens” is translated from the Hebrew word “shâmayim.” (shaw-mah´-yim) This is the same word Moses used in Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning God created the ‘shâmayim’ and the earth.” It refers to all three heavens: First, it is the sky, where the clouds form and where the birds fly. Second, it is the realm of the sun, moon, and stars. Third, it is the place where God “lives.” The word “expanse” is the Hebrew word “rāqīa.” (raw-keeʹ-ah) It im-plies immensity and speaks of something transparent. That is an accurate description of what we call “space.”

Right here in v. 1 it is made clear that the atheist has no excuse for unbelief in God. Such unbelief only proves that the one who holds to it – and thinks everything came from nothing by an accident of nature – is a fool. That is not too strong a word. The Apostle Paul uses it in his indictment of the lost in his doctrinal letter to the church in Rome.
*Romans 1:18-22
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. (“The heavens are telling of the glory of God…” Psalm 19:1a)
21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools… (“The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” Psalm 14:1a)

In Psalm19:2-4 David’s point is that the reality of the Creator speaks loudly through what has been created, and even though His “voice” is not audible, God’s testimony speaks to every corner or the world. Then, referring to the sun in vv. 4-6, David reminds us that even a blind man – a man who can see none of God’s glorious creation with his eyes – can still feel the heat of the sun.

We’ve looked at God’s glory as it is revealed in His “World Book” – natural revelation. Now let’s look at His glory as it is revealed in His “Word Book” – special revelation.
*Psalm 19:7-9
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring (converting) the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The precepts 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, they are righteous altogether.

Notice that each one of these verses contain two specific statements about God’s glory as it is presented in His written Word. Each of them is described with one word, and the work that each of them accomplishes is clearly stated.

Look at the first statement in v. 7. The Hebrew word translated “law” is “tôrâh.” If that sounds familiar, it should. What we often call the “Pentateuch” – the first five books of the OT – the Jews call the “Tôrâh.” (The OT is “The Law and the Prophets.”) The very fact that God’s law is perfect tells us that it cannot fail to restore (to convert) the soul.

Look at the second statement in v. 7. The testimony (or witness) of the Lord is sure, that is, it is trustworthy. It can be believed under any circumstances and in all situations. The idea is that the simple (the unbeliever) who trusts in God’s Word will be converted and made wise. Isn’t that precisely what happened to those of you who came to saving faith? You heard the Word of God. You were convicted by its truth. And your soul was restored (converted).

In v. 8 we read that God’s precepts or statutes – those things that are mandated by Him – are simply right. The Hebrew word translated “rejoicing” means to cheer, to make glad or gleeful. That makes sense because we all tend to be happiest when things are right?

Then we’re told that the Lord’s commandments are pure. That is to say that they are sincere. Together God’s commandments have been defined as the spirit of the law, as clear as fine crystal. And as such, they do “enlighten the eyes.”

In v. 9 we see that the fear of God is clean. “Fear” here is not abject terror, although the Hebrew word can be used for that. But I doubt that such terror would be called “clean.”
Rather, it is a blending of piety, reverence, and awe.
It’s interesting to note that the ESV, KJV, the NKJV, the NASB, and the Amplified Bible
all translate the Hebrew word that refers to unalloyed metal as “clean.” Such clean metals have been purged of all other metals and contaminants. The analogy is clear. God’s people are “cleaned” from their former desires, lusts, and sins. Only then will we, as v.9 says, “endure forever.”

Finally, God’s judgments are true and righteous. Whether it’s our works being judged at the Judgment Seat of Christ, (where our rewards will be announced and meted out), or the deeds of the lost being judged at the Great White Throne (where the degree of their punishment will be determined and enforced), the Lord’s judgments will be without bias or error. They will be, as David says, “…true and righteous altogether.” You might think of it as judicial perfection, no mistakes. And there will be no appeal to a higher court because there is no higher court!

In v. 7-9 we have seen God’s glory as it is expressed in all six forms of His teaching and instruction. To summarize…
1. His law is perfect. Therefore, our souls are restored (converted).
2. His testimony (witness) is sure. Therefore, we can trust in it.
3. His precepts (statutes) are right. Therefore, we can rejoice in them.
4. His commandments are pure. Therefore, we can clearly see and understand them.
5. Our fear of Him (our reverence) is clean (unpolluted). Therefore, it endures forever.
6. His judgments (decisions) are true and righteous. Therefore, we are confident in them.

What does David think of our Lord’s glorious teachings, instructions, and directions?
*Psalm 19:10-11
10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

He says that we are to long for them and to delight ourselves in them. Why? Because they are both priceless and precious. The Hebrew word translated “desirable” is “châmadh,” (khaw-madʹ) which mean “to covet.” Yes, it is the same word that is used in the Ten Com-mandments. There the context is negative – “You shall not covet…” anything that belongs to someone else. But here, in Psalm 19:10, the context is positive. It says to us, “You shall covet the Lord’s glorious teachings, instructions, and directions.”
*Psalm 19:12-14
12 Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.
13 Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins; let them not rule over me; then I will be blameless, and I shall be acquitted of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

The question David asks in v. 12 is easy to answer. We cannot always discern our own sins.
Because of sin’s power to blind us and keep us from the truth, we often commit sins that we aren’t even consciously aware of. Think about it. Our love of ease, pleasure, and our own personal pride leads us into all sorts of sin. Beyond that, Satan’s power to deceive us is great. That is especially true when we do not know God’s Word as well as we should, thus enabling false teachers to lead us astray. And sadly, there is no shortage of false teachers!
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 (speaking of truth confounding false teachers)
13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as ser-vants of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their deeds. (back to Psalm 19:12)

David asks God to rid him, to forgive him, and declare him innocent of the inadvertent sins he doesn’t even recognize, his “hidden faults.” In v. 13 he speaks of presumptuous sins.

Dr. Warren Baker is a respected Hebrew scholar. Listen to what he says about v. 13.
“Inadvertent sins are compared here with ‘presumptuous sins,’ which are offenses against God carried out with a conscious knowledge that they are wrong. It is possi- ble for believers to commit such sins. Because they continually receive grace from God, they may be tempted to use it as a license to sin. However, individuals who sin proudly, knowing the wrongness of their actions, all too often have never really been born again. It is for this reason that Scripture challenges believers to be sure of their salvation.”

Then, having said that, Dr. Baker goes on to quote from…
Romans 6:1-2
1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase?
2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?
2 Corinthians 13:5
5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you – unless indeed you fail the test? (back to Psalm 19:14)

David concludes Psalm 19 with this plea: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.” His closing words are a fitting benediction. And beyond that, they provide us with an example of the sincere humility and the courage that you and I should always bring before the Lord. David asks God to cleanse both his words and his thoughts.
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III. Conclusion
God’s people have always longed to see His glory. David’s son Solomon, when speaking of the Millennial Kingdom, anticipated the fulfillment of God’s glory on this earth.
Psalm 72:18-19
18 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone works wonders.
19 And blessed be His glorious name forever; and may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen.

Three hundred years later the Prophet Habakkuk also looked ahead to that day.
Habakkuk 2:14
14 “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”

All of that is for the Millennial Kingdom. All of that will come to pass when God fulfills His OT promise to the nation of Israel that their Messiah will rule this earth from David’s throne in Jerusalem.

But Christians (whether Jews or Gentiles) will not have to wait that long. We will see God’s glory when the church is taken to heaven at the Rapture. If you have come to saving faith in Christ, then you are a member of His universal and eternal church and you will live for-ever in the presence of His glory. And let’s be clear – that glory is His and His alone.

Two Sundays ago, God showed us His surpassing GREATNESS in Psalm 139. Last Sun-day, He displayed His free and amazing GRACE in Isaiah 55. Now today, He has revealed His awesome GLORY in Psalm 19. We have seen it in both His creation and His written Word. A little while ago I read a quote from Charles Spurgeon. But I think what he had to say about Psalm 19 is worth repeating. Spurgeon referred to God’s creation as His “World Book” and to the Bible itself as God’s “Word Book.” Then he said…
“He is wisest who reads both as two volumes of the same work, and feels concerning them, ‘My Father wrote them both’.”

Listen please, when you acknowledge God’s greatness and receive His grace in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, there is the promise of the glory to come that awaits you and all of God’s children.
*Ephesians 1:3-14
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love
5 He predestined us to adoption as sons, through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,
6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved (Jesus).
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our tres-passes, according to the riches of His grace,
8 which He lavished upon us. In all wisdom and insight
9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him (Jesus)
10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth. In Him
11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,
12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation – having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.

Think of it. The passage we’ve just read tells us that we were chosen and predestined for
the glory of God (v. 6). It tells us that our hope in Christ is solely for the glory of God (v. 12). And it tells us that our redemption and our very salvation itself is for the glory of God (v. 14). It is all for His glory, and every Christian will one day see it! How do I know?
Jesus said so!

Let me close with His own words…
“Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God (John 14:40b)?”

~ Pray ~

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Pastor Jim Timms
Lighthouse Bible Church – Lake Geneva, Wisconsin – 262-949-1007 – www.lighthouselakegeneva.com