Fall 2018, 40 Days of Prayer, Day 10
“The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward. Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults. 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. 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 19:7-14
The Bible Teaches Us about the Character of God
Psalm 19 can easily be broken into two major sections. The first six verses declare the revelation of God’s glory as seen in the creation of the sun, moon and stars. God speaks to us through His creation. God also speaks to us through His Word. Psalm 19:7 shifts our attention from the glory of God in creation to the glory of God as discovered in His Word. Notice the pattern found in verses 7-12. Here are the terms the psalmist used to describe the Bible: “The Law of the LORD…the testimony of the LORD…the precepts of the LORD…the commandment of the LORD…the judgments of the LORD…” With each successive title the author provides a descriptor: The Bible is “perfect…sure…right…pure…true.” When we see the beauty of the Scriptures, then we are inclined to pursue the Word of God. When we truly see that the Bible is perfect, sure, right, pure and true, then we long for it. The beauty of the scripture reflects the beauty of the author. God is perfect, sure, right, pure and true. Naturally, the Bible will be consistent with the attributes of the author of the Bible. By extension, a pursuit of God’s Word becomes a pursuit of God Himself. By extension, seeing the beauty of God proceeds from seeing the beauty of His Word.
The psalmist moves beyond the beauty of the Word of God to the specific benefits of the Bible in the life of hearer. What happens when we hear the Word of God? What happens when we apply it to our lives? The impact of submitting to the Bible is given in each successive statement: The Word of God “restores the soul…makes wise the simple…enlightens the eyes…” The Bible transforms. It transforms our lives by giving warnings to the followers of God and by exposing our hidden sins. It breaks the power of abiding sin and brings purity to what we think – “the meditation of my heart…” and what we say- “the words of my mouth…” Considering these lofty affirmations about the Bible and considering the multitude of benefits, we should desire the Bible in a manner consist with these affirmations. In this case, the psalmist says that we should desire the bible more than a banker wants “gold” and a sweet toothed child wants “honey.”
The conclusion of this chapter is quite striking. Given the declaration of the glory of God from His creation in verses 1-6 and the declaration of the beauty and the massive benefits to the glorious word of God in verses 7-12, the psalmist concludes with this prayer: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.” When all of these beautiful truths are considered, the title the psalmist chose for God as He addresses Him in prayer is “O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.” We can trust Him to help us and save us. Just look at what He has already done in His creation and in His Word! He is our Rock and our Redeemer.
Prayer Focus
O God, like the psalmist I pray that You would make the meditations of my heart and the words of my mouth acceptable to You. Thank You for Your word.
From Sermon on Justification by Faith by John Wesley
"To him that does not work, but believes on him that justified the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness." Romans 4:5.
Does then the good Shepherd seek and save only those that are found already? No: He seeks and saves that which is lost. He pardons those who need his pardoning mercy. He saves from the guilt of sin, (and, at the same time, from the power) sinners of every kind, of every degree: people who, till then, were altogether ungodly; in whom the love of the Father was not; and, consequently, in whom dwelt no good thing, no good or truly Christian character, --but all such as were evil and abominable, --pride, anger, love of the world, --the genuine fruits of that "carnal mind" which is "enmity against God." These who are sick, the burden of whose sins is intolerable, are they that need a Physician; these who are guilty, who groan under the wrath of God, are the ones that need a pardon. These who are "condemned already," not only by God, but also by their own conscience, as by a thousand witnesses, of all their ungodliness, both in thought, and word, and work, cry aloud for Him that "justifies the ungodly," through the redemption that is in Jesus; --the ungodly, and "him that does not work;" that does not work, before he is justified, anything that is good, that is truly virtuous or holy, but only evil continually. For his heart is necessarily, essentially evil, till the love of God is shed abroad therein.