Psalm 19

To the Choirmaster, a Psalm of David

 

⁰¹          The heavens are declaring the glory of God,

                        His handiwork is manifested in the sky above.

⁰²             Day pours out speech to [another] day,

night reveals knowledge to night.

⁰³                   [There] is no speech, nor language,

[where] their voice is not heard.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Natural Revelation

For the Lord’s Day:  the 20^th of June 2004

 

Introduction:  My Translator’s Handbook suggests that “this psalm consists of two different compositions.”  However, the German evangelical Delitzsch sets us straight:  “The view, that in Psalm 19 we have before us two torsi blown together from some quarter or other, is founded upon a defective insight into the relationship, which accords with a definite plan, of the two halves (2-7 and 8-15) as Hitzig has recently shewn in opposition to that view.”

 

Calvin, of course wrote long before the liberality of such notions became popular, and Spurgeon condemns the spiritual blindness of his contemporaries in straight forward language:  “How foolish and wicked are those who instead of accepting the two sacred tomes, (nature & scripture) and delighting to behold the same divine hand in each, spend all their wits in endeavouring to find discrepancies and contradictions.”

 

What we see in this gem of poetic theology is comparative commentary on natural or general revelation on the one hand and then the specific revelation given only to the elect.  Delitzsch summarizes plainly and simply:  “The poet begins with the praise of the glory of God the Creator, and rises from this to the praise of the mercy of God the Lawgiver; and thus through the praise, springing from wondering and loving adoration, he clears the way to the prayer for justification and sanctification.”

 

Calvin too as well as Spurgeon and all of God’s faithful commentators understand the plain and powerful message of this precious poetry inscribed in David’s heart and mind.  Let us all the more carefully work through the glories intended for our own insight, line by line in the next few weeks.

 

Development:  My Translator’s Handbook does have one thing right about the introductory text in verse one:  “Verse 1 in Hebrew is a complete chiasmus” in that the word order in the two lines is parallel, the word order is in opposition to give emphasis and variety to the poetic images.  In order to demonstrate this, I have specifically phrased the words for heaven and firmament, at the beginning of line one and at the end of line two.  This is a small thing, but it almost reminds me of the “Alpha and Omega” inclusiveness mentioned in the book of Revelation.

 

“The heavens are declaring the glory of God,

                His handiwork is manifested in the sky above.”

 

The words for heavens and firmament are synonymous and no real difference is meant between the two.  The Translator’s Handbook mentions one particular translation that reads:  “The sky” and “the starry vault.”  The first of which is most evident in the day time and the latter more visible at night.  And so these poetic images here lead on very quickly to the observations that follow shortly in the next verse.

 

However, before we follow the connecting impulses of the text, let us carefully examine that which manifests and declares the glories of our God and King.  The plurality of the heavens is noted by Spurgeon, which because of their infinite  “variety, comprising the watery heavens with their clouds of countless forms, the aerial heavens with their calms and tempests, the solar heavens with all the glories of the day, and the starry heavens with all the marvels the night.”

 

Calvin notes that “David has particularly selected [the heavens] for contemplation, that their splendor might lead us to contemplate all parts of the world.  When a man, from beholding and contemplating the heavens, has been brought to acknowledge God, he will learn also to reflect upon and to admire his wisdom and power as displayed on the face of the earth, not only in general, but even in the minutest plants.”

 

I remember a Peanuts cartoon from some years ago, Linus and Charlie Brown were laying in the yard, looking up at the passing clouds.  Linus recites several classical and mythological images that come to his mind, while Charlie remains quiet – glad that he did not mention the more simplistic images that he was able to note.  Of course, the psychobabelists with their ink blot tests would encourage their devotees that it doesn’t matter at all what one sees, since it is all part and parcel of their own imagination, hopes, fears and desires.  Therein, you will find the modern mind all wrapped up in itself unable to appreciate the greater glories of our God and King revealed for all to see in the natural order day after day and especially more night after night as well.

 

“Day pours out speech to [another] day,

night reveals knowledge to night.”

 

How quickly the text moves us on to consider the lessons of the day and of the night as well.  There is a certain sense here that there is a continuing story being told, worked out and revealed for all of mankind to ponder the absolute necessity of creation demanding and demonstrating a Creator God.  “One day speaks to another” we should translate the Hebrew.  We can also see the same repetition from “one night to the next in its own turn.”

 

Calvin encourages us in this same thematic consideration:  “the repetition which [David] makes in the second clause is merely an explanation of the first.  David shows how it is that the heavens proclaim to us the glory of God, namely, by openly bearing testimony that they have not been put together by chance, but were wonderfully created by the supreme Architect.”

 

If we apply this wisdom to the beauty of the worldly creation better seen, known and appreciated during the day, we can go on to consider “all the starry hosts” that are more brilliant in the darkness of night.  Now, let me mention in passing here the ancient’s predilection for reading from the stars the telling of their myths, the outlining of their heroes and the focus for their travel across the wideness: of the seas, plains and mountains.  Remember, it was the wise men of the east who discovered the Lord Jesus Christ in His nursery from their following of the stars and especially it was the “Christ Star” which led them to Bethlehem town, so many centuries ago.

 

But there is more to the “knowledge” implicit in the stars.  I have a photocopied book which speculates on the true and original meaning of a gospel message written the skies before it was corrupted to serve the myths of the pagans.  While there is much to wonder about in this regard, we must remember that these are speculations only.  But these speculations are respected and written about by no less than Dr James Kennedy in our time and others long before.  In the catacombs of Rome, where the Christians did hide from time to time, the artistic renderings on the walls do contain more than a fair share of the heavenly signs.  There are even traditions of a missing sign of the Zodiac which had disappeared into the Southern Sky.  Today – we know that sign of the cross as it was displayed on the flags of the old Empire dominion states down under.  But, enough of what cannot know for certain!  Let us move on to that which is better known because God would speak to us whether we expect it or no?

 

Application:  Paul, the Apostle picks up the meaning of the whole, which is made more explicit in the third verse of our poetic composition.  “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.  Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made.  So they are without excuse; for although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their senseless minds were darkened.”  (Romans 1: 19-21)

 

The older translations and the best of the new do indeed translate the third verse in anticipation of the New Covenant understanding.  And this is not done without regard to the implications of the text itself.  Listen to the most obvious and traditional meanings of the Hebrew as it has been traditionally translated:

 

“[There] is no speech, nor language,

[where] their voice is not heard.”

 

Now, even in Calvin’s day – there was an honest discussion of the peculiarities of the text here in this regard.  “This verse,” Calvin writes, “receives two almost contrary interpretations, each of which, however, has the appearance of probability.”

 

1.  Literally, all are in general agreement that the verse can read:  “No language, and no words, their voice is not heard.”  The third verse is thus necessarily connected to the fourth in order to gain a meaningful context.  Accordingly then, as Calvin notes if this be the proper arrangement:  “the meaning is this: - The heavens, it is true, are mute and are not endued with the faculty of speech; but still they proclaim the glory of God with a voice sufficiently loud and distinct.”  Spurgeon notes that “their teaching is not addressed to the ear, and is not uttered in articulate sounds; it is pictorial and directed to the eye and heart; it touches not the sense by which faith comes, for faith cometh by hearing.”

 

2, A second and general tradition of the meaning here is as Calvin writes: “the difference and variety of languages does not prevent the preaching of the heavens and their language from being heard and understood in every quarter of the world.  … David, therefore, by making a tacit comparison, enhances the efficacy of the testimony which the heavens bear to their Creator.  The import of his language is, different nations differ from each other as to language; but the heavens have a common language to teach all men without distinction.”

 

Who has not sat spellbound by some rising or setting of the Sun over the horizon?  So near, only eight miles usually, unless distant mountains stretch the view further; and yet so far: eight minutes being required for the speed of light to make its journey from the solar furnace that heats and lights our system of rotating planets.  Somehow the proper science of it all is forgotten as the beauty of the moment writes its sublime treasure of reflection upon our mental state.  And then there are the countless stars, if we be far from the maddening crowd with the blazing lights to extend civilization into the country side?  Every once in a while – we have a special blessing when the ordinary lights go out for an hour or so, instead of worrying about the hot water, the tellybabble and all the things to be done, slip outside and look up into the heavens – if the clouds be not in the way.

 

What a glorious rendition is the entire starry host – in their numbers untold?  And all the while – they move in a gravitational symphony that moves the mind and spirit if we would allow.  Surely, if we doubt the beauties of the world itself, then the countless worlds out there must catch our attention?  Who can doubt that the creation as it is known, seen and experienced is without a Creator above and over all?  Only a fool doomed to spend eternity apart – perhaps in some dark hole of not only mind a spirit but also colossal in its lack of the penetration of any light and knowledge of God Himself.

 

Open our eyes this day Lord and let us see the glory of your creation and thereby know from that natural revelation that You do indeed exist and even as Francis Schaeffer insisted: neither are You silent – if we would but hear Your divine voice in nature and in Spirit.  Amen.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

PREACHING RESOURCES

 

Calvin, John:  Commentary on Book of Psalms.

Delitzsch, F:  Commentary on the Old Testament – Psalms.

Spurgeon, C.H:  Treasury of David.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Permission granted to redistribute unedited versions with this notice.

http://www.tulip.org/selah/sel019a.htm

To Subscribe or Unsubscribe go to:  http://www.four.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/ccrlist/