Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, "The more deeply we grow into the psalms and the more often we pray them as our own, the more simple and rich will our prayer become." Join us as we spend the next few weeks of the summer growing into the Psalms and enriching our conversations with God.
The Inner Life
Speakers
Ashley Bassoppo-Moyo
Missions & Outreach Pastor
Notes
First Time Guest? Let us know!
Psalm 19:1-14 (AMP) The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And the expanse [of heaven] is declaring the work of His hands. Day after day pours forth speech, And night after night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there [spoken] words [from the stars]; Their voice is not heard. Yet their voice [in quiet evidence] has gone out through all the earth, Their words to the end of the world. In them and in the heavens He has made a tent for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber; It rejoices as a strong man to run his course. The sun’s 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. The law of the Lord is perfect (flawless), restoring and refreshing the soul; The statutes of the Lord are reliable and trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, bringing joy to 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 [reminded, illuminated, and instructed]; In keeping them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors or omissions? Acquit me of hidden (unconscious, unintended)
faults. Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous (deliberate, willful) sins; Let them not rule and have control over me. Then I will be blameless (complete), And I shall be acquitted of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable and pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my [firm, immovable] rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 19 is a reflection on the Inner Life.
Section 1 - The Speech of Creation
Section 2 - The Speech of Instruction
Section 3 - The Speech of the Servant
SECTION 1: THE SPEECH OF CREATION (verses 1-6)
The Poet’s Stance: Beholding Nature’s Testimony
Who is God: God is “El” - most common Hebrew name for God. It signifies there is a recognition of the revelation of God; there is a God.
1 The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And the expanse [of heaven] is declaring the work of His hands. The heavens have an active testimony of the radiance of God. 2 Day after day pours forth speech, And night after night reveals knowledge. The fabric of creation is made with a perpetual outpouring of testimony upon testimony of its Creater - day to night and night to day, in one lasting song. Creation around us is pouring forth revelation, a cast of the radiance of the God, pointing back to Him. 3 There is no speech, nor are there [spoken] words [from the stars]; Their voice is not heard. It is not a message for the ear but to the soul. 4 Yet their voice [in quiet evidence] has gone out through all the earth, Their words to the end of the world.
Romans 10:18 (NIV) But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” The intent of the Heavenly message’s reach is visible in the spread of the light from the heavens to the ends of the earth. In them and in the heavens He has made a tent for the sun, Just as the Shekinah glory was given a dwelling place in the tent of meeting, God’s glory has been given a dwelling place in the Heavens, a reflection of His glory filling the earth.
Exodus 40:34 (AMP) Then the cloud [the Shekinah, God’s visible, dwelling presence] covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory and brilliance of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber; It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.
6 The sun’s 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
David paints a foreshadowing of the delivery of the Gospel message, just as Paul referenced, in which the bridegroom has come and the delivery of His message via Gospel ministers, with all their strength, is set apart in glorious display, readied and meant for the ends of the earth. This is nature’s testimony.
SECTION 2: THE SPEECH OF INSTRUCTION (verses 7-11)
The Poet’s Stance: Becoming through Scripture
Who is God: God is Yahweh - God of covenant love and faithfulness to His people
“He is wisest who reads both the world-book and the Word-book as two volumes of the same work, and feels concerning them, ‘My Father wrote them both.’”
Spurgeon
7 The law of the Lord is perfect (flawless), restoring and refreshing the soul; The statutes of the Lord are reliable and trustworthy, making wise the simple.
David takes us through waves of poetry - the element of the known, covenant God’s communion to His people and it’s effect - waves upon waves, dynamic, and multi-faceted.
Romans 1:18-22 (ESV) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, 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 foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools...
When the soul is lost and darkened, the law of the Lord can bring it back to life.
There is a restoration which only can come by the instruction of God.
Daniel 12:3 (NIV) Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. 8 The precepts of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; A warning only has value to the hearer if it is heeded. 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 [reminded, illuminated, and instructed]; In keeping them there is great reward.
1 Timothy 4:8 (NIV) For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
Proverbs 22:4 (ESV) The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life.
SECTION 3: THE SPEECH OF THE SERVANT (verses 12-14)
The Poet’s Stance: Bowing of All Rights
Who is God: My Rock and My Reedemer
“Some Christians mistakenly assume their ability to tear apart a person, suggestion, program, or idea is discernment. But contrary to popular assumption, criticism is not one of the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit. Critical people are prone to complaining, but that is not the purpose of discernment. The Lord gives us discernment to pray. Paul tells us, ‘Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere”(Eph 6:18, NLT). Prayer is the most powerful force in the universe to bring about God’s purposes. Prayer, not criticism, accomplishes the purposes of heaven here on earth.”
Tim Cameron
Isaiah 26:3-4 (ESV) You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.
“Yet for all this, to what avail is the loudest declaration to a deaf man, or the clearest showing to one spiritually blind? God the Holy Ghost must illuminate us, or all the suns in the milky way never will.”
Spurgeon
12 Who can understand his errors or omissions? Acquit me of hidden (unconscious, unintended) faults.
13 Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous (deliberate, willful) sins; Let them not rule and have control over me.
Then I will be blameless (complete), And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.
The inner life spills over and we live from its overflow.
My inner man is defined by what I entertain in the courts of my mind and the chambers of my heart.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable and pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my [firm, immovable] rock and my Redeemer. God must be my God, my rock, and my Redeemer - this is the aim of the Inner Life.
Psalm 19:1-14 (AMP) The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And the expanse [of heaven] is declaring the work of His hands. Day after day pours forth speech, And night after night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there [spoken] words [from the stars]; Their voice is not heard. Yet their voice [in quiet evidence] has gone out through all the earth, Their words to the end of the world. In them and in the heavens He has made a tent for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber; It rejoices as a strong man to run his course. The sun’s 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.
The law of the Lord is perfect (flawless), restoring and refreshing the soul; The statutes of the Lord are reliable and trustworthy, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right, bringing joy to 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 [reminded, illuminated, and instructed]; In keeping them there is great reward.
Who can understand his errors or omissions? Acquit me of hidden (unconscious, unintended)
faults. Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous (deliberate, willful) sins; Let them not rule and have control over me.
Then I will be blameless (complete), And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable and pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my [firm, immovable] rock and my Redeemer.
Acts 14:16-17 (NIV) “In the past, he let all nations go their own way. Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”
“I want to BEHOLD - let the God colors of life catch my gaze.”
“I want to be BECOME - my ear inclined to His instruction.”
“I want to BOW - giving over every bit of my INNER LIFE.”