SEVERAL of the inspired Psalms contain vivid descriptions, in language of much poetic beauty, of the grand framework of Creation, and of the condition of the heavens and the earth at the periodic seasons of the year, such as spring, summer, autumn, winter. These descriptions may suggest the thought that the Psalms referred to were probably composed at one or other of these annual seasons. But, whether this thought be correct or not, such Psalms—or portions of Psalms—are often very appropriately sung by worshipping assemblies, and that with great force and impressiveness, at the seasons which they describe. The closing verses, for example, of the 65th Psalm, in which the Lord is praised for crowning the year with His goodness, and “the valleys” are described as “covered over with corn,” suggest the autumn or harvest season, while certain verses in the 147th Psalm, where the snow, the hoar frost, and the ice are alluded to, plainly depict the season of winter. Our present subject is the 19th Psalm, and if any time of the year more than another is before the Psalmist’s view, it is the summer season. He compares the sun to “a bridegroom” as he comes out of his chamber, and to “a strong man” who “rejoiceth to run a race,” and speaks of the universal influence of his heat. The nineteenth is a Psalm for the summer time, and would to God that a spiritual summer would visit our land and the world, when “the Sun of righteousness” would go forth, in the power of His Spirit, strong to run the Gospel race, to defeat all the evil competitors He has in the earth, and to obtain a glorious victory.
The Psalm consists of three parts. In the first part, which embraces six verses, the Psalmist enlarges upon the revelation of God’s glory in the work of creation; in the second (verses 7-11), he discourses upon the revelation of God in His law or word, with its superlative benefits; and in the third part (verses 12-14) he puts on record certain prayerful reflections, expressive of his sense of personal shortcoming and unworthiness, in view of God’s revelation of His character and will.
The Psalmist, in the opening section of his song, concentrates attention principally upon God’s works, as these appear in the heavens: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handywork.” He recognises without difficulty that the heavens bear testimony to the existence of a Divine Author, and expresses the assured conviction that they show forth His glorious excellency—the excellency of His personal perfections and the fruits of His wisdom and power. Day by day, and night by night, he indicates, they utter their message, though not with articulate human voice, and their words go out through all the earth, to the very end of the world. The Psalmist then proceeds to single out the sun as that wonderful orb which excels all the rest of the celestial bodies in its powerful relation to the earth, and he describes, in poetic figure, God setting a tabernacle for it in the heavens, and the sun coming out, like a bridegroom from his chamber, adorned with beauty and brightness, and rejoicing, like a strong man, to run his race, which extends from one end of the heaven to the other, while he does not omit to observe, in conclusion, the all-pervasive warmth of this marvellous radiator of mysterious energy: “and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.” The Psalmist would have us, therefore, contemplate the glory of God in the material creation, and praise Him for His wondrous works of daily common kindness to the children of men.
But he would have us to go further than this. Recognising, as he does, under the teaching of the Holy Spirit, that man is a sinful, fallen creature, who requires to be converted from the error of his way, and that God has made provision for this saving restoration in a special revelation, he goes on to declare the excellencies of “the law” in which that revelation is embodied. “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes 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 for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.”
Now, the first and principal expression in this account of God’s special revelation is “the law of the Lord.” Let us explain that the word “law” here does not refer to the moral law exclusively. The moral law alone cannot convert any sinner; it can show us the divine standard of obedience, and our sin in relation thereto, but it points out no way of forgiveness or return to God. Neither does the word “law” here mean the gospel alone (as some understand “the perfect law of liberty” to mean in James i. 25). To limit the word to the record of God’s love to sinners is a complete misinterpretation. “The law of the Lord,” in this and all the other Psalms, is equivalent to “the book of the Lord,” or “the word of the Lord.” The books of Moses were spoken of in the Old Testament dispensation as “the law of the Lord.” Thus “the law of the Lord” is to be understood by us now as synonymous with God’s Book or Word, containing the moral law, and the gospel of grace, and all that He has been pleased to make known for our instruction. Law and gospel are its chief contents, and by these, as instrumental means, He converts the soul. “The law of the Lord,” thus comprehensively considered, is perfect, as God’s complete and infallible revelation. His doctrine—His word—His book is perfect. All this is implied. It converts the soul; not apart from the Lord, but as the Lord’s agent, employed and made effectual by Him.
Now, we would call attention to the fact that no such power as conversion is ascribed to the sight of the natural sun, or of any of the natural works of creation. Many people imagine that they are as well employed on the Sabbath, in going out into the fields and looking upon the face of nature, as they would be in studying God’s Word or listening to the pure Gospel, but such are under the influence of unbelieving ignorance and delusion. Nowhere has God ever declared that the simple viewing of Him as He appears in the material creation will impart saving light or life to the soul dead in trespasses and sins. It is only His “law” or Word that can accomplish this great and blessed result, and it is, for most part, if not wholly, those who want to get away from His Word who betake themselves to the fields, or to worse, on the Lord’s day. Indeed, we must first know “the law of the Lord” by spiritual illumination before we can, in a thoroughly profitable and spiritual manner, perceive or study the glory of God in the heavens and the earth.
There are five other words used besides “law” to describe the contents of God’s special revelation, testimony, statutes, commandment, fear and judgments—and each of these words has its own particular shade of meaning. God bears testimony in His Word to truth as against error, right as against wrong; He gives a record of His statutes, or ordinances, and enforces commandments or authoritative directions, while He also exhibits the way of fearing and serving Him, and announces His judgments or decisions on a vast number of matters. His testimony is “sure”; it may be relied upon, and it makes wise the simple or foolish. His statutes are right, and they impart spiritual and heavenly joy to those who love them. His commandment is “pure”—free from imperfection—and gives light to those in darkness. The doctrine of His fear is “clean,” without moral corruption—and they who receive it, shall abide in purity for ever, while His true and righteous judgments will advance truth and justice wherever they prevail. These precious doctrines, truths and precepts are “more to be desired than much fine gold” (the Psalmist proceeds), and are sweeter than the sweetest honey to the taste of those who know their worth, and he confesses that “by them he is warned” from many evils, and that “in keeping of them there is great reward”—the greatest reward, no doubt, at last, in the enjoyment of the eternal inheritance.
The third and concluding part of the Psalm expresses the inspired author’s humble and prayerful reflections. Considering himself in the light of the perfect standard of God’s Word, he exclaims, “Who can understand his errors?” and prays, “Cleanse thou me from secret faults.” He gets, it would appear, a new view of his shortcomings in knowledge, faith and practice. He finds errors in his thoughts, and words and actions more than he can grasp or comprehend, and prays the Lord that He would cleanse and save him from these faults that had hitherto been hidden, and from others that would require still to be discovered. And he is further much afraid of sins against light, deliberate, bold, and presumptuous sins, and entreats the Most High to keep him back from such dreadful evils, so that he should be really an upright man, worthy of the name, before God, and free from much transgression into which he would be liable to fall, to the dishonour of Him whom he served, and to his own unspeakable injury.
In the last verse, he still continues to pray. He is on safe and prosperous ground. “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.” The word “acceptable” in the original suggests acceptance, based upon atonement. Thus we see that the Psalmist expected no acceptance or blessing from God on the ground of personal righteousness, but on that of the righteousness of the Great High Priest and Atoning Sacrifice, prefigured and foreshadowed by the ceremonial law. If the Psalmist made such humble confessions and uttered such earnest petitions for cleansing, preservation, and acceptance as are expressed in this inspired song, how much more do we require to do so, who have had New Testament light and privileges, and have greatly misimproved them?
LORD, if Thou are not present, where shall I seek Thee? If everywhere, why do I not see Thee present? Thou dwellest in light inaccessible, and where is that inaccessible light, or how shall I have access to light inaccessible? I beseech Thee, Lord, teach me to seek Thee, and show Thyself to the seeker, because I can neither seek Thee, unless Thou teach me, nor find Thee, unless Thou show Thyself to me. Let me seek Thee in desiring Thee, and desire Thee in seeking Thee; let me find Thee in loving Thee, and love Thee in finding Thee.—Anselm.
I LIVE, but not I: it is my Beloved that liveth in me: I love myself, not with my own love, but with the love of my Beloved that loveth me: I love not myself in myself, but myself in Him, and Him in me.—An Old Divine.