Psalm 19 The creatures show Gods glory, the Word shows his grace. He who here sings about the work o

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Psalm 19The creatures show Gods glory, the Word
shows his grace. He who here sings about the
work of God in the world around him, pleads for
a work of grace within himself.

• Sean Bird teacher of calculus physics at

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• I want to know how God created this world. I
  want to know His thoughts, the rest are details.
• Albert Einstein, not a Christian, but firmly
  denies atheism
• 1879-1955

• God created everything by number, weight and
  measure.
• Sir Isaac Newton
• 1642-1727

I think that each individual man should do all he
can to impress his own mind with the extent, the
order, and the unity of the universe, and should
carry these ideas with him as he reads such
passages as the 1st Chap. of the Ep. to
Colossians (see Lightfoot on Colossians, p.182),
just as enlarged conceptions of the extent and
unity of the world of life may be of service to
us in reading Psalm viii, Heb ii 6, etc. -
James Clerk Maxwell, founder of EM 1831-1879
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Psalm 19 overview

• In his earliest days the psalmist, while keeping
  his father's flock, had devoted himself to the
  study of God's two great booksnature and
  Scripture
• How foolish and wicked are those who instead of
  accepting the two sacred tomes, and delighting to
  behold the same divine hand in each, spend all
  their wits in endeavouring to find discrepancies
  and contradictions. We may rest assured that the
  true "Vestiges of Creation" will never contradict
  Genesis, nor will a correct "Cosmos" be found at
  variance with the narrative of Moses.
• 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."

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   7 The law of the LORD is perfect,       
reviving the soul.        The statutes of the
LORD are trustworthy,        making wise the
simple.     8 The precepts of the LORD are
right,        giving joy to the heart.       
The commands of the LORD are radiant,       
giving light to the eyes.     9 The fear of the
LORD is pure,        enduring forever.       
The ordinances of the LORD are sure        and
altogether righteous.     10 They are more
precious than gold,        than much pure gold
       they are sweeter than honey,        than
honey from the comb.     11 By them is your
servant warned        in keeping them there is
great reward.

• For the director of music. A psalm of David.
•     1 The heavens declare the glory of God
      the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
     
• 2 Day after day they pour forth speech
      night after night they display knowledge.
•     3 There is no speech or language     where
  their voice is not heard.
•     4 Their voice goes out into all the earth,
      their words to the ends of the world.    
  In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,
  
•     5 which is like a bridegroom coming forth
  from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to
  run his course.
•     6 It rises at one end of the heavens     and
  makes its circuit to the other     nothing is
  hidden from its heat.

12 Who can discern his errors? Forgive my
hidden faults. 13 Keep your servant also from
willful sins      may they not rule over me.
       Then will I be blameless,       
innocent of great transgression. 14 May the
words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
       be pleasing in your sight,        O
LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 19
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Genesis 36
We demolish arguments and every pretension that
sets itself up against the knowledge of God 2 Cor
105

• The woman saw that the tree was
• 1. Good for food
• 2. A delight to the eyes
• 3. To be desired to make one wise
• My question is, WAS IT?
• Did this match reality?

NO !
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The heavens declare the glory of God
The book of nature has three volumes heaven,
earth, and sea, of which heaven is the first and
the most glorious, and by its aid we are able to
see the beauties of the other two.
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• For he has raised everywhere, in all places
  and in all things, his ensigns and emblems, under
  blazons so clear and intelligible that no one can
  pretend ignorance in not knowing such a sovereign
  Lord, who has so amply exalted his magnificence
  who has, in all parts of the world, in heaven and
  on earth, written and as it were engraved the
  glory of his power, goodness, wisdom, and
  eternity.
• Paul has therefore said quite rightly that the
  Lord has never left himself without a witness
  Acts 1417 even among those to whom he has not
  sent any knowledge of his Word. It is evident
  that all creatures, from those in the firmament
  to those which are in the center of the earth,
  are able to act as witnesses and messengers of
  his glory to all men
• For the little birds that sing, sing of God
  the beasts roar for him the elements dread him,
  the mountains echo him, the fountains and flowing
  waters cast their glances at him, and the grass
  and flowers laugh before him.
• John Calvin pg35-36 Commentaries, Available
  online at http//www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/calcom.p
  df

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• From the Christian point of view, every fact of
  the space-time universe is created by God and is
  what it is by virtue of its place in the plan of
  God - Cornelius VanTil

Rev 411 Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to
receive glory and honor and power,for you
created all things, and by your will they existed
and were created.
Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech
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Any part of creation has more instruction in it
than human mind will ever exhaust, but the
celestial realm is peculiarly rich in spiritual
lore Every moment God's existence, power,
wisdom and goodness, are being sounded abroad by
the heavenly heralds which shine upon us from
above He who would imagine infinity must peer
into the boundless expanse he who desires to see
divine wisdom should consider the balancing of
the orbs he who would know divine fidelity must
mark the regularity of the planetary motions and
he who would attain some conceptions of divine
power, greatness, and majesty, must estimate the
forces of attraction, the magnitude of the fixed
stars, and the brightness of the whole celestial
train. It is not merely glory that the heavens
declare, but the "glory of God," for they deliver
to us such unanswerable arguments for a
conscious, intelligent, planning, controlling,
and presiding Creator, that no unpredjudiced
person can remain unconvinced by them.
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Historic Presuppositions of Science

• The world is real If one believes the world is
  not really there, then there is not an incentive
  to investigate it. But the Christian doctrine of
  a real creation provides an incentive (Gen 11
  Neh 96 Rev 411).
• The universe is good Even with the Fall, this
  goodness is not eradicated. This higher view of
  nature led to the Christian belief that the
  material world is worthy of investigation (Gen
  131 Ps 1112,3 1Tim 44).

There is need of art and more exacting toil in
order to investigate the motion of the stars, to
determine their assigned stations, to measure
their intervals, to note their properties.
(I.v.1)
The early chemist Jean-Baptiste van Helmont
insisted that the pursuit of science is a good
gift, given by God.
1580-1644
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Limitations of General Revelation

• 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.

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the skies proclaim the work of His hands.
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In the expanse above us God flies, as it were,
his starry flag to show that the King is at home!
Strange is it that some who love God are yet
afraid to study the God-declaring book of nature
The nearby dwarf galaxy NGC 1569, photo taken by
Hubble Telescope
Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech
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• For the director of music. A psalm of David.
•     1 The heavens declare the glory of God
      the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
     
• 2 Day after day they pour forth speech
      night after night they display knowledge.
•     3 There is no speech or language     where
  their voice is not heard.
•     4 Their voice goes out into all the earth,
      their words to the ends of the world.    
  In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,
  
•     5 which is like a bridegroom coming forth
  from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to
  run his course.
•     6 It rises at one end of the heavens     and
  makes its circuit to the other     nothing is
  hidden from its heat.

How beautiful this dome of sky,And the vast
hills in fluctuation fixedAt thy command, how
awful! Shall the soul,Human and rational, report
of TheeEven less than these? Be mute who will,
who can,Yet I will praise thee with impassioned
voice.My lips, that may forget thee in the
crowd,Cannot forget thee here, where thou hast
builtFor thine own glory, in the
wilderness!William Wordsworth, 1770-1850.
Psalm 19
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The lessons of day night
7. Night invites us to rest in Him
6. Day bids us work for God

• The changeful character of earthly things
• The brevity both of joy and sorrow
• The preciousness of life

4. Our utter powerlessness in getting back time
that is past 5. The irresistible approach of
eternity
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• For the director of music. A psalm of David.
•     1 The heavens declare the glory of God
      the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
     
• 2 Day after day they pour forth speech
      night after night they display knowledge.
•     3 There is no speech or language     where
  their voice is not heard.
•     4 Their voice goes out into all the earth,
      their words to the ends of the world.    
  In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,
  
•     5 which is like a bridegroom coming forth
  from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to
  run his course.
•     6 It rises at one end of the heavens     and
  makes its circuit to the other     nothing is
  hidden from its heat.

Jesus Christ is called the Word, for he is a far
more distinct display of Godhead than all the
heavens can afford they are, after all, but dumb
instructors neither star nor sun can arrive at a
word, but Jesus is the express image of Jehovah's
person, and his name is the Word of God.
Psalm 19
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• For the director of music. A psalm of David.
•     1 The heavens declare the glory of God
      the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
     
• 2 Day after day they pour forth speech
      night after night they display knowledge.
•     3 There is no speech or language     where
  their voice is not heard.
•     4 Their voice goes out into all the earth,
      their words to the ends of the world.    
  In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,
  
•     5 which is like a bridegroom coming forth
  from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to
  run his course.
•     6 It rises at one end of the heavens     and
  makes its circuit to the other     nothing is
  hidden from its heat.

Jonathan Edwards It appears to me very likely
that the Holy Ghost in these expressions which he
most immediately uses about the rising of the
sun, has an eye to the rising of the Sun of
Righteousness from the grave He rose as the
joyful, glorious bridegroom of his church for
Christ, especially as risen again, is the proper
bridegroom, or husband, of his church, as the
apostle teaches (Romans 74), "Wherefore, my
brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by
the body of Christ that ye should be married to
another, even to him who is raised from the dead,
that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
Psalm 19
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   7 The law of the LORD is perfect,       
reviving the soul.        The statutes of the
LORD are trustworthy,        making wise the
simple.     8 The precepts of the LORD are
right,        giving joy to the heart.       
The commands of the LORD are radiant,       
giving light to the eyes.     9 The fear of the
LORD is pure,        enduring forever.       
The ordinances of the LORD are sure        and
altogether righteous.     10 They are more
precious than gold,        than much pure gold
       they are sweeter than honey,        than
honey from the comb.     11 By them is your
servant warned        in keeping them there is
great reward.
The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the
soul. The great means of the conversion of
sinners is the Word of God, and the more closely
we keep to it in our ministry the more likely we
are to be successful.
The testimony of the Lord is sure.
God bears his testimony against sin, and on
behalf of righteousness he testifies of our fall
and of our restoration this testimony is plain,
decided, and infallible, and is to be accepted as
sure. God's witness in his Word is so sure that
we may draw solid comfort from it both for time
and eternity, and so sure that no attacks made
upon it however fierce or subtle can ever weaken
its force. What a blessing that in a world of
uncertainties we have something sure to rest
upon!
Psalm 19
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   7 The law of the LORD is perfect,       
reviving the soul.        The statutes of the
LORD are trustworthy,        making wise the
simple.     8 The precepts of the LORD are
right,        giving joy to the heart.       
The commands of the LORD are radiant,       
giving light to the eyes.     9 The fear of the
LORD is pure,        enduring forever.       
The ordinances of the LORD are sure        and
altogether righteous.     10 They are more
precious than gold,        than much pure gold
       they are sweeter than honey,        than
honey from the comb.     11 By them is your
servant warned        in keeping them there is
great reward.

• For the director of music. A psalm of David.
•     1 The heavens declare the glory of God
      the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
     
• 2 Day after day they pour forth speech
      night after night they display knowledge.
•     3 There is no speech or language     where
  their voice is not heard.
•     4 Their voice goes out into all the earth,
      their words to the ends of the world.    
  In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,
  
•     5 which is like a bridegroom coming forth
  from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to
  run his course.
•     6 It rises at one end of the heavens     and
  makes its circuit to the other     nothing is
  hidden from its heat.

12 Who can discern his errors? Forgive my
hidden faults. 13 Keep your servant also from
willful sins      may they not rule over me.
       Then will I be blameless,       
innocent of great transgression. 14 May the
words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
       be pleasing in your sight,        O
LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 19
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5. 7 Jehovahs perfect law Restores the soul
again His testimony sure Gives wisdom unto
men 8The precepts of the LORD are right, And
fill the heart with great delight. 6. The LORDs
command is pure, Enlightening the eyes
9Jehovahs fear is clean, More lasting than the
skies. The judgments of the LORD express His
truth and perfect righteousness. 7. 10Theyre
more to be desired Than stores of finest gold
Than honey from the comb More sweetness far
they hold. 11With warnings they Thy servant
guard In keeping them is great reward 8. 12His
errors who can know? Cleanse me from hidden
stain 13Keep me from willful sins, Nor let
them oer me reign. And then I upright shall
appear And be from great transgression
clear. 9. 14 Let all the words I speak And all
the thoughts within Come up before Thy sight
And Thine approval win. O Thou Jehovah, unto
me My rock and my Redeemer be.