DECLARATION AND SUBMISSION

Psalms 19:1-14  For the director of music. A psalm of David. 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.  (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.  (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.

Those who claim a belief in God will many times point everyone to nature, to the earth and it’s wonders, to the skies and its vast unexplored wonder, and tell everyone that it is impossible that there is no God.  The earth and the universe didn’t just evolve from a big bang.  It was created by God. 

This is what the first part of Psalm 19 partly shows us.

(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.

In this first portion of David’s psalm he says that the heavens declare the glory of God and the skies proclaim the work of His hands!  Day after day, night after night, if the heavens and the earth had a voice it would be going to all the earth, rising from one end to the other proclaiming their Creator.

But it’s not just about God as Creator.  Look again at what verse 1 says:

(1)  The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands

But this is where many fall short of.  They may look at creation and claim that there is a God, but they may not see the GLORY of this God.

The heavens do not just proclaim that there is a God, and that He created it, but it proclaims the glory of this God who created the heavens and the earth.

This is not just a knowledge of God, or a belief in God – but it is a declaration of His glory – His holiness, His greatness, His sovereignty over what He has created.

It is a glory that causes all to bow down, and revere the One who created.

This is why the second half of this psalm is very important.  Because someone who recognizes and bows down to the glory of the God proclaimed by the heavens, will also recognize the rule and law of this Creator.

 (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.

We are not just to recognize that there is a Creator, but we are to take heed of the proclamation of the heavens – the God who expresses His glory by His law, His statutes, His precepts, His commands.

Someone who recognizes the glory of God now submits to His laws, His commands. 

He recognizes it’s value:

It is perfect, reviving the soul.

They are trustworthy, making wise the simple

They are right, giving joy to the heart.

They are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

They are pure, enduring forever.

They are sure, altogether righteous

They are precious, more than pure gold

They are sweeter than honey.

The result:  Submission.

(11)  By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.  (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. 

Someone who recognizes the declaration of the heavens of the glory of God also recognizes the laws and commands of this God.  And someone who recognizes it bows down in submission to this glorious God.

He is warned by them.

He recognizes the reward in keeping them.

He recognizes his need for forgiveness for breaking His commands.

He recognizes the need for it’s rule over his life, that he may be blameless.

And someone who recognizes the glory of his God, and the beauty of His commands, now has a desire to please his God – thus, his prayer:

(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.

This God, whose glory is proclaimed by the heavens, and who expresses this glory and holiness in His laws and commands, has now become his Rock and Redeemer.

It is not enough that we look at the heavens and believe God.

God’s desire is that we see His glory.  And as our hearts bow down in view of that glory, we recognize His laws and commands that glorify Him, and in result we live in submission to this God whom the heavens have revealed to us.

Only God can open our eyes to see this glory.

Only God can open our eyes to recognize His laws and commands, and move us to submit to them and obey them.

All this has been accomplished through Jesus Christ, who has taken away the hindrance of our sin that has blinded us to this glory, and reconciled us to our Creator.

Colossians 1:15-20  He (Jesus Christ) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  (16)  For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.  (17)  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  (18)  And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.  (19)  For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,  (20)  and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Our Creator is our Savior.  And He saved us that we may be reconciled to Him, recognize His glory, His commands, and submit to Him as our Rock and our Redeemer.