About the pastor, Paul Mallard
- From Birmingham, studied theology in Cambridge
- A lot of the people studying and teaching theology in Cambridge didn’t actually believe in the bible, or in God
- After his three years, he came out believing even more in the bible, because of all the people who didn’t believe it
Psalm 19 Analysis
- In Psalm 19, God speaks to us in three voices, or three different ways.
- 1. The voice of creation/skies/stars (v1-6)
- 2. The voice of the word of God/the bible (v7-9)
- 3. The voice of the servant (v10)
- We’ll explore these in order
- 1. Creation doesn’t have words, but what it says is eloquent
- V1: ‘the heavens declare the glory of God;’- the word ‘declare’- speaking clearly, saying it now
- V1: ‘the skies proclaim the work of his hands’- ‘proclaim’- to preach
- V2: ‘Day after day they pour forth speech;’- ‘pour forth’- something that bubbles up. God is speaking constantly. Makes me think of a brimming stream full of life and joy
- ‘day after day’ and ‘night after night’ (v2)- this is a universal language, there are no barriers to it, everyone understands it
- V4: ‘In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion’. Look at the sun, feel the sun on your face, God created that, that’s the beauty of the Lord, that’s God speaking to you, those are his words.
- Back in the day the bridegroom would enter, rather than the bride (I think). But think of the joy of the groom in modern day when he sees his beautiful bride, the love he feels for her, the beauty he is taking in, the excitement he feels as they are about to be married.
- Yet the sun is nothing more than a candle God has put in the sky, that is how amazing God is
- Every human being knows that God exists. Many don’t like the idea, many suppress the idea.
- Think of a beach ball in the sea, and constantly trying to put it under the surface of the water. That is what people do with the knowledge that God exists. Because the idea of God existing is uncomfortable to them.
- But in verse 1: ‘the heavens declare the glory of God’- all creation praises God! Every bird, every creature, all the beauty around us. God is speaking in creation.
- 2. God speaks much more clearly and personally to us in the bible
- ‘Elohi’- Hebrew word, God as being God, that’s who he is
- The name ‘Lord’ is used 6 times in these verses. This is God’s personal name- Yahweh- I am who I am. This shows that when God speaks to us in the bible, it’s personal. He is talking to us!
- These verses discuss three things:
- 1. Where these words are from (origin)
- 2. What it’s like (didn’t write it down)
- 3. What it does (power)
- 1. ‘The law of the Lord’
- Facts about the bible:
- 1. 66 books
- 2. 40 authors
- 3. Written over 2000 words
- 4. (I forgot)
- When we open this book, the bible, it’s nothing less than the voice of God
- God cannot lie. Therefore, the bible is reliable. It is complete, without blemish, so we can trust it fully. Backed up by v7: ‘the law of the Lord is perfect’. The bible straightens us out.
- V9: ‘the fear of the lord is pure’- it’s without stain.
- Every single person will live forever. Either in heaven or in hell.
- How can I be sure to go to heaven? Trust in God
- How can I do that? Read God’s word, the bible
- The word of the Lord endures forever.
- V7: ‘reviving the soul’ – it is sustaining us. We feed ourselves with the word of God, like food. It is the best form of nourishment. Food for the soul.
- Simple people become wise through the Lord.
- You can be academically smart, clever. But you can only get wisdom from the bible.
- Story: The pastor’s father died at the age of 60, and when he died he knew he was going to heaven.
- He worked night shifts in Cadbury
- When the other men were playing cards, he’d read the bible.
- When he finished it, he’d start again, and so on and so on
- He left school at 14, and never continued education. He never set an exam in his life. But he was filled with wisdom from the bible.
- 3. Treasure God’s word
- V10: the words of God ‘are more precious than gold, than much pure gold’ – The most precious thing in the ancient world was gold- God’s word is more precious than that! More precious than wealth and money
- V 10: ‘they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb’- honey is the most sweet delectable thing. God’s word is more precious than the tastiest food ever!
- V 11: ‘in keeping them there is great reward’ – treasure God’s word, make it become a part of you
- V12-14: let the word become a part of you
- V12: ‘forgive my hidden faults’- there are hidden sins lurking in our hearts
- Almost unintended sin, we just fall into it.
- Presumptuous sin, obnoxious sin
- When you play with sin you get caught- from my own experiences, this is so true
- There’s a gravity about sin, like sitting at the top of a very tall slide. You’re right on the edge, and boom! You fall over the edge. You’re plummeting down at such a high speed, unaware of what you’re even doing. You do things you never expected to do, that surprise you. It feels so hard to get out of it.
- V11: ‘by them is your servant warned’- the bible warns us of this. It says you can’t save yourself.
- Trust in Him, and make Him the rock on which you build your life.
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