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WestValleyChurchAugust4,2019MichaelW.O’Neill

SummerinthePsalmsPsalm19–WisdomPsalms1

SomeofyouknowthatI’vestillgotthousandsofbaseballcardsfromwhenIcollectedthemasakid;Ihavecardsfromthefiftiestotheearly80’s.Somedaytheymightbeworthmoneyagain,buttheyprobablywon’teverbeworthwhatthevalueswerelikebeforethebubbleburstinthe1990s.Cardsthatoncewereworthasmuchas$100apiecearenowworth$5or$10.Still,I’vegotmyfavorites,andit’snotbecauseofwhattheirmonetaryvaluesarebutbecauseofwhotheyare–heroesofmyyouth,likeWillieMays,HankAaron,MickeyMantle,TedWilliams,RobertoClemente,NolanRyan,RogerMaris,andthisguy:YogiBerra.Thisishis1956card–thisisoneofthecardsIhave.Howmanyofyouhaveheardofhim?

Hewasacatcherfor19seasonsthroughthefiftiesandsixties,almostallofthemwiththeNewYorkYankees,playingwithallthegreatslikeMickeyMantleandJoeDimaggio.He’sintheBaseballHallofFame.Hewasknownforhisabilityasaballplayer,butalsoalmostasmuchforhis“yogiisms”–hiswordsofwisdom,makingstatementswithallkindsoflinguisticgymnastics.Forexample,whenhespoketograduatesatMontclairStateUniversity,hegavethemthisadvice:

§ First,nevergiveup,becauseitain'tover'tilit'sover.§ Second,whenyoucometoaforkintheroad,takeit.§ Third,don'talwaysfollowthecrowd.Nobodygoesthereanymore.It'stoo

crowded.§ Fourth,stayalert.Youcanobservealotjustbywatching.§ Fifth,andlast,rememberthatwhateveryoudoinyourlife,90percentofitis

halfmental.

1Sourcesofresearch:-StephenJ.Lennox,Psalms:ABibleCommentaryintheWesleyanTradition(Indianapolis,IN:WesleyanPublishingHouse,1999)-DavidThompson,Psalms1-72:ACommentaryintheWesleyanTradition,NewBeaconBibleCommentary(BeaconHillPress,KansasCity,2015)-DerekKidner,Psalms1-72:AnIntroductionandCommentary,vol.15,TyndaleOldTestamentCommentaries(DownersGrove,IL:InterVarsityPress,1973)-AllenP.Ross,“Psalms,”inTheBibleKnowledgeCommentary:AnExpositionoftheScriptures,ed.J.F.WalvoordandR.B.Zuck,vol.1(Wheaton,IL:VictorBooks,1985)-JohnD.Barryetal.,FaithlifeStudyBible(Bellingham,WA:LexhamPress,2012,2016),Ps19-W.GrahamScroggie,ThePsalms(OldTappanNewJersey,FlemingH.RevellCompany,1973)

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YoualwaysknowYogi’swisdomwhenyouseeit:it’sfunnywhenyoufirstreaditbecauseitdoesn’tmakesense,butthenthemoreyouthinkaboutit,themoreyourealizethatmaybeitreallydoesmakesense.Well,todaywearegoingtotalkaboutwisdom.ThisisthefifthSundayofoursermonseriescalled“SummerinthePsalms.”ThereisincredibledepthandrichnessinthePsalmsthatformanyofushasremainedundiscoveredanduntouched.

WestartedoutthisseriesbylookingatanoverviewoftheentirebookofPsalmsandhowitisorganized,andwhyitisorganizedthatway.Ifyouweren’twithus,Iencourageyoutogotoourwebsiteoronourchurchappandfindthefirstsermoninthisseriesandlistentoitorreaditbecauseitwillgiveyouimportantbackgroundinformationandacontextforthisseries.

WelearnedthattheBookofPsalmsintheOldTestamentisdesignedforthispurpose:

PsalmsisabookofprayerstohelpyouobeyGod’sWordandstayfaithfultotheMessiah,JesusChrist.

That’swhatitisgoingtohelpusdothissummerandhopefullyfortherestofourChristianlives.Ourgoalisthat,bythetimewearethrough,youwillhaveagreaterabilitytopraywithmoredepthandauthenticity,nomatterwhatitisyouareprayingaboutorwhatyouaregoingthrough.

ThenwetalkedaboutthedifferenttypesofPsalms–therearedifferentstylesortypesthatwerecognizeandcangroupthemin.Youcanseethemonthelistthere.We’vetalkedabout“PraiseandThanksgiving”Psalms,we’velookedatanexampleof“Royal/Messianic”Psalms,lastweekwelookedat“Liturgical”Psalms,andtodaythetypewearelookingatisthe“Wisdom”Psalms.Wewilllookattheothersthroughtherestofthesummer.

Sowhat’sabout“wisdom”Psalmsfromtheothers?Well,thegoldstandardofwisdomliteratureisthebookofProverbs–thatbookistheonethatanyotherBiblebooksarecomparedtowhendecidingiftheyshouldbeconsidered“wisdom”literature.SobesidesProverbs,the“wisdom”booksoftheBibleareJob,SongofSongs,andEcclesiastes,andthentherearesomeofthePsalmsthatfitintothatcategory,too.Here’swhatmakestheWisdomliteratureunique:

§ Theword“wisdom”orsomevariationoccursalot(makessense!)§ Itdoesn’thavealotofnarrativeaboutthestoryofIsraelorherheroes

(Jobissortofanexception.)§ Theyfocusalotonthe“Law”asgiveninthefirstfivebooksoftheBible§ Theytendtopresentlifechoices,contrastingthe“wise”fromthe

“foolish.”§ Theyarewritteninateachingstyle(asopposedtoteachingbyexample–

Abraham,Joseph,Esther–ortellingaboutGod’smightypowerandlove).§ TheyindicatelivingwiselyresultsinGod’sblessing;livingfoolishly

resultsinjudgmentandultimatefailure.(Principals,notrules)

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Doesthatmakesense?SotherearesomePsalmsthatfitfullyintothiscategory,andwe’regoingtolookatoneofthosetoday–Psalm19.KingDavidwrotePsalm19,anditmakessomesensethathe’stheauthor.Remember,KingSolomonwasDavid’sson,andheisconsideredthewisestpersontoeverhavelived.SolomoniscreditedwithwritingmostoftheProverbs,Ecclesiastes,andSongofSongs.SomanyoftheproverbsthatSolomonwrites,andthatstyleofwriting,probablyfindtheirrootsinthewaysSolomon’sdadtaughthimashewasgrowingup–waysthatwecanseeinDavid’swritingofthisandotherwisdomPsalms.

Psalm19isabeautifulexampleofawisdomPsalm.Italsohassomeelementsofotherstyles,like“PraiseandThanksgiving,”butyou’llseeit’sprimarilya“wisdom”style.Iwanttoreadittousbeforewetakealookathowitisorganizedandwhatitmeans.Sowouldyoubewillingtostandwithme,please,asIreadittous?

1TheheavensdeclarethegloryofGod;theskiesproclaimtheworkofhishands.2Dayafterdaytheypourforthspeech;nightafternighttheyrevealknowledge.3Theyhavenospeech,theyusenowords;nosoundisheardfromthem.4Yettheirvoicegoesoutintoalltheearth,theirwordstotheendsoftheworld.IntheheavensGodhaspitchedatentforthesun.5Itislikeabridegroomcomingoutofhischamber,likeachampionrejoicingtorunhiscourse.6Itrisesatoneendoftheheavensandmakesitscircuittotheother;nothingisdeprivedofitswarmth.7ThelawoftheLordisperfect,refreshingthesoul.ThestatutesoftheLordaretrustworthy,makingwisethesimple.8ThepreceptsoftheLordareright,givingjoytotheheart.ThecommandsoftheLordareradiant,givinglighttotheeyes.9ThefearoftheLordispure,enduringforever.ThedecreesoftheLordarefirm,andallofthemarerighteous.10Theyaremorepreciousthangold,thanmuchpuregold;theyaresweeterthanhoney,thanhoneyfromthehoneycomb.

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11Bythemyourservantiswarned;inkeepingthemthereisgreatreward.12Butwhocandiscerntheirownerrors?Forgivemyhiddenfaults.13Keepyourservantalsofromwillfulsins;maytheynotruleoverme.ThenIwillbeblameless,innocentofgreattransgression.14Maythesewordsofmymouthandthismeditationofmyheartbepleasinginyoursight,Lord,myRockandmyRedeemer.(Psalm19,niv)

MayGodblessthereadingofhisWordtoourhearts.Thankyou;youcanhaveaseat.

LikeallPsalms,thisoneisorganizedaroundcertainthemesandwritingstyles,andIthink,ifyourememberthelistofcharacteristicsofwisdompsalmsthatIlisted,you’llseethatthisverymuchfitsintowisdomliterature.

ChristianwriterCSLewisconsideredPsalm19tobethefinestpoeminallofthePsalms,andoneofthefinestpoemsintheworld.It’sreallybeautiful,inwaysthatyoudon’talwaysseeinourtranslations.

Solet’sstartbyseeingthatthisPsalmfirstshowsusthatGod’s…

1.WorksrevealGod’sglory(vs1-6)Intheoriginallanguage,thisPsalmiswrittenbeautifullywithwhat’scalleda“chiastic”style.Chiasticpoetry,putsimply,islikethis:youhavetwothings–“A”and“B”,andsoyoucomparethembywritingabouttheminthisorder:“A,B,B,A.”That’skindofanoversimplification,butItellyouthattopointoutthatthisisanincrediblyintelligent,intentional,andbeautifullywrittenpoem.Itstartsoutbyturningoureyestowardtheheavens.Itdoesn’tcallourattentiontoanyonesinglecelestialbody,buttheentiresky–includingthesun,moon,stars,planets,andthebackdropinwhichtheyaresetinmotion.TheseincrediblethingsrevealGod’sglory,becausetheyarehiscreation.YoumightrememberthatwereferencedthislastweekwhenwetalkedabouthowGod’screationrevealshisglory,andthatPsalm136talksabouthowGodcreatedeverythingwithgreatintelligenceandwisdom.Todaywewouldcallit“intelligentdesign.”

Soinsomeways,thisstartsoutlikeapraiseandthanksgivingpsalm.Butitisdoingwaymorethanthat.Itisactuallymakingadirectstatementagainstthefalseandfoolishbeliefsofthecultureandpeoplearoundthem.ThisPsalmtakesaboldstandforthesupremacyofGodoverallthefalsegods.Manyofthesurroundingnationsworshipedthesun,themoon,theplanetsandthestars,andinfactsomeofthatpracticehascarriedoverallthewaytotodaywiththepracticeofworshippinghoroscopesthroughastrology.Peoplewhouseastrologymightsaythattheydon’t“worship”it,butbyeverydefinitionthatisexactlywhatit

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is–worshipofthestars,andseekingdirectionforourlivesfromthem,andthatpracticegoesallthewaybacktoOldTestamentBibletimes.ButthisPsalmsaysthattheheavensarewaylessthenthingstobeworshiped;theyinfactareonlytheincredibleevidenceoftheONEwhoshouldbeworshiped,Godhimself.That’swhyGodexplicitlysays:

“Andwhenyoulookuptotheskyandseethesun,themoonandthestars—alltheheavenlyarray—donotbeenticedintobowingdowntothemandworshipingthingstheLordyourGodhasapportionedtoallthenationsunderheaven.”(Deuteronomy4:19,niv)

Worshipofthesunandmoonandplanetsandstarsmightseemcrazytoustoday,becauseweknowthattheyarenothingmorethanhotgasandcoldmatter.Butwhilethispsalmsaystheyarenotgods,thispsalmalsosaysthattheyarewaymorethanhotgasandcoldmatter;theyarethevisibleandundeniableevidenceofGod’sgreatness.AndtheheavenscouldnotshoutthattousanylouderifGodhadgiventhemmouthsandlips.ThisPsalmsaysthat,eventhoughtheheavenscan’tspeak,they“pourforthspeech,”non-stop.Theoriginallanguagecreatesakindofword-pictureofabubblingspringthatcontinuouslyoverflows.ThenDavidwritesthatGodhaspitchedatentforthesun.Thisreflectstheancientunderstandingofthecosmos:theybelievedthattheskywasadomelikestructure,stretchedoutbetweentheearthandtheheavens.Davidwritesinawaythat“personifies”thesun,butdoesn’t“deify”thesun.ThatisanimportantdistinctionbetweenwhatthePsalmsaysandwhattheculturedid.David’ssayingthesunislikeaperson,buthe’snotsayingitoughttobeworshiped.

Hewritesthatthesunitselfbreaksintothedawnlikeabridegroomcomingoutofhistent.Letmetrytostatewhatmaybeyou’vealreadyfiguredout:Here’sayoungstud,thathasmarriedhisgorgeous,foxywife,andlastnightwastheirfirstnighttogether.Sothenextmorningheemergesboundingoutofthetent,likeaguyinanOldSpicecommercial,havinghadthebestnightofhislife,fullofenergyandreadyforanotherday.Gotit?Thatistheword-picturethatDavidiscreatingtodescribehowamazinglyGodhascreatedthesuntoriseoneachnewday.AnotherimageDavidusestodescribethesunisthatofastrongmanrunningarace;thinkofUsainBoltoutofthestartingblocks.Afterthesun’sinitialappearance,itmovesthroughtheskywiththegracefulstrideofaworld-classrunner.Nocorneroftheworldisleftuntouchedbyitsrays;noperson,animalorobjectisunaffectedbyitslightandheat.Liketherestoftheheavens,itprovidescontinual,undeniableproofofthegreatnessofGod.2ThosearetheimagesthatDavidusestodescribetheradiance,theglow,andthepowerofthesun,whichisonlyareflectionoftheGodwhocreatedit.SowhilethisfirstsectionisabeautifulpoemthatpraisesGod,itisalsowisdomliterature,becauseitleavesthereaderwithachoice:eitherclearlyseeGodreflectedinhiscreationandsobelieveinhim,orfoolishlyrejectwhatcreationsoclearlytellsyouaboutGod,andbecondemned.ThisiswhattheApostlePaulwastalkingaboutinRomans:“ButIask:Didthey(talkingaboutunbelievers)nothear?Ofcoursethey

2Lennox,69–70.

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did:‘Theirvoice(creation)hasgoneoutintoalltheearth,theirwordstotheendsoftheworld.’”(Romans10:18,niv)Paulisremindingthereaderoftheveryfirstthingshewrote,tenchaptersearlier,inRomansone:

“They(again,talkingaboutunbelievers)knowthetruthaboutGodbecausehehasmadeitobvioustothem.Foreversincetheworldwascreated,peoplehaveseentheearthandsky.ThrougheverythingGodmade,theycanclearlyseehisinvisiblequalities—hiseternalpoweranddivinenature.SotheyhavenoexcusefornotknowingGod.”(Romans1:19-20,nlt)

Paulwentontosay:“Yes,theyknewGod,buttheywouldn’tworshiphimasGodorevengivehimthanks.AndtheybegantothinkupfoolishideasofwhatGodwaslike.Asaresult,theirmindsbecamedarkandconfused.Claimingtobewise,theyinsteadbecameutterfools.”(Romans1:21-22,nlt)

Soyousee,thisisalreadyaboutwisdom;aboutbeingwiseenoughtoseewhatcreationtellsyousoobviously.

WhenIwasincollegeatNorthwestNazareneUniversity(College),onenighttherewasathunderandlighteningstorm,soafriendandIdroveouttoLakeLowell–areservoirnotfarfromcampus–tositonthedockandwatchthestormataboutoneinthemorning.Ididn’tsayIwassmart.Iwasasophomore.Doyouknowwhattheword“sophomoric”means?Itcomesfromtheword“sophomore,”anditmeans“overconfidentofknowledgebutpoorlyinformedandimmature.”3Dowehavecollegestudentsheretodaywhowillbegoingbackfortheirsophomoreyear?Well,iftheshoefits….Itcertainlyfitme,goingouttothedockinalightningstorm.Fortunately,wesurvived.Anditwasincredible.IfeltlikeweheardGodcoming;likewesawhimcominginthedistantflickersoflightning.Thenasthestormgotcloser,IthoughtthatitfeltlikeGodwaswalkingrightpastus–hugewindcomingbeforethethunderandfinallythelightning,explodingeverythingarounduswithwhitehotlight,likeeverywhereGodlookedlitup.Thenitallhappenedinreverseorder,untilfinallyitwassostillandsilent,andIfeltbadforthepeoplewhochosetosleepthroughit;thatGodwalkedthroughandtheymissedit.(Plus,theyweren’tignorantenoughtogositonadockinthemiddleofit).Butthat’skindofthefeelingthatDavidleavesuswithwhenhewritesthissection.ThenDavidshiftsgearsandshowsussomethingelsethatGodhasgivenustomakeuswise–muchmoresignificantthancreation,andthatisGod’s…

2.Word(that)revivesthesoul(vs7-11)DavidmakesaseriesofstatementsusingdifferentHebrewtermsfortheLaworTorah(asrecordedinthefirstfivebooksoftheBible).Forus,wewouldrightfullyexpandthistermtomeantheentireBible.DavidusesseveralwordstodescribeGod’sWord;hecallsitthelaw(torah),thestatutes(eduth),precepts(piqqudim),

3https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sophomoric

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thecommands(mitswah),decrees(mishpat),andthefear(yir'ah)ofYahweh.Thatlastonemightseemkindofstrange,asifweshouldbeafraidofGod,andinawaythatiswhatitmeans.Butitmeansahealthyfear;thatGodissoimmenseandsopowerfulthathedeservesourrespect,ourawe,andoursubmission.SoDavidcallstheBible“thefearofYahweh”orthefearofGodbecausetheBiblerevealstoushowawesomeourGodis,andthatheis“chesed”–remember?Helovesus,andsoweshouldsubmittohim.

DavidalsodescribestheeffectofGod’sLawtorevive,givewisdom,causerejoicing,andenlightenus.4Hewritesthatthelawisperfect,notonlybecauseitoriginatesfromGod,butalsobecauseofwhyGodgaveittous:forustoliveverybestlives.

Asmajesticandpermanentascreationis,God’sWorddoesmuch,muchmorethantheheavensdo.JesusquotedtheprophetIsaiahwhenhesaid:

“Heavenandearthwilldisappear,butmywordswillneverdisappear.”(Matthew24:35,Isaiah40:8,nlt)

ThevalueoftheWordofGodandwhatitdoesforuswillnevereverdisappear.

OnlyGod’sWordcanmakewisethesimple(19:7b)andcanwarnusandrewardus(19:11).Thesuncan’trevealhiddenfaults;onlyGod’sWordcandothat(19:12).OnlyGod’sWordcancreatethedesireinourheartsforpurity,andonlyGod’sWordcanleadustoconfession,andcanbringustoourneedtogiveandreceiveforgiveness(19:12–13).

CreationcanrevealGod’sglory,butonlyGod’sWordcanmakepossibleapersonalknowledgeoftheCreator.

ThispointismadesubtlybutunmistakablyintheusesofGod’snameinthetwosectionsofPsalm19.5Davidintentionallywritesintohispoemapowerfuldistinctionbetweenthesefirsttwosections.ThefirstsectionofthisPsalm(vs1-6)thatdealswithcreationusesthegenericnameforGod“Elohim,”anditusesthatnameonlyonce.InthisnextsectionthatisaboutGod’sWord(7-11),God’sholyname—Yahweh—isusedtorefertoGod,andit’susedmorethanonce;infact,it’susedacertainnumberoftimes…guesshowmany?Seventimes6-anumberthatindicatesperfection.CreationrevealsGod,butGod’sWorditselfperfectlyrevivesorrestoresus.

So,havingseenthatGod’sworksrevealGod’sglory,andthatGod’sWordcanrevivethesoul,thenthe…

3.Wise(will)respondinprayer(vs12-14)BecauseGodhasspokenthroughhiscreation,andbecauseGodhasspokentousthroughhisWord,becauseandonlybecauseGodspokecanwethenspeaktoGodin

4JohnD.Barryetal.5StephenJ.Lennox6ibid

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prayer(19:12–14)andpraise(19:14).Godhasspokenthroughthosemeansbecausehelovesusandwantsaconversationwithus.SothisPsalmexpectsustorespondtoGod.DavidwroteabouthowobeyingGod’sWordbringsgreatreward(invs.11),andbecauseofGod’sWordherealizeshisowngreattransgressionorsin(invs.13).Sotheonlywiseresponseistomovefromworshipertoservant;frombeinginaweofGod,tobeinginsubmissiontoGod.God’screationandGod’sWordhavedonewhattheyweresupposedtodoinDavid’slife:they’veledhimtohiskneesinconfessionandtoaskforforgiveness.HeacknowledgesthatheneedsGod’sWordtopointouthisfaults,sincehisownarroganceorwillfulnesstosinwouldkeephimfromseeinghisownsin.HebegsGodtohelphimtobeblameless:forGodtoforgivehim,andforhimtoliveobedientlyandcompletelyforGod.That’stheonlywiseresponse.Thatshouldbetheconclusionwecometo,also.God,throughChrist,hasultimatelyandcompletelymadeallthiskindoflifepossibleforyou:

“ForGodinallhisfullnesswaspleasedtoliveinChrist,andthroughhimGodreconciledeverythingtohimself.HemadepeacewitheverythinginheavenandonearthbymeansofChrist’sbloodonthecross.ThisincludesyouwhowereoncefarawayfromGod.Youwerehisenemies,separatedfromhimbyyourevilthoughtsandactions.YetnowhehasreconciledyoutohimselfthroughthedeathofChristinhisphysicalbody.Asaresult,hehasbroughtyouintohisownpresence,andyouareholyandblamelessasyoustandbeforehimwithoutasinglefault.Butyoumustcontinuetobelievethistruthandstandfirmlyinit.”(Colossians1:19-23,nlt)

BecauseGodspokethroughcreationandHisWord,especiallythroughTHEWORD,JesusChristwhowaspresentatcreation(Colossians1:16),andonlybecauseGodspokecanweinturnspeakpersonallyabouttheCreatorGodasmyRockandmyRedeemer(19:14).AreyoulisteningtoGod’sWordtoday?Haveyoubeenlisteningtocreationspeakingtoyou?Areyourespondingwithwisdom,byhumblingyourself,confessing,askingforhisforgiveness(whichhewillfreelygiveyouifyouaskforit),andinvitinghimtohelpyouliveforhim?HavingcometoknowHimthroughHisLivingWord,wetoocantakeourplacewiththevoicelessheavenstodeclarethegloryofGodwithourverylives.7

Prayer

Here’showtopraythisPsalmeverydaythisweek(writethesedown):1. ThinkofsomethingincreationthatturnsyourattentiontoGod.Dwellon

thatandpraiseandthankGodforit.Ocean,mountains,trees,etc.Gotit?2. SpendsometimereadingasectionofGod’sWord.WatchforhowGodis

revealedinit.Gotit?

7Lennox

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3. Humbleyourself,searchyourheartandconfessanythingyoufind.CommittofollowhimandaskhimtoworkinyoutoliveoutGod’sWord.Gotit?

MayGod“pourforthspeech”throughyourverylife!