God Speaks Through the Bible • Psalm 19:7-14
By Don Hicks
Today’s focal passage begins: “The Instruction of the LORD is perfect, renewing one’s life; the testimony of the LORD is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise. The precepts of the LORD are right, making the heart glad; the command of the LORD is radiant, making the eyes light up. The fear of the LORD is pure enduring forever; the ordinances of the LORD are reliable and altogether righteous” (Psalm 19:7-9 CSB). This is defiantly a very tremendous proclamation but also trustworthy and true. I hope you will read the whole nineteenth Psalm for context and fuller understanding of the psalmist’s excitement for God’s word and message to the Hebrew people, and now to us.
A key question is where we get reliable instruction about the LORD. Of course, the first answer should be at home from your father and mother as taught by Moses in Deuteronomy 6:4-9. It would also be a very good idea for you to consider what the Apostle Paul said about Timothy’s faith: “I am calling up memories of your sincere and unqualified faith (the leaning of your entire personality on God in Christ in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness), [a faith] that first lived permanently in [the heart of] your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am [fully] persuaded, [dwells] in you also,” II Timothy 1:5 (AMPC).
A key principle of Biblical interpretation is to let the scriptures interpret each other. Psalm 119:33-35 will guide us into a deeper understanding of our focal passage: “Teach me, LORD, the meaning of your statutes, and I will always keep them. Help me understand your instruction, and I will obey it and follow it with all my heart. Help me stay on the path of your commands, for I take pleasure in it” (Psalm 119:33-35 CSB).
The focus of this Sunday School lesson is that God’s Word is His primary means of speaking to us. Remember, also, the Focus of the larger unit of study is “God loves us enough to speak to us.” Because God is speaking out of love for you, His word is more desirable than gold. In Psalm 19:10-11, we read that His love is abundant pure gold, sweeter than honey dripping from a honeycomb.
We find in Psalm 19:11-14, the writer asking who thinks about his unintentional sins. He is asking to be cleansed from hidden sin, to be kept from willful sins, not to let those sins rule him, and to be cleansed from blatant rebellion. The very best part is making the believer desire God’s help to make this earnest desire. “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, LORD, my rock and my Redeemer” Psalm 19:14 (CSB).
Also, Paul, in II Timothy 3:15-17, gives a New Testament interpretation of even more depth of meaning about God explaining His love to us. “And you know that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God be complete, equipped for every good work” 2 Timothy 3:15-17 (CSB).
My personal life story is like Timothy’s in that from infancy my mother (and my dad, too) had me in church for age-appropriate Bible study weekly. Actually, I was in church regularly before I was born. Additionally, I was similar to Timothy in that both of my grandmothers regularly shared with me by word and deed that Jesus loved me!
But if that is not your story, I have some very good news for you. God has given us a good plan to study His Word, the Bible. His church is to meet on the first day of every week to encourage each other. That encouragement should come directly from God. God has promised help, instruction in righteousness, and encouragement from His Holy Scriptures.
Remember we started this Sunday School lesson, “The instruction of the LORD is perfect, renewing one’s life; [it goes on to say] renewing one’s life; the testimony of the LORD is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise.”
See you this Sunday in Bible Study and Worship.
Hicks is a member of Park Place Baptist Church, Pearl.
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