Psalm 19

You must have heard sermons on Psalm 19 that run something like this: General revelation is good but not enough (v.1-6), so God gives us the special revelation of the law (vv.7-11).

But that is not the end of the story. Verses 12-14 are a prayer for more:

• A further word of justification "declare me..."
• A further work of sanctification "keep back your servant"

It seems we need more than greater clarity, we need a different kind of revelation.

What is man that you are mindful of him?

Dawkins asks:

"Why should a divine being with creation and eternity on his mind, care a fig for petty human malefactions?" (p. 238, The God Delusion)

Maybe he'd be surprised that David asked a similar question:

"When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?" (Psalm 8:3-4)

The differences between the two include:

• Dawkins has an attitude of contempt, but David has an attitude of wonder.
• Dawkins presumes that if he can't answer the question then it is probably unanswerable, David doesn't.
• Dawkins asks the question of his readers, David comes to God with his question and looks to him for his answer.

Psalm 132 retold

This passage has been a great encouragement to me as I've been praying for some things for my church recently. God so loved my church he died for her and he lives for her:

Psalm 132	An attempt to pray its fulfilment
Remember, O Lord, in David's favour, all the hardships he endured,	Remember, Father God, in Christ's favour his suffering in his life and death,
how he swore to the Lord and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,	remember that he swore to you, he made a solemn vow to you
"I will not enter my house or get into my bed, I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, until I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”	He promised, "I will not rest until I build somewhere for you to live"
Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah; we found it in the fields of Jaar.	Listen close everyone, we have heard amazing news in Bethlehem, news that God was in Jesus Christ
"Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool!"	Let us go to Jesus Christ where God is, and there worship
Arise, O Lord, and go to your resting place, you and the ark of your might.	Father come and find your rest in your church, you and your Son with you.
Let your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let your saints shout for joy.	Our Father, make your people righteous, make them shout in joy
For the sake of your servant David, do not turn away the face of your anointed one.	You should do this for Jesus' sake, please do not forget him.
The Lord swore to David a sure oath from which he will not turn back: "One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne. If your sons keep my covenant and my testimonies that I shall teach them, their sons also forever shall sit on your throne."	We know that the Father swore to the Son, and he will never renege on such a commitment, The Father said "I will make one of David's sons the king of my church, and because he will keep my covenant perfectly he will reign forever.
"This is my resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it.	Our Father said "as my Son will reign forever in the church so I will abide in my Son and be with him I will settle permanently to rest in the church. Why? Because I love the church.
I will abundantly bless her provisions; I will satisfy her poor with bread. Her priests I will clothe with salvation, and her saints will shout for joy.	I will give in overflowing generosity, I will feed the church I will provide all she needs and her members will shout for joy!
There I will make a horn to sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed. His enemies I will clothe with shame, but on him his crown will shine."	In the church Jesus will be honoured. but those who oppose Jesus will be shamed

Your law is my delight

(HT Tim)

"I long for your salvation, O Lord,
and your law is my delight.
Let my soul live and praise you,
and let your rules help me.
I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant,
for I do not forget your commandments."

(Psalm 119:174-176)

"I delight in the law of God, in my inner being,
but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

(Romans 7:22-25)

Both passages include:

• delight in the law; and
• a realisation of our failure to keep it.

After this common starting point:

• The OT passage includes a prayer to be delivered.
• The NT passage includes thanks that we have been delivered.