I usually preach from a single passage—expository sermons. I do that because I’m not terribly clever and I find God’s word to be a better guide on what and how I should preach than my own imagination.

Tonight, I want to look at a meditation on Scripture written by David as one of the Psalms. This is Psalm 19.

The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And the expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.
Their line has gone out through all the earth,
And their utterances to the end of the world.

In them He has placed a tent for the sun,
Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.
Its rising is from one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

The law of Yahweh is perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of Yahweh is sure, making wise the simple.
The precepts of Yahweh are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of Yahweh is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of Yahweh is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of Yahweh are true; they are righteous altogether.
They are more desirable than gold, even more than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.

Moreover, by them Your slave is warned;
In keeping them there is great reward.
Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.
Also keep back Your slave from presumptuous sins;
Let them not rule over me;
Then I will be blameless,
And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Yahweh, my rock and my Redeemer. (Ps 19:1–14)

Come to Scripture to truly learn about your Creator.

The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And the expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.
Their line has gone out through all the earth,
And their utterances to the end of the world. (Ps 19:1–6)

This passage is often cited when discussing the fact that the natural world informs our understanding of God and what He’s like. In reality, David is almost making the opposite point. While the beauty of the heavens draw his attention to the Creator, they really don’t tell him anything meaningful.

A deeper connection with God requires more than nature walks. We commune with our Creator in the Scripture He has provided for us.

Come to Scripture to revive your spiritual fervor.

The law of Yahweh is perfect, restoring the soul; (Ps 19:7a)

Here, David abruptly leaves the insufficiency of natural revelation for the all-sufficiency of Scripture. The law of the Lord is perfect, complete, and lacking in nothing. It is capable of renewing our energy in God’s service.

Peter describes this spiritual renewal in the language of the new birth:

“You have been born again not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. “(1 Pet 1:23)

Come to Scripture to set your mind straight.

The testimony of Yahweh is sure, making wise the simple. (Ps 19:7b)

Not only the foolish and ignorant can receive wisdom—the wise can too! In comparison with God, we are all foolish. Yet the One who is perfectly wise can make us wise through His guidance. How can we go wrong when God is instructing us?

Job reflected on wisdom, declaring,

“Where then does wisdom come from?
And where is the place of understanding?
Thus it is hidden from the eyes of all living
And concealed from the birds of the sky.

Abaddon and Death say,
‘With our ears we have heard a report of it.’

God understands its way,
and He knows its place.

So He said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom;
and to turn away from evil is understanding.'” (Job 28:20–23, 28)

Come to Scripture to encourage yourself in hard times.

The precepts of Yahweh are right, rejoicing the heart; (Ps 19:8a)

The precepts of the Lord are the individual instructions, all tabulated out in the Law as we read through it.

David reminds us that we have only reason to rejoice if we’re right with God! Scripture teaches us how to mend our relationship with Him so we can experience this joy!

This is the reason John claimed to right to his audience:

“And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.” (1 John 1:4 NKJV)

Come to Scripture to clarify God’s will.

The commandment of Yahweh is pure, enlightening the eyes. (Ps 19:8b)

God’s commandments are pure because they come from a pure God and are unadulterated with the teachings and notions of men. They put us on the right pathway and show us where to go.

Come to Scripture to make a lasting difference in your life.

The fear of Yahweh is clean, enduring forever; (Ps 19:9a)

Scripture make it possible to find a cleanness, a purity that lasts forever. You can wash your hands once, but you’ll have to do it again in an hour.

Spiritual purity can last into eternity, as does the Scripture that produces it.

“The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God stands forever.” (Isa 40:8)

Come to Scripture to understand God’s law.

The judgments of Yahweh are true; they are righteous altogether. (Ps 19:9b)

The judgments of God as recorded in Scripture, especially in the Old Testament, teach us tremendously about how God feels about various behaviors and lifestyles. If you want to understand what God requires, you must go to God’s word.

Righteousness, or the fulfillment of God’s commands, is only possible if you see all of Scripture and how it fits together. Hence, David speaks of them being “righteous altogether”; you cannot piecemeal your own version of God’s law.

Come to Scripture to enrich your existence.

They are more desirable than gold, even more than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. (Ps 19:10)

Money and riches don’t enhance your life or make it more worthwhile. The word of God does, however. Its value far exceeds that of earthly treasures.

Come to Scripture to examine and overcome your weaknesses.

Moreover, by them Your slave is warned;
In keeping them there is great reward.
Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.
Also keep back Your slave from presumptuous sins;
Let them not rule over me;
Then I will be blameless,
And I shall be acquitted of great transgression. (Ps 19:11–13)

David knows that at some point the Law of God has to go from being an impersonal set of instructions to being placed on his own heart.

When we come to the Bible honestly and confront ourselves, we are able to discover all our faults and transgressions. That’s exactly the idea.

Come to Scripture to grow closer to God.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Yahweh, my rock and my Redeemer. (Ps 19:14)

Ultimately, David comes back to the purpose he expressed in the opening: to know and understand God better. After nature drew his attention to God originally, he resolved to know God more personally and intimately—and Scripture does that if we meditate upon it and keep it in our hearts.