8/2/59

Scripture: Psalm 19.

"The heavens declare the glory of God’ and the firmament showeth his handiwork." With these words, the Psalmist begins the song of faith which was read as our Scripture lesson today. Those who have a bit of poetry in the soul can find more than a bit of God in the handiwork of His creation. The evening brings out stars in the sky; and perhaps a crescent moon, or a full moon, in beauty that endures. Morning streaks the sky with color and hope. And the noon sun floods the earth, distant though it be from that sun, with light and understanding.

If one wakens early in the woods, or by some stream or lake, one can hear birds of many kinds begin their songs and calls, until the chorus brings out an exultant harmony in sound while the rest of the earth wakes from its silence. Not only a Psalmist of centuries ago, but people of the here and now, can perceive the glories of the creator in his creation, and are lifted by that understanding.

A man whom I have met in recent years gets up about 4:30 each morning. One of the rewards of this practice, during summer time, at least, is his chance to hear and see the birds of the woods coming to the life of a new day. He follows their habits and flights with great interest. Often he goes fishing on a small lake in northern Wisconsin. This is no vocation with him. For he has been a career man in the US Navy. Probably a life-time of service in that vocation has established his pattern of early rising. But he uses those early hours, now in his retirement, for observation of those wonders that keep his wonder and understanding fresh. It is more than incidental that the worship hour on a Sunday morning usually finds him in the church of his choice, whether at home or on vacation.

This earth, so little, and yet so great, shows forth the wonders of the God who has made it as it is. Even more does the whole creation show forth His handiwork.

The communication of nature may not be speech in one of the tongues of mankind, though the words of man can be used to show forth the glory of God. The stars have no speech or language heard by the ear of man. But the glory is apparent, nonetheless.

What, then, is it to "glorify God?" How can the creature declare the glory of the Creator? By being a credit to the creator so that, gazing at the firmament, or at some minute portion of the universe, he is constrained to say, "How noble must be the mind that dreamed it into being."

Connect this with the opening statement of the shorter catechism: "Man’s chief end (or aim) is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever." The end, this glorifying, is to be such a person as to be an honor to his maker, just as a good building honors its architect or designer.

It is interesting that, among all natural things, the psalmist selects the heavens and the firmament as the first of the voices of glory. Those speak of beauty, of vastness, and of steadfast order. In a world of confusion and change, there is such a thing as the "consolation of the stars." A man from certain northern islands has said, "The stars brought me to God." And he proceeded to make of his life something which proved that his coming to God through that understanding was no temporary beginning! For he accepted the moral order, and its service, along with the order of nature.

The psalmist’s phrase, "the firmament showeth his handiwork," gives us a further hint. It is as if the "streaming of the innumerable stars" were but a hobby of the Creator, while the full power of his creativeness was to be found beyond even what we see here. Do you remember the apostle’s words in the New Testament: -- "Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard --- the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him." [I Corinthians 2: 9]

"Day unto day uttereth speech" -- or one might phrase it "pours forth the story." This is a Hebrew habit of personifying the impersonal, and it adds vividness to such poetry as we read in this 19th Psalm.

Each day has a life of its own. It is pictured here as coming forth from its dwelling, at the appointed time, with a primary duty to declare to its successor that God is glorious. There is something wonderfully majestic and assuring in the concept that each day hands a trumpet to its successor to blow the same triumphant note, while each night does the same.

As we gaze at the society of people, with all of their follies and mistakes and perversions --- as we contemplate in sorrow the sins of people, the mind becomes confused and darkened. But if we turn to the day and to the night, we hear one dependable and unfailing song: "The hand that made us is divine." That understanding line appears in the last hymn that we sang together today. I know of at least one church where they make of point of singing this hymn, "The Spacious Firmament On High," just about this time every year. This is partly because the summer vacation time is used by many of the folk in that congregation in such a way the they are readily, and joyfully, reminded of God in the beauty of nature.

The most foolish of men are those who turn day into night and night into day just pursuing pleasure. It is significant that the person who lives more frankly with the day and the night as they are --- the country man --- is sometimes the more reverent man. In the noise and clamor of life, is there anything that we need more than the search for silence, so that we may hear what the firmament has to say to us?

Just because mankind is within this world, of which the heavens, the firmament, the day and the night are a part, no man is therefore without a witness to God in this world.

It is natural that a Hebrew poet of the orient, or anyone else for that matter, should give the place of honor to the sun. Presumably our earth came from the sun, and it still orbits around it. Possibly, in the eons to come, our earth may return to the sun, ending its career in the absorbent heat thereof. Meanwhile, earth and its people are dependent on the sun. If we should cease to be dependent on the sun, we might have a few short minutes of miserable ignorance, followed by obliteration. We see the sun rising, and its light making its circuit of the day, a gay and radiant thing, like a bridegroom coming forth from his room, or like an athlete rejoicing in the strength to run a race.

It is important to add, as the Psalmist does, that "there is nothing hid from the heat thereof." It is necessary to know that the life-giving light and heat of the sun can also bring death if we are presumptuous. In the presence of the sun, one must have the shielding of the mists, the occasional clouds, the atmosphere of the earth. One does not boastfully stare directly at the sun; nor does one defy its penetrating rays upon the desert.

It is through the mists and the rains, the sorrows and perplexities of living, that one sees the glory of God. Sorrows and perplexities may even be the evidence of God’s pity, until we see that, by His grace, we become fit to see Him, and live.

But now all of this is not just nature worship, nor is it an idle enjoyment of nature. For the Psalmist has more to teach us as we follow his song to the end of this 19th psalm. As the writer contemplates the glory of God in His creation, he turns sharply toward a contemplation of the law of God. There is even a change in his rhythmic style. We catch it in our English translation, and scholars tell us that it is most marked in the original Hebrew language. Each clause is marked by its regularity in the number of words. The various names for the law are introduced in sequence. The law is praised both for its own qualities and for its results.

See the varying names for the law: testimony, statutes or precepts, commandment, judgment, or ordinances. In verse nine the fear of the Lord is used as another synonym -- the religious awe which the law produces, and the religious service which the law demands.

It is always time for Christian people to remind themselves that church-going, private prayer, family grace and worship, devotional reading, and Bible study are duties beyond the urge of things to be done when we have the whim, or are in the mood. The approach to life’s problems with Christian understanding and in Christian service, are mandatory under God’s law.

See the qualities associated here with each term. "The law of the Lord is perfect," that is, entirely sufficient to live by. "The testimony of the Lord is sure." That is not a variable thing. Much nonsense is talked about the flexibility and relativity of morality. It is true that we have twisted God’s demands, and that we have seen lesser matters out of proportion. But there are "testimonies" based on the love of God, and of our neighbor, which are as sure, and as fixed, as the sun and the stars. Murder is wrong, so is adultery, theft, false witness; and also irreverence and blasphemy.

The "statutes" or "precepts" of the Lord are right. The path of morality is discernible. It is partly duty, and it really comes clear when it proceeds out of love.

The fear of the Lord is clear (that is, the awe and respect for the Lord).

The "judgments" (or "ordinances") of the Lord are true (altogether right). How refreshing are the words true and right! A man has his feet on solid rock when he can say, "I do not care about being clever or modern; but I can see a course that is wrong, and there is a course that is right."

And there are results that follow from proper honoring of the law. It refreshes, or restores, the soul. It is invigorating to the soul to be in touch with reality. And reality is found in God’s law.

The testimony makes wise the simple. Humble folk may be very sure-footed on the path of life, while others are arguing about it. What is wrong with clever folk is often just that they are clever. They can make out a case for the wrongs they wish to do. But it is still against God’s will. The commandment of the Lord is clear, "enlightening the eyes." Even conscience becomes more discerning in the presence of moral enlightenment. All of these are to be more prized than honey. Even the delicate satisfactions of the body come best, and finest, after moral rectitude and achievement. "Moreover by" all the law and laws of God "is thy servant warned -- guided." In the keeping of God’s law there is "great reward."

"Who is able to discern his [own] errors?" We even need help to know our own shortcomings and hidden faults; and we need aid and protection against presuming to get ourselves off easy by posing as a "good fellow." Presumptuous sin is "the great transgression."

Then comes the beautiful closing of the psalm.

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer." If the Creator of this world may find us acceptable, in our public life and in our private life, we may find the peace and the help of Christ very near.

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Dates and places delivered:

Wisconsin Rapids, August 2, 1959 (union service)

Girl Scout Camp Sacajawaya, August 9, 1959

Wood County Infirmary, August 12, 1959

Waioli Hiuia Church, January 9, 1972