WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.879 Good morning. 00:00:07.339 --> 00:00:11.820 My name is Matthew Capone, and I'm the pastor here at Cheyenne Mountain Presbyterian Church, 00:00:11.880 --> 00:00:14.660 and it's my joy to bring God's Word to you today. 00:00:15.160 --> 00:00:18.100 If you are new or visiting with us, welcome. 00:00:19.019 --> 00:00:20.100 We're glad that you're here. 00:00:20.580 --> 00:00:23.940 And we're glad that you're here not because we are trying to fill seats, 00:00:24.179 --> 00:00:27.740 but because we are following after Jesus together as one community. 00:00:27.739 --> 00:00:32.539 And as we follow after Jesus together, we become convinced that there's no one so good, 00:00:33.100 --> 00:00:35.359 that they don't need God's grace, God's forgiveness, 00:00:35.839 --> 00:00:37.979 and there's no one so bad that they can't have it. 00:00:39.000 --> 00:00:43.939 And so for that reason, we come to God's Word, the Bible, over and over again week after week, 00:00:44.299 --> 00:00:47.280 because we know that God has something to say to everyone in His Word. 00:00:47.980 --> 00:00:49.200 And that's where we are right now. 00:00:49.280 --> 00:00:51.280 We have been going through the book of Psalms, 00:00:51.840 --> 00:00:56.079 and as I've told you many times, the book of Psalms is the hymn book and the prayer book 00:00:56.079 --> 00:00:57.780 of God's people in the Old Testament. 00:00:57.960 --> 00:01:01.039 It was their guide for how to worship God and how to speak to God. 00:01:01.560 --> 00:01:04.879 And it also continues over into the people of the New Testament as well, the church. 00:01:05.000 --> 00:01:08.859 And so we as New Testament people, as Christians, as the church, 00:01:08.939 --> 00:01:12.259 we still continue to look to the Psalms as God's guide, 00:01:12.340 --> 00:01:16.879 His divinely inspired guide for how we talk to Him and think about Him and worship Him. 00:01:17.039 --> 00:01:20.340 I've given you lots of different angles to look at the Psalms from, 00:01:20.340 --> 00:01:24.960 because it's hard to sum it up very quickly or shortly because it's such a complex book. 00:01:25.020 --> 00:01:27.579 It's like any hymn book or song book. 00:01:27.680 --> 00:01:30.480 It's filled with all kinds of songs about all sorts of different things. 00:01:31.000 --> 00:01:32.520 And we've seen all sorts of different genres. 00:01:32.680 --> 00:01:37.140 We've seen Psalms of lament, Psalms that help us have hope in the midst of suffering and tragedy. 00:01:37.460 --> 00:01:40.260 We've seen a Psalm crying out for justice. 00:01:41.060 --> 00:01:42.480 We've seen Psalms of praise. 00:01:42.760 --> 00:01:44.040 That was our Psalm last week. 00:01:44.040 --> 00:01:50.160 And this week we come to a Psalm that's a little different than those 00:01:50.160 --> 00:01:53.440 in the sense that it doesn't fit into any one genre perfectly or precisely. 00:01:53.620 --> 00:01:56.280 There's some elements of praise here of God. 00:01:56.360 --> 00:02:00.500 There's also a prayer at the end, so it can teach us to pray like many of the Psalms do. 00:02:01.260 --> 00:02:05.180 Someone might call it a wisdom Psalm because it talks about how it is that we become wise. 00:02:06.380 --> 00:02:08.920 Instead of telling you all those things, I'll just give you a teaser. 00:02:09.960 --> 00:02:13.100 C.S. Lewis, a great theologian, wrote a book. 00:02:13.099 --> 00:02:14.900 And the whole book was about the Psalms. 00:02:14.979 --> 00:02:16.500 And he had this to say about Psalm 19. 00:02:16.780 --> 00:02:16.960 He said, 00:02:17.079 --> 00:02:24.139 I take this to be the greatest poem in the Psalter and one of the greatest lyrics in the world. 00:02:26.039 --> 00:02:29.019 I take this to be the greatest poem in the Psalter. 00:02:30.120 --> 00:02:33.819 I can't think of higher praise to give this Psalm than that. 00:02:34.259 --> 00:02:35.859 I'll also tell you this as another teaser. 00:02:36.419 --> 00:02:39.699 If you've listened to me preach before, you know that many times before we read the Scripture reading, 00:02:39.699 --> 00:02:44.799 I'll say this is God's Word and God tells us that His Word is more precious than gold, even the finest gold. 00:02:45.000 --> 00:02:48.159 And it's sweeter than honey, even that honey that comes straight from the honeycomb. 00:02:48.719 --> 00:02:51.439 And you might be thinking, well, I know that honey comes straight from the honeycomb, 00:02:51.500 --> 00:02:52.879 but I don't know where that quote comes from. 00:02:53.839 --> 00:02:54.959 And it comes from this Psalm. 00:02:55.060 --> 00:02:55.839 It's from Psalm 19. 00:02:55.840 --> 00:02:59.659 And so it's going to give us an outline here. 00:02:59.759 --> 00:03:03.300 And I typically don't do this, but because there's so much in this Psalm and it's so rich, 00:03:03.539 --> 00:03:04.939 every once in a while I'll give you a caveat. 00:03:05.080 --> 00:03:07.860 If we come to a tough topic or a long passage, I'll say, 00:03:07.920 --> 00:03:09.939 I'm not going to say everything, but I'm going to say something. 00:03:10.520 --> 00:03:14.039 I'm not going to say everything about Psalm 19, but I will say something. 00:03:14.480 --> 00:03:14.620 Okay? 00:03:15.219 --> 00:03:17.580 And I'm going to give you an outline, which I typically don't do. 00:03:17.759 --> 00:03:19.400 We're going to see three things in this Psalm. 00:03:19.400 --> 00:03:20.460 First, God's world. 00:03:21.699 --> 00:03:22.900 Then God's Word. 00:03:23.780 --> 00:03:25.340 And finally, it's going to end with a prayer. 00:03:26.780 --> 00:03:31.319 God's world, God's Word, and a prayer. 00:03:32.520 --> 00:03:34.719 And with that, let's jump right into Psalm 19. 00:03:34.860 --> 00:03:37.080 It's printed in the back of your worship guide. 00:03:37.300 --> 00:03:39.219 You'll also find it in your Bible or on your phone. 00:03:39.860 --> 00:03:42.259 And as we come to this, remember that this is God's Word. 00:03:43.340 --> 00:03:47.480 And God tells us that His Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. 00:03:48.039 --> 00:03:51.539 In other words, God has not left us to stumble alone in the dark, 00:03:51.740 --> 00:03:55.060 but instead He's given us His Word to show us the way to go. 00:03:55.060 --> 00:03:57.280 And so that's why we read now, starting in verse 1. 00:03:57.939 --> 00:04:03.420 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork. 00:04:04.240 --> 00:04:07.680 Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. 00:04:08.280 --> 00:04:08.819 Verse 3. 00:04:08.819 --> 00:04:35.719 Verse 7. 00:04:35.720 --> 00:04:56.940 Verse 10. 00:04:56.940 --> 00:05:00.980 Verse 10. 00:05:00.980 --> 00:05:15.240 Verse 12. 00:05:15.240 --> 00:05:16.600 Verse 12. 00:05:40.280 --> 00:05:43.939 I invite you to pray with me as we come to this portion of God's word. 00:05:45.240 --> 00:05:53.500 Father in heaven, we thank you that your word is more precious than gold and sweeter than honey. 00:05:54.879 --> 00:06:01.560 We ask as we come to it now that you would show us its sweetness and its preciousness. 00:06:02.759 --> 00:06:09.100 That you would help us to understand and see and delight in your word and your law. 00:06:09.800 --> 00:06:15.139 And more than that, that we would long for the goodness that you offer to us in it. 00:06:16.240 --> 00:06:21.660 And finally, we ask that we would be able to and want to pray with the psalmist. 00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:26.280 That the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts would be acceptable in your sight. 00:06:27.400 --> 00:06:30.900 We ask these things in the name of your son. Amen. 00:06:30.899 --> 00:06:31.019 Amen. 00:06:31.899 --> 00:06:31.979 Amen. 00:06:31.980 --> 00:06:40.000 As you were reading along this psalm with me, as you were following along, you might be thinking back to last week's psalm. 00:06:40.680 --> 00:06:48.620 And if you are a devil's advocate, you might have been wondering or thinking this sounds very similar to what we heard last week. 00:06:48.620 --> 00:06:52.399 And you might even be thinking of what I've told you about the psalms before. 00:06:52.540 --> 00:06:56.139 That sometimes they function like Monet's paintings of watered lilies. 00:06:56.240 --> 00:06:59.420 That they're the same theme over and over, but with different colors and different variations. 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:02.379 And if you're thinking that, in a sense, you would be correct. 00:07:02.379 --> 00:07:07.579 Last week when we looked at Psalm 8, we talked about the glory of God's creation. 00:07:07.699 --> 00:07:13.980 I shared with you my experience of going to the Grand Canyon and how looking out, I realized that I was a very, very small person. 00:07:15.180 --> 00:07:17.379 And God and his creation were very, very great. 00:07:17.379 --> 00:07:20.699 And that was the emphasis of Psalm 8. 00:07:20.819 --> 00:07:23.439 Psalm 8 gave us a way to think about God's creation. 00:07:23.579 --> 00:07:29.079 One of the things that the psalms does very effectively is it gives us a way of looking and thinking about the world. 00:07:30.019 --> 00:07:31.779 It gives us all sorts of categories. 00:07:31.980 --> 00:07:34.939 Not just that God saves us from our sins, but that he's also our king. 00:07:35.339 --> 00:07:36.600 He's also our creator. 00:07:37.199 --> 00:07:39.300 He's the one that gives us hope in the midst of trouble. 00:07:39.399 --> 00:07:40.699 He's the one we look forward to. 00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:43.219 He's the one who brings justice to the earth. 00:07:43.220 --> 00:07:48.220 And the psalms also highlight everything that we can see and know about God in creation. 00:07:49.000 --> 00:07:51.480 And so, in a sense, there's something similar to Psalm 8 here. 00:07:51.560 --> 00:07:53.900 However, it is not just the same. 00:07:54.040 --> 00:07:58.740 Just like the Monet water lily paintings, there are different colors and different shades here. 00:07:58.860 --> 00:08:00.780 So, Psalm 8 was extremely specific. 00:08:01.880 --> 00:08:07.220 Psalm 8 told us that God's creation helps us understand God's greatness and our smallness. 00:08:09.080 --> 00:08:12.320 Highlighted something very specific about the creation that we learn from it. 00:08:12.319 --> 00:08:15.899 And it led us, very specifically, to praise. 00:08:16.060 --> 00:08:18.620 Praising God for his care and his concern for mankind. 00:08:19.040 --> 00:08:19.839 Remember, the psalmist said, 00:08:20.019 --> 00:08:21.819 What is man that you're mindful of him? 00:08:22.740 --> 00:08:24.199 And the son of man that you care for him. 00:08:24.899 --> 00:08:28.539 This week, it is not specific things that we learn from creation. 00:08:28.659 --> 00:08:29.319 It's general things. 00:08:29.459 --> 00:08:32.240 So, we learn, verse 2, knowledge. 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:36.120 I'm going to suggest to you that knowledge is a very broad category. 00:08:37.460 --> 00:08:41.819 And so, there's not one thing that I could tell you that we learn from God's creation that this psalm points us to. 00:08:41.820 --> 00:08:45.140 Instead, it points us to everything that we learn about God from his world. 00:08:47.600 --> 00:08:50.640 And it leads not to praise, like Psalm 8. 00:08:50.740 --> 00:08:52.960 Instead, this one leads to self-reflection. 00:08:53.820 --> 00:08:55.160 It doesn't lead to praise of God. 00:08:55.240 --> 00:09:01.200 Instead, it leads to asking God for his mercy and his grace in the midst of our sin and imperfection. 00:09:01.200 --> 00:09:08.640 And so, this is going to give us a different angle, a different way to think about how the creation, the world around us, 00:09:08.759 --> 00:09:12.060 everything that God has created, teaches us about God. 00:09:12.580 --> 00:09:14.840 And in fact, that is the point at the beginning of this psalm. 00:09:14.900 --> 00:09:17.160 And so, that's why our first section here is God's world. 00:09:17.300 --> 00:09:19.740 Because it's God's world that tells us about God. 00:09:20.420 --> 00:09:20.960 Verse 1, 00:09:20.960 --> 00:09:40.300 Remember, we've talked about the fact that repetition in the Bible matters. 00:09:40.299 --> 00:09:50.059 And we see here this point being made over and over again is that God's creation, silently, without making a sound, says a lot of words about God. 00:09:52.639 --> 00:09:55.359 God's creation teaches us about God. 00:09:56.120 --> 00:09:59.279 And so, we learn about God from looking at the world around us. 00:09:59.779 --> 00:10:01.199 That's the point of verses 1 and 4. 00:10:01.299 --> 00:10:03.519 And then in verses 5 and 6, we learn something in addition to that. 00:10:03.519 --> 00:10:08.059 Not only does God's word teach us about God, but we actually can't get away from it. 00:10:08.799 --> 00:10:13.620 So, just like the sun comes from one end of the earth and goes to the other, 00:10:15.279 --> 00:10:18.340 and, at the end of verse 6, there's nothing hidden from its heat, 00:10:19.039 --> 00:10:25.159 in the same way, there's no place that we can go that we can get away from the fact that the earth tells us about God. 00:10:26.600 --> 00:10:33.379 In other words, there is nothing and no one that can hide from the truth about God. 00:10:34.279 --> 00:10:37.840 God does not just reveal His greatness and our smallness in creation. 00:10:38.799 --> 00:10:41.399 He reveals all of His glory in creation. 00:10:43.100 --> 00:10:45.379 He reveals not everything we need to know about Him. 00:10:45.419 --> 00:10:46.340 We're going to see that in a few minutes. 00:10:46.419 --> 00:10:48.620 He has to reveal those things to us specifically in His word, 00:10:48.699 --> 00:10:53.179 but He reveals many things, many dynamics and aspects and angles about Himself. 00:10:54.960 --> 00:10:57.259 Now, some of you think to yourselves, 00:10:57.259 --> 00:11:00.879 you know, I really find God in nature. 00:11:00.980 --> 00:11:02.480 That's where I really connect with God. 00:11:03.419 --> 00:11:05.960 And some of you think, you know, I'm really an outdoorsy person, 00:11:06.360 --> 00:11:07.819 or I'm really not an outdoorsy person. 00:11:07.899 --> 00:11:09.039 I don't connect with nature as much. 00:11:09.120 --> 00:11:11.120 That's for very specific types of people. 00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:13.980 Those outdoorsy people who enjoy getting outside, 00:11:14.059 --> 00:11:15.179 I'm more of an inside person. 00:11:15.439 --> 00:11:17.360 So, this relates to me in some ways, 00:11:17.399 --> 00:11:19.000 but not as much as it relates to other people. 00:11:19.059 --> 00:11:20.259 And I'm going to suggest this to you. 00:11:20.259 --> 00:11:27.600 I would be very surprised if any Israelite ever said to himself or herself, 00:11:28.500 --> 00:11:32.139 man, I really just, I experience and connect with God in nature more than anything else. 00:11:33.240 --> 00:11:36.679 And I would be even more surprised if any ancient Israelite 00:11:36.679 --> 00:11:38.860 who is reading and singing this psalm said to themselves 00:11:38.860 --> 00:11:41.200 or said to another Israelite, you know, on their way to the temple, 00:11:42.059 --> 00:11:45.360 man, I just, I really consider myself to be a really outdoorsy person. 00:11:48.259 --> 00:11:49.720 And I want you to think about it for a minute, 00:11:49.720 --> 00:11:52.340 what it was like to live, maybe in Jerusalem, 00:11:52.500 --> 00:11:54.259 maybe what it's like to live in the ancient Near East. 00:11:54.360 --> 00:11:55.000 You're outdoors. 00:11:55.420 --> 00:11:56.379 When would you be outdoors? 00:11:56.460 --> 00:11:58.340 You'd be outdoors seeing God's creation all the time. 00:11:59.940 --> 00:12:02.420 And that's not to say that you didn't have a place to live or a house to be in, 00:12:02.700 --> 00:12:04.420 but it is to say that we, 00:12:04.700 --> 00:12:06.899 more than maybe anyone else in the history of the world, 00:12:06.960 --> 00:12:08.700 are disconnected from the world around us. 00:12:10.840 --> 00:12:13.259 And for the psalmist, this would have been a natural way 00:12:13.259 --> 00:12:16.360 to learn about God and understand God and know about God. 00:12:16.360 --> 00:12:20.279 Now, I pointed out earlier that this is, 00:12:20.340 --> 00:12:22.279 it's different from Psalm 8. 00:12:22.539 --> 00:12:26.899 We're not told explicitly everything that the creation teaches us. 00:12:27.320 --> 00:12:28.680 We do know that it reveals knowledge. 00:12:29.000 --> 00:12:32.460 So I could spend the next several months going through this psalm 00:12:32.460 --> 00:12:35.899 and saying everything and telling you everything that we learn about God in creation. 00:12:36.639 --> 00:12:38.519 But as I warned you earlier, I'm not going to say everything. 00:12:38.600 --> 00:12:39.419 I'm just going to say something. 00:12:39.560 --> 00:12:42.139 And so there's a few things that we can learn from God in creation 00:12:42.139 --> 00:12:43.120 that I am going to point out. 00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:46.139 And I'm going to point them out in light of both what we learn in the New Testament 00:12:46.139 --> 00:12:47.519 and also what we see in the psalm. 00:12:48.060 --> 00:12:50.740 So in the New Testament, if you're tracking with us in our New Testament reading, 00:12:50.820 --> 00:12:52.039 we read from Romans 1. 00:12:52.240 --> 00:12:58.259 And Romans 1 makes the point that God's creation lets everyone know that God exists. 00:13:00.000 --> 00:13:03.960 One of the things that the creation tells us is that God is real and He exists. 00:13:04.039 --> 00:13:07.720 When we look at the world around us and we understand how intricate and sophisticated it is, 00:13:07.740 --> 00:13:08.680 when we see its glory, 00:13:08.720 --> 00:13:12.019 when we understand the ways in which we emotionally are moved by it, 00:13:12.019 --> 00:13:17.720 that is proof, that is one proof to us of God's existence in this world. 00:13:18.740 --> 00:13:20.939 And so that's why we read earlier in Romans 1 00:13:20.939 --> 00:13:23.860 that no one has an excuse to not have knowledge of God 00:13:23.860 --> 00:13:27.000 because, as we've seen in verses 1-4, 00:13:27.120 --> 00:13:30.379 all of creation is speaking silently all the time about God. 00:13:30.379 --> 00:13:35.220 Another type of knowledge that we get, 00:13:35.279 --> 00:13:38.620 and I'm going to give us knowledge that's going to help us in verses 12-14, 00:13:38.799 --> 00:13:40.679 not just knowledge of the fact that God exists, 00:13:41.139 --> 00:13:44.419 but we also have tremendous knowledge about God's love and His grace for us. 00:13:44.460 --> 00:13:45.840 We saw some of this last week. 00:13:46.240 --> 00:13:48.220 I talked about the fact that in Matthew 5, 00:13:48.559 --> 00:13:51.679 Jesus tells us that the rain falls on the evil and the good, 00:13:51.740 --> 00:13:52.679 the just and the unjust. 00:13:54.120 --> 00:13:55.840 God provides food for everyone. 00:13:55.840 --> 00:13:59.120 He provides the sun for everyone. 00:14:00.500 --> 00:14:03.840 He's set up the world in such a way that we could actually live rather than die. 00:14:05.019 --> 00:14:08.100 He's given us water, which is especially precious in Colorado. 00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:11.840 So creation, it shows us that God exists. 00:14:11.960 --> 00:14:15.840 It shows us His grace, His love for us, for the world. 00:14:16.800 --> 00:14:18.580 Creation also shows us God's judgment. 00:14:19.060 --> 00:14:21.720 So we can say that God sends His rain on the just and the unjust. 00:14:21.720 --> 00:14:23.899 We could also say, 00:14:24.680 --> 00:14:27.980 God sends hail and it wrecks the cars of the just and the unjust, 00:14:28.240 --> 00:14:29.040 the good and the evil. 00:14:31.759 --> 00:14:34.180 And so as we live in this world and we look at the creation, 00:14:34.540 --> 00:14:36.980 on the one hand, we can't escape the knowledge of God, 00:14:37.080 --> 00:14:38.320 His existence and His goodness. 00:14:39.340 --> 00:14:41.899 On the other hand, we can't escape the knowledge 00:14:41.899 --> 00:14:46.080 that this world is deeply flawed and broken and infected by sin. 00:14:46.080 --> 00:14:52.480 And so we see both glory and ruin in the creation. 00:14:56.379 --> 00:15:03.000 And so God uses His creation for everyone and everything to reveal and teach. 00:15:03.580 --> 00:15:05.220 God is a master teacher. 00:15:06.520 --> 00:15:07.780 When we were going through the Gospel of Matthew, 00:15:07.860 --> 00:15:09.400 I pointed out that Jesus is a master teacher. 00:15:09.540 --> 00:15:13.320 He goes from the unfamiliar to the unfamiliar 00:15:13.320 --> 00:15:15.120 whenever He's talking about something with people. 00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:16.600 That's why He uses so many parables. 00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:21.080 God also has His own illustrations for us, 00:15:21.120 --> 00:15:22.279 His ways of teaching us. 00:15:22.779 --> 00:15:27.139 And His creation is one of His first and foremost ways of teaching us about Himself. 00:15:29.560 --> 00:15:31.379 And so when it declares the glory of God, 00:15:31.460 --> 00:15:33.259 the heavens and the sky proclaims His handiwork, 00:15:33.340 --> 00:15:36.060 we're seeing God's glory and His majesty and His greatness. 00:15:37.240 --> 00:15:38.259 We see God's goodness. 00:15:38.399 --> 00:15:40.779 That this Creator is the one that we want to align with, 00:15:40.840 --> 00:15:42.460 the one that we want to be associated with. 00:15:42.460 --> 00:15:44.600 He's the source of the goodness that we long for. 00:15:45.120 --> 00:15:51.500 However, understanding God's goodness in general 00:15:51.500 --> 00:15:54.139 and His judgment in general are not enough. 00:15:55.120 --> 00:15:59.480 And so the psalmist here transitions from God's world to God's Word. 00:16:00.759 --> 00:16:02.440 Now it may feel a little abrupt at this point. 00:16:02.519 --> 00:16:07.960 We're jumping from the sun very quickly to law. 00:16:07.960 --> 00:16:10.960 My guess is that most of you, when you look at the sun, 00:16:11.019 --> 00:16:12.700 you don't immediately start thinking about laws. 00:16:13.940 --> 00:16:14.840 And you might be wondering, 00:16:15.400 --> 00:16:16.879 why in the world does the psalmist do that? 00:16:18.160 --> 00:16:20.460 I understand some people look at creation and they think of God. 00:16:20.540 --> 00:16:22.300 Most people don't look at creation and think of laws. 00:16:23.600 --> 00:16:24.720 It's somewhat abrupt. 00:16:24.720 --> 00:16:27.860 Well, one explanation is this, 00:16:27.940 --> 00:16:30.060 and this is, I'm going to go back to C.S. Lewis. 00:16:30.180 --> 00:16:31.160 He offers this explanation. 00:16:31.399 --> 00:16:31.680 He says, 00:16:31.679 --> 00:16:55.559 In other words, 00:16:55.559 --> 00:17:18.720 Here we have all kinds of different words that have overlapping meanings. 00:17:18.920 --> 00:17:20.240 And so this is a poem. 00:17:20.360 --> 00:17:23.799 There's a reason that C.S. Lewis said this is the greatest poem of all the psalms. 00:17:24.440 --> 00:17:26.079 And that's because we have this beautiful language 00:17:26.079 --> 00:17:28.700 using all kinds of different angles to talk about one thing. 00:17:29.660 --> 00:17:32.420 We see that the law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. 00:17:32.539 --> 00:17:32.920 Verse 7, 00:17:32.980 --> 00:17:36.440 In other words, God's Word, as we've talked about in Nehemiah, brings life. 00:17:37.759 --> 00:17:39.799 Takes things that are dead and brings them to life. 00:17:39.799 --> 00:17:43.779 The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. 00:17:44.319 --> 00:17:47.299 In other words, we can trust what God has told us in His Word. 00:17:48.619 --> 00:17:51.099 He will take people who don't have skill in living 00:17:51.099 --> 00:17:52.299 and know how to walk in this world, 00:17:52.379 --> 00:17:54.279 and He will teach them how to do that through His Word. 00:17:55.720 --> 00:17:56.180 Verse 8, 00:17:56.240 --> 00:17:58.379 The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. 00:17:59.599 --> 00:18:01.559 God brings joy to our lives. 00:18:02.859 --> 00:18:04.700 We talked about that in Nehemiah as well. 00:18:04.759 --> 00:18:07.139 We talked about that in Philippians. 00:18:07.140 --> 00:18:10.560 The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. 00:18:10.660 --> 00:18:13.020 There's no evil in what God reveals to us. 00:18:13.220 --> 00:18:16.060 And He helps us to see and understand the things that are right. 00:18:17.280 --> 00:18:19.520 The rules of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. 00:18:19.700 --> 00:18:21.660 We can trust what God has told us. 00:18:24.380 --> 00:18:27.140 In other words, verses 7 through 9, 00:18:27.980 --> 00:18:33.540 God has given us what we need to know to live life in this world. 00:18:33.539 --> 00:18:37.680 And not just to live life, but how to thrive and flourish. 00:18:40.659 --> 00:18:45.059 The psalmist rejoices in verse 10 00:18:45.059 --> 00:18:49.299 because he understands that just like the sun gives the world life and energy, 00:18:49.839 --> 00:18:51.440 God's law does the very same thing. 00:18:53.740 --> 00:18:56.460 It gives people what they need to live, 00:18:56.519 --> 00:18:58.119 to have sanity rather than insanity. 00:18:58.119 --> 00:19:04.879 If you struggle to find God's law attractive and beautiful, 00:19:05.339 --> 00:19:09.359 one thing you can do is hold it up in contrast to everything else in the world. 00:19:12.099 --> 00:19:14.099 C.S. Lewis also points out that Psalm 19 00:19:14.099 --> 00:19:17.559 and many other psalms about God's law become more and more beautiful 00:19:17.559 --> 00:19:19.879 the crazier and crazier the world around us becomes. 00:19:19.880 --> 00:19:25.980 And so if you think that this world is becoming crazier and crazier, 00:19:27.420 --> 00:19:28.880 you should at the same time. 00:19:28.880 --> 00:19:30.580 I'm not suggesting, by the way, you should think that. 00:19:30.720 --> 00:19:33.260 I'm not saying I believe you should think that the world is becoming crazier. 00:19:33.820 --> 00:19:34.740 But if you do, 00:19:36.340 --> 00:19:38.920 God's word should be becoming more and more beautiful 00:19:38.920 --> 00:19:43.500 because it shines out in sharper and sharper contrast. 00:19:44.520 --> 00:19:46.460 It is sanity rather than insanity. 00:19:47.320 --> 00:19:49.080 And so that's how we get to verses 10 and 11. 00:19:49.079 --> 00:19:51.539 The psalmist sees how life-giving God's word is, 00:19:51.579 --> 00:19:54.980 that it leads to love and flourishing and life and thriving. 00:19:55.819 --> 00:19:56.919 And so in verse 10, 00:19:57.039 --> 00:20:00.119 more to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold, 00:20:01.019 --> 00:20:04.679 sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. 00:20:05.599 --> 00:20:08.539 In other words, the psalmist doesn't just obey God's law, 00:20:08.659 --> 00:20:10.099 he delights in God's law. 00:20:10.939 --> 00:20:16.419 He delights in God's law and realizes that it is more valuable than anything else 00:20:16.420 --> 00:20:19.980 and that the most valuable things come from it. 00:20:22.980 --> 00:20:25.000 Now, if this sounds a little pie in the sky, 00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:28.180 that God's word gives us the most valuable things, 00:20:28.259 --> 00:20:30.700 I want you to think for a minute about what are the things that are most valuable. 00:20:31.400 --> 00:20:33.740 And what are the things that we've seen in the psalms so far? 00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:37.560 One of the things that we've seen in the psalms over and over is hope. 00:20:37.559 --> 00:20:44.440 And I'm going to suggest that gold and honey cannot give you hope. 00:20:46.980 --> 00:20:49.339 And yet the psalms of lament that we've studied do. 00:20:49.440 --> 00:20:52.179 They show us how to have hope in the midst of suffering. 00:20:54.940 --> 00:20:56.919 What do we do when we long for justice? 00:20:56.920 --> 00:21:02.380 Our money cannot always buy us justice. 00:21:03.380 --> 00:21:05.500 And no matter how much justice it might be able to buy us, 00:21:05.519 --> 00:21:07.900 it will never be justice that is full and final. 00:21:10.080 --> 00:21:13.420 God's word, however, gives us a promise of justice that's going to come. 00:21:15.620 --> 00:21:18.700 And so that is more precious than gold and sweeter than honey. 00:21:20.279 --> 00:21:23.039 You can think also of our confession of faith this month. 00:21:23.039 --> 00:21:28.039 Instead of asking what are the benefits that flow from justification and adoption and sanctification, 00:21:28.700 --> 00:21:29.700 we could instead ask, 00:21:31.279 --> 00:21:32.639 we could ask the question, 00:21:32.740 --> 00:21:35.279 how is God's law more precious than gold and sweeter than honey? 00:21:36.940 --> 00:21:38.460 And I could give you the same answer. 00:21:40.559 --> 00:21:43.019 It gives us peace with God. 00:21:45.000 --> 00:21:46.139 Joy in the Holy Spirit. 00:21:47.779 --> 00:21:48.899 Assurance of our salvation. 00:21:48.900 --> 00:21:56.900 The psalmist sees God's word and he understands how precious and how valuable it is. 00:21:57.420 --> 00:21:58.960 And when he looks back at the creation, 00:21:59.100 --> 00:22:01.140 it confirms what God has taught in his word. 00:22:04.080 --> 00:22:08.580 And so God's word and God's world go together. 00:22:11.440 --> 00:22:17.300 Understanding the life that comes from God's word is part of how we begin to love it and long for it like the psalmist does. 00:22:17.299 --> 00:22:20.519 We have to understand what... 00:22:20.519 --> 00:22:21.599 Today's C.S. Lewis Day. 00:22:21.639 --> 00:22:22.359 I'm just going to admit it. 00:22:24.279 --> 00:22:26.599 So in his book, Till We Have Faces, 00:22:26.759 --> 00:22:28.279 which is one of C.S. Lewis' stories, 00:22:28.399 --> 00:22:29.879 not his general writings, 00:22:30.339 --> 00:22:31.480 we meet several characters. 00:22:31.599 --> 00:22:33.099 One of them is in Urwell. 00:22:33.220 --> 00:22:34.919 And Urwell tells her sister at one point, 00:22:35.000 --> 00:22:36.180 the protagonist of the story, 00:22:36.279 --> 00:22:36.779 she says, 00:22:36.779 --> 00:22:54.099 In other words, 00:22:54.240 --> 00:22:56.460 when the psalmist looks at God's creation 00:22:56.460 --> 00:22:59.339 and when he looks at God's word, 00:23:01.339 --> 00:23:05.759 he sees and knows where all the beauty came from. 00:23:05.759 --> 00:23:10.779 He sees the beauty in creation 00:23:10.779 --> 00:23:13.500 and instead of worshiping that beauty, 00:23:13.920 --> 00:23:15.500 he sees what the beauty points to. 00:23:16.559 --> 00:23:18.700 It is the place that he longs for. 00:23:18.759 --> 00:23:20.819 He longs for the place where all the beauty came from. 00:23:22.839 --> 00:23:24.519 When he looks at God's word, 00:23:24.900 --> 00:23:26.960 he knows that God's word is good 00:23:26.960 --> 00:23:29.079 and brings him life and flourishing 00:23:29.079 --> 00:23:31.699 because he knows it comes from the person 00:23:31.699 --> 00:23:33.159 where all the beauty comes from. 00:23:35.879 --> 00:23:38.879 And so his longing for that beauty 00:23:38.879 --> 00:23:42.579 cannot be separated from his longing for God's word. 00:23:45.679 --> 00:23:47.319 Because he understands God's word 00:23:47.319 --> 00:23:48.779 is not just something to be obeyed, 00:23:48.819 --> 00:23:50.699 it's something to be desired and wanted 00:23:50.699 --> 00:23:52.599 and searched for and sought after. 00:23:52.599 --> 00:23:55.119 Because if God is the source, 00:23:57.619 --> 00:24:00.639 then it can only lead to more and more of this goodness. 00:24:02.959 --> 00:24:07.240 This here is not precise academic language, 00:24:07.419 --> 00:24:10.619 this is poetic imagery that we're given here. 00:24:10.619 --> 00:24:13.659 There's a reason why Lewis calls it the greatest poem. 00:24:14.679 --> 00:24:16.279 That it speaks not just to our minds, 00:24:16.379 --> 00:24:16.959 but our hearts. 00:24:17.099 --> 00:24:18.679 This is a heart word, verse 10, 00:24:18.680 --> 00:24:20.799 to be desired than gold. 00:24:24.519 --> 00:24:27.060 And so this psalm poses a question to us. 00:24:27.120 --> 00:24:30.240 Do we consider God's world and his word, 00:24:30.380 --> 00:24:31.299 and especially his word, 00:24:31.460 --> 00:24:33.019 to be more precious than gold 00:24:33.019 --> 00:24:34.180 and sweeter than honey? 00:24:38.140 --> 00:24:39.180 And if we don't, 00:24:39.900 --> 00:24:41.259 what do we do about it? 00:24:43.460 --> 00:24:44.779 Because I would suggest that 00:24:44.779 --> 00:24:47.259 for many of us, if not most of us, 00:24:47.259 --> 00:24:50.819 we don't wake up every day thinking 00:24:50.819 --> 00:24:53.500 God's word is more precious than gold 00:24:53.500 --> 00:24:54.200 and sweeter than honey. 00:24:56.140 --> 00:24:57.339 Because we live in a world 00:24:57.339 --> 00:24:59.619 where we struggle to see and understand the beauty 00:24:59.619 --> 00:25:01.859 and to know and long for it 00:25:01.859 --> 00:25:03.420 in the way that the psalmist does here. 00:25:05.879 --> 00:25:07.720 And so if we don't delight yet, 00:25:08.559 --> 00:25:10.980 or if we don't delight as much as we want to, 00:25:13.140 --> 00:25:14.539 the psalmist gives us here 00:25:14.539 --> 00:25:16.299 part of what we do for it, 00:25:16.299 --> 00:25:17.819 that this is something that grows. 00:25:18.539 --> 00:25:19.559 It's something that grows 00:25:19.559 --> 00:25:20.480 and can be cultivated, 00:25:21.059 --> 00:25:23.559 and that's what the psalmist does next. 00:25:25.559 --> 00:25:27.759 He understands the beauty of God's world 00:25:27.759 --> 00:25:28.500 and God's word, 00:25:29.700 --> 00:25:31.759 and he points out something else for us 00:25:31.759 --> 00:25:33.119 about God's word in verse 11. 00:25:34.379 --> 00:25:37.119 God's word doesn't just point us to the beauty. 00:25:37.119 --> 00:25:40.579 Moreover, by them is your servant warned. 00:25:41.000 --> 00:25:42.639 In keeping them, there's great reward. 00:25:43.899 --> 00:25:46.299 Part of the reason we need more than God's world, 00:25:46.500 --> 00:25:48.039 the reason that we also need his word, 00:25:48.579 --> 00:25:51.059 is because if God's world reveals to us 00:25:51.059 --> 00:25:52.619 God's judgment and his grace, 00:25:52.659 --> 00:25:54.379 we have to understand how it is 00:25:54.379 --> 00:25:55.879 that we avoid that judgment 00:25:55.879 --> 00:25:57.659 and access that grace. 00:25:59.319 --> 00:26:01.599 And that's what the psalmist prays for in verse 11. 00:26:03.519 --> 00:26:05.619 Or states, he doesn't pray until verse 12. 00:26:05.619 --> 00:26:08.279 He realizes that he needs God's word, 00:26:08.439 --> 00:26:09.619 God's specific revelation, 00:26:11.319 --> 00:26:13.199 to help him understand that God's judgment 00:26:13.199 --> 00:26:14.659 and wrath are falling on the world. 00:26:15.679 --> 00:26:17.139 And so there's warning in God's word. 00:26:17.219 --> 00:26:19.039 Not only does it show us the way to the beauty, 00:26:19.119 --> 00:26:20.539 the place where all the beauty came from, 00:26:20.879 --> 00:26:22.959 but it also shows us that there's a different path 00:26:22.959 --> 00:26:24.759 away from the beauty and towards destruction. 00:26:24.759 --> 00:26:29.059 The psalmist sees that and knows that there are, 00:26:29.259 --> 00:26:30.579 as we saw in Psalm 1, 00:26:30.720 --> 00:26:32.099 only two ways to live. 00:26:33.200 --> 00:26:35.700 There's a way of warning and a way of reward. 00:26:36.680 --> 00:26:38.079 That's the way that's offered 00:26:38.079 --> 00:26:40.539 in the law of the Lord, verse 7. 00:26:40.579 --> 00:26:41.740 That's what the psalmist needs 00:26:41.740 --> 00:26:42.900 more than just the creation. 00:26:43.059 --> 00:26:44.460 He needs God in his word, 00:26:44.539 --> 00:26:45.059 in the scriptures, 00:26:45.460 --> 00:26:47.240 to reveal to us and show us 00:26:47.240 --> 00:26:48.819 what we see in Romans 1, 00:26:48.900 --> 00:26:50.059 that God on the one hand, 00:26:50.339 --> 00:26:51.779 and the rest of Romans for that matter, 00:26:51.779 --> 00:26:54.399 is pouring out his wrath on the earth, 00:26:54.519 --> 00:26:55.619 and on the other hand, 00:26:55.799 --> 00:26:57.740 has poured out his wrath on his Son 00:26:57.740 --> 00:27:00.680 for those who have trust and faith and hope in him. 00:27:02.359 --> 00:27:03.960 And so the psalmist builds on 00:27:03.960 --> 00:27:05.559 everything we've seen in the psalms so far. 00:27:05.660 --> 00:27:08.420 He builds on what we saw in Psalms 1 and 2. 00:27:11.019 --> 00:27:12.759 And then finally he prays. 00:27:14.160 --> 00:27:16.680 If this is the place where the beauty comes from, 00:27:17.619 --> 00:27:21.440 if he wants to avoid the warning, 00:27:21.440 --> 00:27:23.440 to avoid God's judgment and have the reward, 00:27:25.240 --> 00:27:27.080 then he asks God, 00:27:28.320 --> 00:27:30.160 essentially in verse 12, for his grace. 00:27:31.059 --> 00:27:33.000 And so he moves from God's world 00:27:33.000 --> 00:27:34.259 to God's word, 00:27:34.480 --> 00:27:35.480 to finally to a prayer. 00:27:36.720 --> 00:27:37.559 He says in verse 12, 00:27:37.640 --> 00:27:38.779 who can discern his errors? 00:27:39.980 --> 00:27:41.880 Declare me innocent from hidden faults. 00:27:42.900 --> 00:27:43.420 In other words, 00:27:43.500 --> 00:27:45.259 the psalmist asks for God's forgiveness, 00:27:45.420 --> 00:27:47.019 that God would forgive him of his sins, 00:27:47.080 --> 00:27:48.640 even the ones that he's not aware of. 00:27:48.640 --> 00:27:52.800 And then he asks that God would keep him from sins 00:27:52.800 --> 00:27:53.660 that he is aware of. 00:27:53.740 --> 00:27:54.340 Verse 13, 00:27:54.480 --> 00:27:56.780 keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins. 00:27:57.259 --> 00:27:58.720 Let them not have dominion over me. 00:27:59.900 --> 00:28:01.340 Keep me from growing in sin. 00:28:01.540 --> 00:28:04.580 Keep me on the path that's talked about in Psalm 1. 00:28:06.700 --> 00:28:08.480 Keep me away from sin, 00:28:08.480 --> 00:28:12.460 and then I shall be blameless and innocent of great transgression. 00:28:12.579 --> 00:28:14.019 The psalmist here is not saying 00:28:14.019 --> 00:28:17.079 that he's going to be morally blameless and perfect 00:28:17.079 --> 00:28:19.220 in the sense that he doesn't deserve God's judgment. 00:28:19.360 --> 00:28:21.599 Instead, he's talking about the growth that happens 00:28:21.599 --> 00:28:22.559 in the Christian life, 00:28:22.960 --> 00:28:25.180 the sanctification that we talked about last month 00:28:25.180 --> 00:28:26.120 in our confession of faith, 00:28:26.180 --> 00:28:27.160 that he's going to grow. 00:28:27.299 --> 00:28:29.380 Now, the psalmist didn't necessarily know about Jesus, 00:28:29.480 --> 00:28:30.160 but we do. 00:28:30.860 --> 00:28:32.220 But as we grow in God's law, 00:28:32.299 --> 00:28:34.279 we're growing more and more to become like Jesus. 00:28:34.279 --> 00:28:37.259 And so his prayer, 00:28:37.980 --> 00:28:40.879 after he's seen what God has revealed about himself, 00:28:41.000 --> 00:28:42.639 is that God would give him his grace. 00:28:45.700 --> 00:28:47.019 He'd give him his grace 00:28:47.019 --> 00:28:48.379 by declaring him innocent. 00:28:48.480 --> 00:28:49.139 In verse 12, 00:28:49.200 --> 00:28:50.139 he'd give him justification. 00:28:50.980 --> 00:28:53.180 He'd make it just as if he'd never sinned 00:28:53.180 --> 00:28:54.119 by declaring him innocent. 00:28:55.200 --> 00:28:55.660 And then, 00:28:55.720 --> 00:28:56.899 and the psalmist didn't know these words, 00:28:56.960 --> 00:28:57.379 but we do. 00:28:57.480 --> 00:28:58.059 Verse 13, 00:28:58.139 --> 00:28:59.440 he prays for sanctification, 00:29:00.559 --> 00:29:02.500 that God would grow him in his holiness. 00:29:04.279 --> 00:29:08.000 And then he asked for the continuation of that 00:29:08.000 --> 00:29:08.779 in verse 14, 00:29:08.879 --> 00:29:09.859 that the words of his mouth 00:29:09.859 --> 00:29:11.399 and the meditation of his heart 00:29:11.399 --> 00:29:12.859 would be acceptable in God's sight, 00:29:12.920 --> 00:29:15.399 because God is his rock and his redeemer. 00:29:20.359 --> 00:29:22.220 Now, I left a little bit of a hanging question earlier. 00:29:22.359 --> 00:29:22.680 I asked, 00:29:22.879 --> 00:29:25.579 how do we grow to love God's word and his law 00:29:25.579 --> 00:29:26.399 if we don't already? 00:29:26.500 --> 00:29:27.940 And then I didn't answer that question for you. 00:29:28.759 --> 00:29:29.980 Instead, I jumped to the prayer. 00:29:29.980 --> 00:29:34.400 Part of it is understanding this great reward. 00:29:34.519 --> 00:29:35.000 Verse 11, 00:29:36.180 --> 00:29:38.019 the psalmist understands the reward. 00:29:38.099 --> 00:29:39.240 The reward is multiple things. 00:29:39.360 --> 00:29:41.539 One, it's the fact that this is the source 00:29:41.539 --> 00:29:42.519 for all the beauty came from. 00:29:42.579 --> 00:29:44.160 And so as he obeys and understands 00:29:44.160 --> 00:29:45.620 and knows God's word more and more, 00:29:45.680 --> 00:29:47.019 he's going to grow in that reward. 00:29:47.240 --> 00:29:47.819 In other words, 00:29:47.920 --> 00:29:49.120 holiness is its own reward. 00:29:50.539 --> 00:29:51.279 But secondly, 00:29:51.460 --> 00:29:53.880 this reward that the psalmist looks forward to 00:29:53.880 --> 00:29:56.480 is what we think about in Psalms 1 and 2, 00:29:56.839 --> 00:29:58.559 that there's going to be everlasting life. 00:29:58.559 --> 00:30:03.200 And so the psalmist wants and longs for 00:30:03.200 --> 00:30:05.599 the life that God offers eternally, 00:30:05.700 --> 00:30:06.879 the forgiveness that happens 00:30:06.879 --> 00:30:09.399 when God declares us innocent from hidden faults. 00:30:10.940 --> 00:30:12.740 And so his understanding of his sin, 00:30:13.480 --> 00:30:14.679 his need for God's forgiveness, 00:30:14.819 --> 00:30:15.940 his need for God's grace, 00:30:16.440 --> 00:30:19.200 and his understanding that God offers that grace, 00:30:20.639 --> 00:30:22.359 understanding that that's the place of life, 00:30:22.460 --> 00:30:23.899 the place where all the beauty came from, 00:30:23.980 --> 00:30:26.259 that is what stirs up the psalmist 00:30:26.259 --> 00:30:29.019 to desire God's word more than gold and honey. 00:30:30.619 --> 00:30:33.019 And it's a desire that grows more and more 00:30:33.019 --> 00:30:35.079 as he continues to follow after God, 00:30:35.200 --> 00:30:35.960 praying this prayer, 00:30:36.140 --> 00:30:38.559 longing for his forgiveness and his blessing. 00:30:39.920 --> 00:30:41.359 And so for those of us in the New Testament, 00:30:41.440 --> 00:30:43.440 as we look back to the witness of the Old Testament, 00:30:43.980 --> 00:30:45.940 the hope of the psalmist is our hope as well, 00:30:46.019 --> 00:30:46.779 and even more. 00:30:46.779 --> 00:30:49.980 Because we know what the psalmist didn't know. 00:30:51.579 --> 00:30:54.220 As we think about God's word and his creation, 00:30:55.720 --> 00:30:58.339 we're told in John 1 and Hebrews chapter 1 00:30:58.339 --> 00:31:01.000 that God created the world through his son, 00:31:01.960 --> 00:31:04.259 that Jesus was part of the creation of the world, 00:31:04.819 --> 00:31:08.519 and that Jesus is the one who holds the world together. 00:31:08.639 --> 00:31:10.139 That's what Hebrews chapter 1 tells us. 00:31:10.140 --> 00:31:14.759 We also know in John chapter 1 that Jesus was the word. 00:31:15.180 --> 00:31:17.800 He was the ultimate and full and final revelation 00:31:17.800 --> 00:31:20.900 of what God had given to his people and his law. 00:31:21.759 --> 00:31:24.100 He was the final fulfillment of everything. 00:31:25.960 --> 00:31:28.000 And so we as Christians look in hope, 00:31:28.100 --> 00:31:30.120 knowing that the only way we can be declared innocent 00:31:30.120 --> 00:31:31.080 from hidden faults 00:31:31.080 --> 00:31:33.560 is through Jesus and his sacrifice. 00:31:33.559 --> 00:31:39.579 And the only way we can be kept from presumptuous sins 00:31:39.579 --> 00:31:41.839 is the work of God's grace in our lives, 00:31:41.899 --> 00:31:44.559 which is one of the things that Jesus has earned for us 00:31:44.559 --> 00:31:46.059 through and by his death. 00:31:46.919 --> 00:31:48.899 And so it says we have faith in Jesus, 00:31:50.019 --> 00:31:53.700 faith that is stirred up by looking out at the world 00:31:53.700 --> 00:31:54.799 and into God's word. 00:31:56.039 --> 00:31:57.940 It says we have that faith knowing the truth, 00:31:58.039 --> 00:31:58.940 the facts about Jesus, 00:31:59.019 --> 00:32:00.559 that he came and he died for our sins, 00:32:00.639 --> 00:32:02.740 that he paid the penalty that we deserve. 00:32:03.599 --> 00:32:04.620 As we believe it, 00:32:04.900 --> 00:32:05.859 that it's actually true, 00:32:05.960 --> 00:32:07.740 it's something that actually happened in real time 00:32:07.740 --> 00:32:08.339 and real space. 00:32:08.400 --> 00:32:09.400 And as we trust it, 00:32:09.920 --> 00:32:11.359 living our lives in light of it, 00:32:11.839 --> 00:32:14.279 we will grow more and more like the psalmist. 00:32:14.920 --> 00:32:17.160 Looking around to the creation 00:32:17.160 --> 00:32:20.160 and hearing what God is saying silently through it. 00:32:21.640 --> 00:32:23.559 Looking into God's word 00:32:23.559 --> 00:32:26.259 and seeing that it is the place 00:32:26.259 --> 00:32:27.500 where all the beauty comes from, 00:32:27.539 --> 00:32:28.940 the place that gives us life 00:32:28.940 --> 00:32:33.620 and longing for it more than for gold and honey. 00:32:35.720 --> 00:32:37.380 And then praying to God, 00:32:37.460 --> 00:32:38.980 knowing that he's the one who hears us, 00:32:39.000 --> 00:32:40.160 who will declare us innocent 00:32:40.160 --> 00:32:42.440 if we confess our sins to him 00:32:42.440 --> 00:32:44.840 and grow us in his grace 00:32:44.840 --> 00:32:46.640 as we long and ask for him 00:32:46.640 --> 00:32:49.220 to continue to make us more and more like Jesus. 00:32:50.360 --> 00:32:51.660 And so it's with that, 00:32:52.240 --> 00:32:54.799 knowing and seeing and learning from God's world 00:32:54.799 --> 00:32:56.000 and his word, 00:32:56.079 --> 00:32:58.639 that we're able to pray the prayer of verse 14. 00:32:58.659 --> 00:33:00.419 Let the words of my mouth 00:33:00.419 --> 00:33:01.700 and the meditation of my heart 00:33:01.700 --> 00:33:03.159 be acceptable in your sight, 00:33:03.259 --> 00:33:03.680 O Lord, 00:33:04.099 --> 00:33:05.460 my rock and my redeemer. 00:33:06.799 --> 00:33:08.819 And so I invite you to pray with me now. 00:33:12.579 --> 00:33:13.619 Dear Father in heaven, 00:33:13.779 --> 00:33:15.339 we thank you again 00:33:15.339 --> 00:33:18.740 that you do give us light and life, 00:33:19.339 --> 00:33:21.480 that you truly have not left us 00:33:21.480 --> 00:33:22.720 to wander alone in the dark, 00:33:22.880 --> 00:33:25.059 but you've taught us about yourself 00:33:25.059 --> 00:33:25.920 through your creation. 00:33:26.980 --> 00:33:28.460 You've also taught us about yourself 00:33:28.460 --> 00:33:29.400 through your word. 00:33:30.279 --> 00:33:31.180 And most importantly, 00:33:31.339 --> 00:33:32.059 you show us 00:33:32.059 --> 00:33:34.440 that there is both a warning and a reward. 00:33:35.460 --> 00:33:37.120 We ask that we would heed the warning 00:33:37.120 --> 00:33:38.299 and we'd pursue the reward, 00:33:38.839 --> 00:33:40.759 that you would grow and stir up our hearts, 00:33:40.839 --> 00:33:42.339 that we would understand and long 00:33:42.339 --> 00:33:42.960 more and more, 00:33:43.039 --> 00:33:43.980 as the psalmist does, 00:33:44.759 --> 00:33:47.740 to see you as more precious than gold 00:33:47.740 --> 00:33:48.900 and sweeter than honey, 00:33:49.259 --> 00:33:50.839 and that it would lead to us 00:33:50.839 --> 00:33:53.099 to pray and have faith and trust in you, 00:33:53.179 --> 00:33:55.740 knowing that you do promise to forgive 00:33:55.740 --> 00:33:57.519 and declare us innocent 00:33:57.519 --> 00:33:58.679 from our hidden faults 00:33:58.679 --> 00:34:00.240 when we have faith and trust in you. 00:34:01.019 --> 00:34:02.419 We ask all these things, 00:34:02.539 --> 00:34:03.839 not because we have earned them, 00:34:04.259 --> 00:34:06.119 but because Jesus has earned them for us, 00:34:06.139 --> 00:34:07.359 and so we ask them in his name. 00:34:07.980 --> 00:34:08.199 Amen.