Don Rumble
Don Rumble
God’s Word and the New Creation
1 ...The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.
2 Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard.
4 Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,
5 Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
6 Its rising is from one end of heaven, and its circuit to the other end; and there is nothing hidden from its heat.
7 ... The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;
8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;
9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults.
13 Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.
In Psalm 19, David informs us that God has determined to make Himself known to mankind through the beauty of His creation. What a privilege we have been given – that we can gain insight into the nature of God by viewing what He has made.
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead..... (Rm. 1:20)
However, there is another creation in the process of being revealed right in the midst of the natural world. That new creation (God's Church), while still evidencing many flaws, has within it the potential to reveal His glory in a far greater way than can the fallen universe.
One of the tools God has put into our hands to help us in the transformation process is the sacred Scriptures. This study of Psalm 19 has been written with the intent that we would more clearly see the value of the Bible and spend time studying its pages.
One part of God’s remarkable plan is to reveal Himself through His creation. We can gain insight into His glory when we consider the intricacy of the eco-system, contemplate the fragrant diversity of wild flowers growing in a field or simply view a beautiful sunset.
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. (Ps. 19:1)
Just like a Rembrandt painting discloses something of the personality of its painter, so the creation expresses God. For example, a painting will reveal the author’s love for certain colors and textures; it will convey his soul in some measure to the observer.
So also mankind can view God’s creation and look beyond it and see into His character. We are instructed to gain insight concerning Him by considering what He has made. How important it is to take the time to behold the wonderful works of God’s hands, enjoy them and worship Him as we do so.
One of the clearest declarations in Scripture concerning how God reveals His glory is given to us in Psalm 19.
Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. (Ps. 19:2)
It does not matter whether it is day or night, whether people are awake or asleep; the creation continues to make its pronouncement. Its utterance pours forth like a stream, revealing its Creator. Our Lord can be extravagant. Have you ever seen Niagara Falls? What is amazing is that it can’t be turned off at night! It just keeps flowing and flowing. Such lavishness reveals the nature and majesty of God. He is like an abundant flowing river that never runs dry.
First the Psalmist says that the creation pours forth speech and reveals knowledge, and then he says,
There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. (Ps. 19:3)
We have a universal message from the Lord. No matter how far man travels in the creation, the declaration will be the same; God can be known. And He can be found no matter what language one speaks. Obviously, nature does not express itself verbally; we do not hear trees and rocks conversing with each other. Nevertheless, the communication is just as real. Therefore a measure of humility and discernment is needed for one to both grasp that a message is being spoken and then to understand it. Meanwhile, the fool has said in his heart that there is no God. He ignores the real significance of the physical universe.
Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them (the heavens – cf. vs. 1) He has set a tabernacle for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices like a strong man to run its race. Its rising is from one end of heaven, and its circuit to the other end; and there is nothing hidden from its heat. (Ps. 19:4 – 6)
God has set a “tabernacle” or tent for the sun to dwell in. The word “tabernacle” symbolizes mobility and impermanence. While buildings have foundations, tents are movable. The natural order is temporary and will be consumed by fire on the final great day of the Lord (2 Pet. 3). As a result, we are awaiting a new heavens and a new earth, an enduring habitation. Still, the present creation declares the glory of its Creator.
No matter where you go on this planet, whether to the coldest recess of the remotest cave or the deepest part of the ocean, that site would be significantly colder if the sun did not exist. No part of the earth is hidden from its heat. Indeed the sun is magnificent and majestic. Different cultures have worshiped it at various times. Yet the Scripture is clear. The sun is not God; it is simply part of His creation. And as awesome as the natural order is, God transcends it all. It is but a canvas upon which He has revealed aspects of His own nature.
While God reveals His glory through the natural order, He has determined to reveal that glory to an even greater degree through His new creation. The Supreme Artist has purchased a new canvas (at the cost of His own Son) upon which He is unveiling the glories of His own character.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2Co. 5:17)
Through repentance and the new birth, we have come to a whole new world. The new heavens and the new earth have begun; they have been birthed in our hearts. The Church age is to see the gradual manifestation of the new creation as God transform the hearts of His people (2Pet. 1:19). The next verse in Psalm 19 reveals one aspect of God’s method of operation in us.
The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. (Ps.19:7)
God’s law is perfect; there are no mistakes in the word He has given us. The Hebrew word that is translated “perfect” (TAMIM) means whole, entire, or total. It is the word used to describe a sacrificial lamb. Each animal sacrifice was to be blameless, without defect in order to be acceptable to God. Only the best of the herd was to be offered up to Him. It might have seemed to make more economic sense to offer up a sickly lamb because you could sell a healthy one for more money. But God wanted the best, a perfect lamb. Why? Because it was to symbolize the flawless sacrifice yet to come – His own Son.
The Psalmist says that God’s law is perfect. It is whole and entire. In other words, there is no need for anything to be added to it. The Lord did not forget some ingredient and leave us with an incomplete testimony. No. His word is entire, whole and complete. We have an amazing document in our hands. It is better than the writings of Shakespeare, the history books or anything else authored by men. The Bible was crafted by the Holy Spirit as He inspired men to write. It restores our souls when we read it with faith. Holy Scripture is one of the chief tools God has given to effect His purpose of healing and conforming us to the image of His Son.
While it is good to emphasize the internal work of the Holy Spirit in fashioning us to God’s likeness, if we do not spend time reading and meditating on the Scriptures, we neglect one of His chief instruments for change.
Paul thought so much about the effectiveness of God’s written word that he exhorted Timothy to make sure that the Scripture was read when the saints gathered.
Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture.... (1 Tim. 4:13 NASB)
We can limit the effectiveness of the Holy Spirit’s work in us if we do not take time to read His word. This present visitation of the Holy Spirit will not bring a shortcut to maturity for us as individual believers. There is no such thing as a shortcut in spiritual growth. Some believe that if they could just become totally filled with the Holy Spirit, they would achieve spiritual stature almost overnight. Nothing could be further from the truth. God took thirty years preparing His own sinless Son before He released Him in ministry to the nation of Israel. How much more ought we to submit to His process in our lives as He conforms us to His image. His progressive work in us is His solution to make us useful ministers of His life.
Obviously, God can touch us by His Holy Spirit and quickly bring physical and emotional healing when and where we need it. But then, once we have been healed, we still have to arise, consistently seek His face, read His word and follow Him. There simply is no substitute for the daily practice of walking with the Lord.
God Gives His Testimony
...the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. (Ps.19:7)
There is much wisdom to be discovered in the Lord’s witness of Himself. He has two ways of giving His testimony. First, the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy (Rev. 19:10). When the Holy Spirit anoints someone to speak prophetically, Jesus is bearing witness concerning Himself and His purpose. How we need Him to continually speak in our midst with prophetic affirmation concerning His heart both for us and for the world. However, God has also given us His written testimony. The Bible is an infallible witness of the Lord. It is utterly dependable and it makes wise the simple. His word imparts practical wisdom on how to live and relate both to Him as well as to those around us.
Of course, we must acknowledge that we are a simple people, that in ourselves we are nothing. Only then will Scripture greatly help us for it was given to make simple people wise. As we position ourselves in humility before the Lord and His word, we will receive wisdom as we see our need for Him to be our wisdom.
Today, there are dimensions of God's wisdom missing in the Church because many simply do not take the time to read the Book He wrote. His testimony has been recorded and handed down to us over the ages in order to make simple people wise. As a result, we must respond and commit ourselves to reading this sacred book.
The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. (Ps. 19:8)
The theories of famous scientists are occasionally right. The concepts of secular psychiatrists are sometimes right. But the statutes of the Lord are always right and they rejoice the heart. The word “statute” means a principle or a rule that prescribes a particular course of action. In other words, there are certain things that we ought to do simply because the Scriptures say we should. If we do so, we receive joy. A lifestyle of walking in harmony with God’s word rejoices the heart.
Some examples:
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. (Jas. 4:8)
It will bring joy to our hearts if we would just walk in that rule, that principle. As we draw near to Him, He will then come near to us.
But if we say, “I don't feel like doing that” and keep our distance, then we cut ourselves off from one of the benefits of citizenship in God’s Kingdom. His kingdom laws are in some ways similar to His laws in nature (e.g., the law of gravity). Simply stated, the law of gravity says that what goes up must come down. Parallel to that, God’s word says, “If you will draw near to Him, He will draw near to you”. In other words, it reveals one of the “sure things” He has established in His universe. As we then walk in obedience to this rule, we find His joy filling our hearts.
The Scripture says that we are to love the Lord with all of our hearts. If we would do so, our lifestyles would become God-centered resulting in a servant’s heart toward others.
Some believers have taken the perspective that others should serve them. “You have to accept me the way I am.” Their interaction with others is based on how everyone else should relate to them. With such an approach to life, it is possible to be a believer and yet never have an abiding joy.
We must daily take our self-life to the cross and make Jesus our central focus. If we do so, we will soon be looking for ways to give of ourselves so that others can be blessed. Such a life focus will bring us the Lord’s abiding joy. The principle is as follows: love the Lord (i.e., not yourself) with all your heart and soul. The result will be joy as you obey this statute. Too many Christians lack joy simply because they do not do what the Bible says.
Even when obedience is painful to the flesh, the Lord’s statutes are right. Sometimes we think, “Wait a minute, I don’t have to do that – I’m Italian (or German, British, etc.). This is just the way I am; it is part of my racial heritage to act this way.” But if we justify our sin we will soon notice a distinct lack of joy in our lives. It is as we humble ourselves, turn from our own ways and submit to the Lord that joy begins to return and fill our hearts.
...the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. (Ps.19:8)
Purity refers to a pollutant-free condition (e.g., pure water is without contamination). God’s commandments are pure because He is without defect. He has no mixture in His motives toward us. He has no axe to grind or agenda to prove. He simply loves us with a perfect, sacred and enduring love. As we respond in obedience to Him, the Scriptures promise that He will enlighten our eyes. Said another way, He will illuminate our souls. Little by little, we will gain insight into His purpose for our lives, our families, our local church, etc. We must learn to trust the wisdom of His commands. They come from a heart that is without any impurity.
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. (Ps. 19:9)
As we submit to God’s Word, His glory is not only seen in the natural creation, it is gradually revealed in His new creation – in you and I! The question arises, “Would you like a legacy? Would you like your children and grandchildren to point back to your life and say, ‘There was someone who feared the Lord.’” It says that the fear of the Lord is clean and endures forever. Someone who walks in the fear of the Lord will have an enduring estate. Their lifelong contributions will have lasting value.
...the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. (Ps. 19:9)
We should rejoice that God judges His people. For example, He may bring conviction into our hearts that an attitude of anger is wrong. His word to us reveals His judgment. One thing is sure: the Lord knows what is right and what is wrong. Perhaps His present concern is the lack of forgiveness recently rooted in our hearts because someone wronged us. “Lord, why are You dealing with me? Shouldn't Your priority be their sin against me?” But God never makes mistakes.
Have you ever felt that He made a mistake with you? Has it seemed as though He is just not concerned enough about other people’s sins? Remember. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. (Ps. 19:10)
God’s judgments are more desirable than gold. What would you rather have – millions of dollars worth of gold or God’s judgments? What would life be like if God said, “Go and live the way you want. Go do whatever you feel like doing, and I will not bring any conviction or adjustment into your life. Then at the end of your life, you will reap according to how you have sown.”? Or would you rather have God’s personal parental care though there be no gold along with it?
The good news is that God loves us enough to come into our lives and speak to us about where we need to change. He also brings His power to conform us to His likeness so that one day we will stand in His holy presence and enjoy Him forever. What is more important – gold or God? Sadly, many have made the wrong choice over this very issue.
Moreover by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward. (Ps. 19:11)
We must be thankful that God brings His disciplines, His judgments into our lives. The word “judgment” refers to God's judicial sentences. He passes sentence on our anger, our lust, our greed, our ambition, etc. when He comes to us and specifically convicts us of these transgressions. To continue in sin at that point is foolish. On the other hand, to respond to Him and receive His warnings is to reflect wisdom.
Great reward comes from treasuring the judgments of God in our lives. There is nothing more valuable than God’s love and commitment to conform us into the image of His Son. Sometimes the process of transformation involves an experience with what must surely be the valley of the shadow of death. We encounter painful circumstances and people who treat us unfairly. Deep in our hearts we cry out, “Lord, just make me spiritually mature now. Just pour out your Spirit and quickly finish the job.”
The Lord's response? “I will not do it that way. Yes, I will pour out My Spirit upon your life, but there is a process of transformation that I must take you through. It involves My Word and My disciplines in your life.”
Do you know what in the end awaits those who treasure His judgments in their lives? Very simply – great reward.
Our Great Hope
Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. (Ps. 19:12)
Who knows his own heart enough to be able to look inside and discern his own sins? “Lord, I need You to cleanse me from secret faults – the wrong things in me that I am not even aware of.”
Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression. (Ps. 19:13)
What is a presumptuous sin? Basically it is deliberate sin. The NIV uses the term “willful”. Willful sin. Another translation opts for “arrogant sins”. This type of sin is revealed in the attitude that says, “I don’t care. I’m going to do it anyway. I know I shouldn’t do it. But I’ve made up my mind. So don’t bother me.”
Everyone reading this booklet has seen that attitude surface in them when the right “buttons” were pushed. And just as significantly, God knew what was in our hearts when He exposed them. It did not take Him by surprise. But notice David’s prayer. He says, “Lord, keep me back from those kinds of sins, and let them not rule over my life”.
You see, any of us can get to the point where we develop a lifestyle of saying, “I don’t care. I’m going to do what I want”. At that point presumptuous sin becomes rebellion. Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. Once we are hooked into such a lifestyle, it is not an easy place from which to be delivered. It is not impossible, but the warfare over one’s soul is that much more intense. I was there. I know what it is like to have been in God’s house, willfully harden my heart and then rebel. I also know what it is for Him to have mercy and restore me again into a place of service in His house.
David also says that if God will keep him back from presumptuous sin, then he would be blameless. This word “blameless” is the same word as in verse 7 which describes God’s law as “perfect”. In other words, David would be whole, entire, put together.
Our hope is that the perfect Word of God together with the active working of His Spirit, would produce in us the manifestation of what is written in the Bible. We are to become the living display of the Scriptures. Herein lies the New Covenant. God writes His own nature and character into the fiber of His people so that we become those who reveal Him in every city and village across the face of the earth.
One problem common to us all is our attempts in our own strength to be like the Lord. In His mercy, He determines to show us just how inadequate our own abilities really are. Pressures increase, tribulations arise and we fall flat on our face. God exposes such failure in us that we might learn to trust not in our own power but in Him. We soon learn that God Himself is our only hope that we will ever become like Him.
One part we must play in the transformation process is to pick up the tool (the Scriptures) He has put into our hands and spend time with Him.
Dads and Moms – spend time with your family in the word. Pray together and read the Bible together. I was raised in a family that honored the book that God wrote. To this day, my parents love to talk with me about the word; my Dad and I are always getting into debates and discussions. I love it.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. (Ps. 19:14)
The end result of the dealings of God in my life is that both the words of my mouth as well as the meditation of my heart will be acceptable in His sight. We may impress people with the words of our mouths while simultaneously hiding certain resentful, greedy or selfish attitudes in our hearts. David says, “Lord let them both be pleasing in Your sight. Be blessed both by what I think as well as what I say”.
What if my heart contemplations consistently differ from what I say? Eventually God will bring pressure to bear so that what is in my heart will be revealed through my mouth.
For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (Mt. 12:34)
If you want to know what is in your heart, listen to the words of your mouth when the pressure is on.
It is often a very humbling experience to find out under pressure what God already saw in my heart when circumstances were pleasant. How grateful I am for His mercy. But the cry of my heart is, “Lord, cause both areas to come into line with Your holy word”. Amen.
God has determined to reveal Himself to the nations through His people. The question we face is: is He up to the task? Does He realize the condition of those He has to work with? Does He have sufficient tools at His disposal to finish what He has started? Of course, the resounding answer is, “yes”! Jesus Himself told us He would be able to finish what He started (Mt. 16:18).
For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, “This man began to build and was not able to finish.” (Luke 14:28 – 30)
If fallen men know enough to count the cost of what they plan to build, how much more did God calculate what would be required before laying the foundation of His Church? From His eternal perspective, our Lord clearly saw what would be needed to bring to completion this great project called the house of God.
To facilitate this undertaking, He has poured out His own presence into our lives by the power of the Holy Spirit and He has placed into our hands the only book He ever wrote – the Holy Scriptures. One mark of a Spirit-filled life is a love for the Bible. The One who wrote this incredible book wants to reveal its depths to those who would humbly approach it with a hungry heart.
The effect of God’s word on spiritually famished men is that it will convert our souls, make us wise, bring joy to our hearts, enlighten our eyes and warn us of the consequences of disregarding the Lord.
How we need to read and study the pages of this book. There is no other like it in all the world!
One closing question. What is the difference between one who has a Bible and does not read it as over against one who simply does not have a Bible to read? Both will be ignorant of the Lord and of His kingdom. But the one who had the Bible and did not read it will find on the day of judgment that God had placed the greater requirement on him.
For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more. (Luke 12:48)
However, let us not read the Scriptures simply because of a fear of greater judgment; let us read to discover the One who wrote them, who is so worthy of our love and obedience. Along with that, He has promised great reward to those who give heed to its contents.
All Scripture quotes are from the NKJV
About the Author
Don Rumble has served the Lord in Bible teaching ministry for 29 years. He is one of four elders on the ministry team at Saugerties Christian Fellowship, a local church that meets in Saugerties, NY. He is the author of four books - Apostolic and Prophetic Foundations, The Latter Day Glory, The Ephesian Connection and Winds of Change.
Don Rumble
PO Box 180 · Glasco, NY 12432
(845) 246 1142
donrumble@hotmail.com