3/15/08 Devotional – Psalm 19 “God is Sweeter than Honey”

 

Psa 19:1-14  To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.  (2)  Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.  (3)  There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.  (4)  Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun,  (5)  which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.  (6)  Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat.  (7)  The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;  (8)  the precepts 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 rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.  (10)  More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.  (11)  Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.  (12)  Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults.  (13)  Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and 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 rock and my redeemer.

This psalm is one of my favorites. It starts off by declaring God to be awesome in His creation. It goes on to then describe how awesome His word is. God’s law is called “perfect”, “sure”, “making wise”, “true”, “righteous”, “more desired than gold”, and “sweeter than honey”. It then closes with a prayer of wanting to be blameless and free from sin. The final please is that our hearts and mouths would be please to God.

I want to focus in on v. 11, “…keeping them is great reward”. In Hebrews, we find a similar truth:

Heb 11:6  And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

We are told that faith alone is what pleases God and that we must believe that God is a faithful promise keeper and rewarder of all things that have been promised to them that believe in Him. The psalm says that there is great reward in following God’s law. This truth is a little tricky because some may think that we earn God’s favor by our good deeds. That isn’t the case. We can’t earn God’s favor. He chooses to love us unconditionally…even while we were enemies in our sin, He loved us.

Having been forgiven by grace, we now enter into a relationship with God, where He is at work shaping us and forming us to be vessel for His glory. The forgiven soul will now delight in God’s Word…it will be sweeter than honey….desired more than gold. We will live our lives in obedience based on faith. We must believe and trust in the greater reward that can only be found in God. God is unrivaled in His supreme value and the only true treasure that can satisfy the soul. We must find our joy and satisfaction in Him alone!!!

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• Psalm 19…..a great psalm of the saint who loves the ways of God.