Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 3314
“The Law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul. The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.” Psalm 19:7-9.
[Another Sermon by C. H. Spurgeon upon the first clause of verse 7 is #2870, Volume 50—REVELATION AND CONVERSION.]
WHAT I have to say this evening will really be an exposition of the whole Psalm. I have only selected these three verses for the convenience of having a short text. The Psalm begins upon a high note—“The heavens declare the Glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.” Only let the film of unbelief be taken from our eyes and we shall see that everything in the great temple of Nature proclaims the greatness and the Glory of God. Only let the naturally deaf ear be unstopped and there will be heard voices—mysterious yet clearly intelligible—revealing that God is still here working in Providence, as of old He worked in Creation. It seems to me that those persons who think that Christians are not to be delighted with the wonders and beauties of the natural world, differ very widely from the Psalmist whose words we are considering. One truly excellent man, whom we all very highly esteem, declared that when travelling up the Rhine, he did not look at the landscape because he desired to have his thoughts completely taken up with spiritual things. I cannot condemn the good man, yet I think that as I am dwelling in my Father’s House, I ought to take delight in my Father’s works—and I must be a strange sort of child if I think it is a token of my affection for my Father not to care to look at the garden which He has laid out or the House which He has built! While earnestly exhorting you to be spiritually-minded, I would remind you that it is just as easy to be spiritually-minded with your eyes open as with your eyes shut to all the beauties of Nature by which you are surrounded!
There are two things in the Psalm about which I am going to speak. The first is a parallel intended. And the second, praise expressed.
I. First, there is A PARALLEL INTENDED.
This parallel was suggested to my mind while reading Bishop Horne’s Commentary upon this Psalm. He confesses his acknowledgment to some older author for the idea. The parallel is this—David first extols the Revelation of God in Nature, and then extols the Revelation of God in His Word. And he seems to imply that there is a likeness between the two Revelations—that they are, in fact, two books of the same Revelation or two parts of one great poem!
In reading David’s remarks concerning the heavens, we may truthfully apply them to the Scriptures. Like the heavens, the Scriptures declare the Glory of God, and like the firmament, they show His handiwork Only that while the firmament shows God’s handiwork in Creation, the Word of God shows that same handiwork in Redemption, in that newcreation by Him who says, “Behold, I make all things new.” Consider first the vast expanse of the heavens. Who can measure the great curtain which God has stretched out as a tent to dwell in? Who knows the height thereof or the breadth thereof? Where are the compasses that can describe this wondrous circle? And the Scriptures are just as expansive as are the heavens—no man has yet compassed all the Truth of Divine Revelation. As we look up to the great doctrines that tower above us like the high mountains, we may well say, “They are high, we cannot attain unto them.” The length and breadth and depth and height of Scripture all surpass the comprehension of mortal men! And though we do unfeig-
nedly believe and devoutly rejoice in them, it is not within the range of our powers to fully comprehend them. There are some persons who talk as if they know the whole circle of Divine Truth. They think they have put the great ocean of Revelation into the small measure of their mortal capacity, but you know, dear Friends, that it is not so. No man will ever be able to hold the heavens in his hand or to compass the firmament with a span. But even if he could do this, he would still find that the Word of God in all its wondrous immensity was too vast for him to grasp! We must hold firmly whatever we have learned of the Truth of God, but we must always be prepared to learn more. To say of my Bible that I have attained to every height that it reveals, is as foolish as to say that I have reached the highest degree of spiritual life that is possible. Paul said, “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.” And when I have strived my utmost to know the Word of God, I still feel that I have need to pray, “Teach me Your statutes, O Lord, and enlarge my understanding that I may know more and more of Your Truth!” For expanse, for loftiness, for brightness, for glory, the Scriptures are comparable to the heavens which declare the Glory of God—and to the firmament which shows His handiwork.