"To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
1 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."
Psalm 19
It is because of this 'barrier' to a saving knowledge of God that the second revelation, spoken of in 7ff is necessary. To revert to the illustration of the watchmaker, only if he chooses to make himself known to us will we know what he is like; and by the same token only if God chooses to make Himself known to us can we know that He is a God of love, and above all that He loves sinners and is willing to save them. This He has made known in His Word. We therefore pass into a completely different world in 7ff - here is the saving knowledge of God, and the covenant Name of Jehovah, manifesting His saving grace. We need to note the many-sided aspects of the Word and its various attributes, and the effect it has on those who receive it. Its converting power is first stressed. The word has the force of 'restore', and this is what in fact happens; the Word of life brings back the soul to the anchorage in God from which it broke loose through sin. This is why preaching is supremely important, for in preaching the Word we are giving men God, offering Him to men, and in Him pardon, joy and peace. It is in the Word that He makes Himself known savingly to men as their Redeemer. The parallel statement in 7 amplifies this: for the Word bears testimony to the way of salvation, a sure testimony, revealing a way concerning which another Scripture says that 'the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein'. And true wisdom comes to those who trust it simply.