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There are two excellent books which the great God has published for the instruction and edification of the children of men; this psalm treats of them both, and recommends them both to our diligent study. I. The book of the creatures, in which we may easily read the power and godhead of the Creator, Ps 19:1-6. II. The book of the scriptures, which makes known to us the will of God concerning our duty. He shows the excellency and usefulness of that book (Ps 19:7-11) and then teaches us how to improve it, Ps 19:12-14.
1-6
God's Glory Seen in the Creation
繁體中文
從創造中看見神的榮耀
交與伶長。大衛的詩。
¹ 諸天述說神的榮耀；穹蒼傳揚他的手段。 ² 這日到那日發出言語；這夜到那夜傳出知識。 ³ 無言無語，也無聲音可聽。 ⁴ 他的量帶通遍天下，他的言語傳到地極。神在其間為太陽安設帳幕； ⁵ 太陽如同新郎出洞房，又如勇士歡然奔路。 ⁶ 他從天這邊出來，繞到天那邊；沒有一物被隱藏不得他的熱氣。
詩人在這些經文中，從全世界每日所見的受造之物，引導我們思想那不能看見的神的事——他的存在顯為無可置疑的確鑿，他的榮耀在那可見的諸天中——在其結構與美麗之中，並在天體的秩序與影響之中——照耀得格外明亮。神權能的這一事例，不僅足以顯出無神論者的愚妄——他們看見有天，卻說「沒有神」；看見果效，卻說「沒有原因」——也足以顯出拜偶像者的愚妄與他們心思的虛妄：諸天既述說神的榮耀，他們竟將那榮耀歸給天上的光體，殊不知那些光體正是要引導他們單單將榮耀歸給神——眾光之父。如今我們在此當留意，
一、受造之物向我們宣告的是甚麼。它們在許多方面對我們有益有用，但在一事上尤為顯著，就是它們述說神的榮耀，展示他的作為（詩十九1）。它們明明說自己是神親手所作的工；因為它們不可能從永遠就存在——一切接續與運行都必有起頭；它們不可能造成自己，這乃是矛盾；它們也不可能由原子的偶然碰撞所產生，這乃是荒謬，只該被嘲笑而不該被當作道理來辯論：因此它們必有一位創造主，而這位創造主除了一個永遠的心智——無限智慧、權能、良善的心智——之外，別無其他。如此便顯明它們是神的作為，是他指頭所造的（詩八3），因此它們述說他的榮耀。從那作為的卓越，我們不難推論出其偉大作者的無限完全。從諸天的明亮，我們可以推知創造主就是光；它們廣闊無邊的範圍說明他的無限廣大，它們的高聳說明他的超越與主權，它們對這地的影響說明他的統治、護理與普世的厚恩：這一切都宣告他的全能——他起初藉這權能造了它們，又使它們存留至今，照著當時所定的定律運行。
二、有哪些事物宣告了這事？1. 諸天與穹蒼——那廣大的空氣與以太的穹蒼，並行星與恆星的諸天體。人在身體構造上勝過走獸的一點在於：走獸被造為向下看，正如它們的靈必要往那裏去；人卻被造為直立向上看，因為他的靈不久要往上去，他的心思如今也當上升。2. 畫夜持續而有規律的交替（詩十九2）：這日到那日，這夜到那夜，都述說那位神的榮耀——他最先將光與暗分開，又從起初到今日，毫無變更地保守了那所定的秩序，正如神與挪亞所立的約（創八22）：地還存留的時候，稼穡、寒暑、冬夏、晝夜就永不停息。恩典之約為其穩固的緣故被拿來與這護理之約相比（耶三十三20，三十一35）。晝夜如此精確地交替更換，是神權能的一大憑據，也呼召我們留意：正如在自然之國中，在護理之國中也是一樣，他造光，又造暗（賽四十五7），並將二者相對而立。這也是他向人所施恩慈的憑據；因為他叫晨光、黃昏歡呼（詩六十五8）。他不但藉此榮耀自己，也藉這持續的循環使我們得滿足；因為正如清晨的日光有利於白日的勞作，傍晚的夜影也有利於夜間的安息；每一日、每一夜都述說神的良善，當他們完成了自己的見證，便將之留給次日、次夜，使之繼續述說同樣的事。3. 太陽的光與影響，以特別的方式述說神的榮耀；因為在一切天體之中，它本身最為顯著，對這下面的世界也最為有用——若沒有它，這世界全然是地牢，全然是荒漠。大衛很可能是在望見朝陽升起之時寫下這篇詩，並從太陽的明亮得著機會來述說神的榮耀，這猜測並非不可能。論到太陽，在此當留意：（1）為它所定的所在。神在諸天之中為太陽安設帳幕。天體被稱為天上的萬象，因此適宜說它們住在帳棚裏，如同士兵安營一般。說太陽有帳幕為之而設，不僅因為它不斷運行、從無固定的居所，更因為它現有的居所到了末時必如帳棚被拆下——那時天要像書卷一樣捲起來，日頭要變為黑暗。（2）為它所指派的軌道。那榮耀的受造之物不是被造來無所事事的；它的出來（至少在我們眼中看來如此）是從天的一端，它的運行由此到對面的一端，又由那裏（以完成它每日一周的運行）回到同一點；這一切如此穩定而恆久，以致我們可以準確地預測太陽在某日將在某地升起的時辰與分秒。（3）它所顯出的明亮。它如同新郎出洞房，穿戴華美，妝飾整齊，本身容光煥發，又使周圍一切變為可悅；因為新郎的朋友聽見新郎的聲音就甚喜樂（約三29）。（4）它行此路程時所存的歡欣。雖然它所行的路程看來極其遙遠，又無片刻休息，然而順服受造的定律、為服事人而作的這一切，它不但甘心去行，更是以極大的喜樂而行，如勇士歡然奔路。公義的太陽——基督——也是如此甘心滿足地完成了所交託他的工。（5）它在這地上的普遍影響：沒有一物被隱藏不得它的熱氣——連地腹中的金屬也是如此，太陽對它們也有影響。
三、這神榮耀的宣告是向誰發出的。它是向世界各處發出的（詩十九3、4）：無言無語（也無國家，因為列國是照他們的口音分立的，創十31、32），他的量帶通遍天下（姑且說是赤道），他的言語傳到地極，宣告那位自然之神的永能（詩十九4）。使徒以此為由，說明猶太人不當因他和其他人向猶太人傳福音而發怒，因為神早已藉著創造之工向外邦世界啟示了自己，並未在他們中間沒有留下見證（羅十18），因此他們若拜偶像，便無可推諉（羅一20、21）。那些藉著向他們傳福音、竭力使他們轉離偶像的人，也就無可指責了。神既用這些方法來防止他們背道，而證明無效，使徒們改用別的方法使他們從背道中歸回，便是正確的。他們無言無語（有人如此讀），*他們的聲音卻可聽見。*萬民都可以聽見這些天然不朽的傳道者，用自己的鄉談述說神的奇妙作為。
在唱詩十九1-6之時，我們當因諸天之光所給我們的一切安慰與益處，將榮耀歸給神，並仍越過它們仰望那公義的太陽。
英文原文
God's Glory Seen in the Creation
To the chief musician. A psalm of David.
¹ The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handywork.
² Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge.
³ There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
⁴ Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
⁵ Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
⁶ His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
From the things that are seen every day by all the world the psalmist, in these verses, leads us to the consideration of the invisible things of God, whose being appears incontestably evident and whose glory shines transcendently bright in the visible heavens, the structure and beauty of them, and the order and influence of the heavenly bodies. This instance of the divine power serves not only to show the folly of atheists, who see there is a heaven and yet say, "There is no God," who see the effect and yet say, "There is no cause," but to show the folly of idolaters also, and the vanity of their imagination, who, though the heavens declare the glory of God, yet gave that glory to the lights of heaven which those very lights directed them to give to God only, the Father of lights. Now observe here,
1. What that is which the creatures notify to us. They are in many ways useful and serviceable to us, but in nothing so much as in this, that they declare the glory of God, by showing his handy-works, Ps 19:1. They plainly speak themselves to be God's handy-works; for they could not exist from eternity; all succession and motion must have had a beginning; they could not make themselves, that is a contradiction; they could not be produced by a casual hit of atoms, that is an absurdity, fit rather to be bantered than reasoned with: therefore they must have a Creator, who can be no other than an eternal mind, infinitely wise, powerful, and good. Thus it appears they are God's works, the works of his fingers (Ps 8:3), and therefore they declare his glory. From the excellency of the work we may easily infer the infinite perfection of its great author. From the brightness of the heavens we may collect that the Creator is light; their vastness of extent bespeaks his immensity, their height his transcendency and sovereignty, their influence upon this earth his dominion, and providence, and universal beneficence: and all declare his almighty power, by which they were at first made, and continue to this day according to the ordinances that were then settled.
II. What are some of those things which notify this? 1. The heavens and the firmament—the vast expanse of air and ether, and the spheres of the planets and fixed stars. Man has this advantage above the beasts, in the structure of his body, that whereas they are made to look downwards, as their spirits must go, he is made erect, to look upwards, because upwards his spirit must shortly go and his thoughts should now rise. 2. The constant and regular succession of day and night (Ps 19:2): Day unto day, and night unto night, speak the glory of that God who first divided between the light and the darkness, and has, from the beginning to this day, preserved that established order without variation, according to God's covenant with Noah (Ge 8:22), that, while the earth remains, day and night shall not cease, to which covenant of providence the covenant of grace is compared for its stability, Jer 33:20, Jer 31:35. The counterchanging of day and night, in so exact a method, is a great instance of the power of God, and calls us to observe that, as in the kingdom of nature, so in that of providence, he forms the light and creates the darkness (Isa 45:7), and sets the one over-against the other. It is likewise an instance of his goodness to man; for he makes the out-goings of the morning and evening to rejoice, Ps 65:8. He not only glorifies himself, but gratifies us, by this constant revolution; for as the light of the morning befriends the business of the day, so the shadows of the evening befriend the repose of the night; every day and every night speak the goodness of God, and, when they have finished their testimony, leave it to the next day, to the next night, to stay the same. 3. The light and influence of the sun do, in a special manner, declare the glory of God; for of all the heavenly bodies that is the most conspicuous in itself and most useful to this lower world, which would be all dungeon, and all desert, without it. It is not an improbable conjecture that David penned this psalm when he had the rising sun in view, and from the brightness of it took occasion to declare the glory of God. Concerning the sun observe here, (1.) The place appointed him. In the heavens God has set a tabernacle for the sun. The heavenly bodies are called hosts of heaven, and therefore are fitly said to dwell in tents, as soldiers in their encampments. The sun is said to have a tabernacle set him, no only because he is in continual motion and never has a fixed residence, but because the mansion he has will, at the end of time, be taken down like a tent, when the heavens shall be rolled together like a scroll and the sun shall be turned to darkness. (2.) The course assigned him. That glorious creature was not made to be idle, but his going forth (at least as it appears to our eye) is from one point of the heavens, and his circuit thence to the opposite point, and thence (to complete his diurnal revolution) to the same point again; and this with such steadiness and constancy that we can certainly foretel the hour and the minute at which the sun will rise at such a place, any day to come. (3.) The brightness wherein he appears. He is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, richly dressed and adorned, as fine as hands can make him, looking pleasantly himself and making all about him pleasant; for the friend of the bridegroom rejoices greatly to hear the bridegroom's voice, Joh 3:29. (4.) The cheerfulness wherewith he makes this tour. Though it seems a vast round which he has to walk, and he has not a moment's rest, yet in obedience to the law of this creation, and for the service of man, he not only does it, but does it with a great deal of pleasure and rejoices as a strong man to run a race. With such satisfaction did Christ, the Sun of righteousness, finish the work that was given him to do. (5.) His universal influence on this earth: There is nothing hidden from the heart thereof, no, not metals in the bowels of the earth, which the sun has an influence upon.
III. To whom this declaration is made of the glory of God. It is made to all parts of the world (Ps 19:3,4): There is no speech nor language (no nation, for the nations were divided after their tongues, Ge 10:31,32) where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone through all the earth (the equinoctial line, suppose) and with it their words to the end of the world, proclaiming the eternal power of God of nature, Ps 19:4. The apostle uses this as a reason why the Jews should not be angry with him and others for preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, because God had already made himself known to the Gentile world by the works of creation, and left not himself without witness among them (Ro 10:18), so that they were without excuse if they were idolaters, Ro 1:20,21. And those were without blame, who, by preaching the gospel to them, endeavoured to turn them from their idolatry. If God used these means to prevent their apostasy, and they proved ineffectual, the apostles did well to use other means to recover them from it. They have no speech or language (so some read it) and yet their voice is heard. All people may hear these natural immortal preachers speak to them in their own tongue the wonderful works of God.
In singing Ps 19:1-6 we must give God the glory of all the comfort and benefit we have by the lights of the heaven, still looking above and beyond them to the Sun of righteousness.
7-14
The Excellency of the Scriptures
繁體中文
聖經的卓越
⁷ 耶和華的律法全備，能甦醒人心；耶和華的法度確定，能使愚人有智慧。 ⁸ 耶和華的訓詞正直，能快活人的心；耶和華的命令清潔，能明亮人的眼目。 ⁹ 耶和華的道理潔淨，存到永遠；耶和華的典章真實，全然公義。 ¹⁰ 都比金子可羨慕，且比極多的精金可羨慕；比蜜甘甜，且比蜂房下滴的蜜甘甜。 ¹¹ 況且你的僕人因此受警戒，守著這些便有大賞。 ¹² 誰能知道自己的錯失呢？願你赦免我隱而未現的過錯。 ¹³ 求你攔阻僕人不犯任意妄為的罪，不容這罪轄制我；我便完全，免犯大罪。 ¹⁴ 耶和華我的磐石，我的救贖主啊，願我口中的言語、心裏的意念在你面前蒙悅納。
神的榮耀（即他對人的良善）在創造之工中大有彰顯，但在神的啟示之中、並藉著神的啟示，彰顯得更大。聖經既是關乎我們向神當盡之本分、以及我們對他所存之盼望的準則，對我們的用處與益處，遠勝於白晝與黑夜，遠勝於我們所呼吸的空氣，或太陽的光輝。人若仍守住他正直的光景，神藉其作為所顯明的啟示本已足夠；但要將他從墮落的狀態中挽回，就必須另尋途徑；這事必須藉著神的話來成就。在這裏，
1. 詩人述說了神話語的卓越屬性與用途，共六句話（詩19:7-9）；每一句都重複了耶和華的名，這並非虛空的重複，因為律法的權威與一切卓越，都來自賜律法的主。這裏有神話語的六個不同名稱，用以涵蓋全部神的啟示——包括誡命與應許，特別是福音。這裏有它的幾項美好屬性，證明其屬天的來源，推薦它給我們的愛慕，並使它超乎其他一切律法。這裏也有律法在人心中所產生的幾項美好效果，顯明它的設計目的、我們當如何使用它，以及伴隨它、並藉著它運行的神聖恩典有何等奇妙的功效。 1. 耶和華的律法全備。它全然沒有任何敗壞，全然充滿了一切美善，全然適合它所設計的目的；它也必使屬神的人得以完全（提後3:17）。對它不可增添，也不可刪減。它能甦醒人心，把我們帶回自己、帶回我們的神、帶回我們的本分；因為它向我們顯明瞭我們偏離神時的罪惡與悲慘，以及我們必須歸向他的不可或缺性。 2. 耶和華的法度（就是為他向我們作見證的）確定，無可辯駁、不可違背地確定，是我們可以信靠、可以倚賴、可以篤信它不會欺騙我們的。它是神聖真理的可靠發現，是當盡本分之道路上可靠的指引。它是活潑安慰的可靠根基，也是持久盼望的可靠根基。它能使人有智慧——使你有得救的智慧（提後3:15）。它使我們看透屬神的事，並預先看見將來的事。它使我們從事最美善的工作，並確保我們真正的益處。它甚至能使愚人（儘管他們為現今的世界拙於籌算）為自己的靈魂與永恆有智慧。那些謙卑單純、自知愚昧、又願受教的人，必因神的話成為有智慧（詩25:9）。 3. 耶和華的訓詞（由他的權柄頒佈，臨到誰就約束誰）正直，完全契合善惡那永恆的法則與原則——即契合人的正確理性與神的正確旨意。神關乎萬事的誡命盡都正確（詩119:128），恰如其分；我們若領受並順服，它們必把我們挽回正路；正因它們是正直的，所以能快活人的心。律法在基督手中，為我們帶來喜樂的緣由；當它寫在我們心上，便藉著使我們恢復正確的心志，為永遠的喜樂立下根基。 4. 耶和華的命令清潔；它是明亮的，毫無黑暗；是純淨的，毫無渣滓與污穢。它本身已除去一切雜質，並能使領受、接受它的人得著潔淨。它是聖靈用來明亮人的眼目的尋常方法；它使我們看見並覺察自己的罪惡與悲慘，又引導我們行在當盡本分的道路上。 5. 耶和華的道理（就是在話語中所定規的真實信仰與敬虔，存於心中，行於生活）潔淨，本身潔淨，並使我們潔淨（約15:3）；它必潔淨我們的道路（詩119:9）。它存到永遠；它有永久的約束力，永不廢除。禮儀的律法早已廢去，但關乎敬畏神的律法卻永遠不變。時間不能改變道德之善與惡的本質。 6. 耶和華的典章（就是他一切以無限智慧所定的誡命）真實；它們建立在最神聖、無可置疑的真理之上；它們公義，全都與天然的公正相符；而且它們全然如此：其中沒有一條是不義的，全都前後一致、渾然一體。
II. 他表達了自己對神話語的極高評價，以及他從其中已得著、並盼望得著的極大益處（詩19:10-11）。
1. 看他何等看重神的誡命。這是一切敬虔之人的特徵：他們把信仰與神的話語，看為遠勝於（1）世上的一切財富。它比金子更可羨慕，且比精金、比極多的精金更可羨慕。金子是屬地的、屬地的；但恩典是屬天的形像。金子只為身體與今世的事；恩典卻為靈魂與永遠的事。（2）遠勝於一切感官的快樂與歡娛。神的話憑信心領受，對於靈魂是甘甜的，比蜜和蜂房下滴的蜜更甘甜。感官的快樂是畜類的快樂，因此貶低了人偉大的靈魂；信仰的快樂是天使的快樂，因此提升了靈魂。感官的快樂是欺哄人的，很快就會生厭，卻永不能滿足；但信仰的快樂是真實而令人滿足的，在其中並無過度之虞。
2. 看他如何使用神話語的誡命：*因此你的僕人受警戒。*神的話對世人乃是警戒的話；它警戒我們當盡的本分、當避開的危險，以及當為之預備的洪濤（結3:17，33:7）。它警戒惡人不可在惡道上繼續前行，也警戒義人不可從善道上轉離。凡真是神僕人的，都領受這警戒。
3. 看他因順服神的誡命而盼望得著何等益處：守著這些便有大賞。那些以盡本分為念的人，不僅不會因此受虧損，反要得著無可言喻的益處。守神的誡命，不僅在守了之後有賞賜，就是在守的時候也有賞賜——順服本身就有一份當下的極大賞賜。信仰就是健康與尊榮；就是平安與喜樂；它要使我們的安慰甘甜，使我們的十字架輕省，使人生真正有價值，甚至使死亡本身也真正可羨慕。
III. 他從這番關於神話語之卓越的敬虔默想中，得出了一些美好的推論。這樣的思想當在我們裏面激起敬虔的情感，而且大有功效。
1. 他因此抓住機會，對自己的罪作悔罪的反思；因為律法本是叫人知罪。「誡命既是如此聖潔、公義、良善，那麼誰能知道自己的錯失呢？我不能，無論誰能。」他從神律法的正直，學會稱自己的罪為錯失。誡命若是真實公義的，那麼每一項違背誡命的過犯就是一個錯失，因其出於錯謬；每一項邪惡的行為，都源於某種敗壞的原則；它是偏離了我們當遵行的法則、當行走的道路。他從神律法的廣度、嚴格與屬靈性質，學會自己的罪多到自己不能數算，而且極其邪惡，多到自己不能測透其可憎與惡毒。我們犯了許多罪，卻因自己的疏忽和對自己的偏袒而毫不知覺；有許多我們已經忘記；因此，即使我們已極其詳細地認罪，也必須以一個*「等等」——諸如此類*來作結；因為神所知道我們的邪惡，遠多於我們自己所知道的。我們在許多事上都有過失，誰能知道自己得罪了多少次呢？我們如今是在恩典之下，不在律法之下，這實在是好的，否則我們就滅亡了。
2. 他因此抓住機會，為抵擋罪而禱告。律法向我們所顯明的一切罪，都當驅使我們來到施恩座前，在那裏禱告，正如大衛在此所行：（1）求憐憫赦免。他既無法逐一列舉自己過犯的細節，便呼求說：主啊，求你洗淨我隱而未現的過錯；這不是對神隱藏的（沒有甚麼是向神隱藏的），也不僅是對世人隱藏的，而是向他自己對自己的觀察隱藏的。最好的人也有理由懷疑自己犯了許多隱藏的過錯，並求神潔淨他們，不將這罪歸到他們身上；因為連我們軟弱的罪、疏忽的罪，以及隱而未現的罪，若神照我們所當受的對待我們，都必毀滅我們。隱藏的罪也是玷污人的，使我們不配與神相交；但當罪得赦免，我們便得著潔淨（約壹1:7）。（2）求恩典在需要時幫助。他既已求他軟弱的罪得赦免，便求任意妄為的罪被攔阻（詩19:13）。凡真正為自己的罪悔改、並已得著赦免的人，都小心不要重新陷入罪中，也不要再回到愚昧之中，正如他們的禱告所顯明的；他們的禱告與大衛在此的禱告一致。在這裏請注意，[1] 他的祈求：「求你保守我永不被任意妄為、存心故犯的罪所勝。」我們當求保守不犯軟弱的罪，但特別要求保守不犯任意妄為的罪——這種罪最得罪神、最傷良心，使我們的安慰枯萎，也震撼我們的盼望。「無論如何，不容這樣的罪轄制我，不容我服在任何這樣的罪之下，也不容我被它奴役。」[2] 他的憑藉：「這樣我便完全；我必顯為完全；我必保全我完全的憑據與安慰；我便免犯大罪」——他如此稱呼任意妄為的罪，因為獻祭不能為此贖罪（民15:28-30）。請注意，第一，任意妄為的罪極其可惡且危險。那些違背良心習慣性的定罪與實際的責備、藐視並反抗律法及其刑罰的人，就是蓄意犯罪——他們任意妄為地犯罪，這是大罪。第二，甚至敬虔的人也當自省，防範任意妄為地犯罪，儘管他們至今藉著神的恩典已被保守不犯這罪。不可自高，反要懼怕。第三，既如此容易受試探，當我們正朝向任意妄為的罪推進時，我們實在大有需要禱告求神攔阻我們——或藉他的護理阻止那試探，或藉他的恩典使我們得勝。
3. 他因此謙卑地懇求神悅納他這些敬虔的思想與情感（詩19:14）。請注意這話與前文的關聯。他先求神保守他不犯罪，然後才求神悅納他所行的；因為我們若放縱自己的罪，就不能期望神悅納我們，或悅納我們的事奉（詩66:18）。請注意，（1）他所獻的是甚麼——他口中的言語和他心中的默想，就是他獻給神的聖潔情感。心中敬虔的默想不可被扼殺，而當在我們口中的言語裏表達出來，為神的榮耀並別人的造就；我們口在禱告與讚美中的言語也不可徒具形式，而當源於心中的默想（詩45:1）。（2）他對這些事奉所關注的是甚麼——願這些事奉在神面前蒙悅納；因為我們的事奉若不蒙神悅納，於我們又有何益處呢？敬虔的靈魂只要蒙神悅納，便得著了他們所求的一切，因為那就是他們的福樂。（3）他有甚麼理由盼望得著這悅納——因為神是他的力量、他的救贖主。我們若在屬靈的本分上以神為我們的力量、向他求助，便可盼望在盡本分時蒙神悅納；因為我們靠他的力量，便與他有能力。
我們唱這篇詩時，當使我們的心大大被神話語的卓越所感動並降服於它；我們也當大大被罪的邪惡所感動——被我們陷於其中的危險、並因它而來的危險所感動；並當從天上得著幫助來抵擋它。
英文原文
The Excellency of the Scriptures
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 for ever: 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 is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
¹² Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
¹³ Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
¹⁴ Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
God's glory, (that is, his goodness to man) appears much in the works of creation, but much more in and by divine revelation. The holy scripture, as it is a rule both of our duty to God and of our expectation from him, is of much greater use and benefit to us than day or night, than the air we breathe in, or the light of the sun. The discoveries made of God by his works might have served if man had retained his integrity; but, to recover him out of his fallen state, another course must be taken; that must be done by the word of God. And here,
1. The psalmist gives an account of the excellent properties and uses of the word of God, in six sentences (Ps 19:7-9), in each of which the name Jehovah is repeated, and no vain repetition, for the law has its authority and all its excellency from the law-maker. Here are six several titles of the word of God, to take in the whole of divine revelation, precepts and promises, and especially the gospel. Here are several good properties of it, which proves its divine original, which recommend it to our affection, and which extol it above all other laws whatsoever. Here are several good effects of the law upon the minds of men, which show what it is designed for, what use we are to make of it, and how wonderful the efficacy of divine grace is, going along with it, and working by it. 1. The law of the Lord is perfect. It is perfectly free from all corruption, perfectly filled with all good, and perfectly fitted for the end for which it is designed; and it will make the man of God perfect, 2Ti 3:17. Nothing is to be added to it nor taken from it. It is of use to convert the soul, to bring us back to ourselves, to our God, to our duty; for it shows us our sinfulness and misery in our departures from God and the indispensable necessity of our return to him. 2. The testimony of the Lord (which witnesses for him to us) is sure, incontestably and inviolably sure, what we may give credit to, may rely upon, and may be confident it will not deceive us. It is a sure discovery of the divine truth, a sure direction in the way of duty. It is a sure foundation of living comforts and a sure foundation of lasting hopes. It is of use to make us wise, wise to salvation, 2Ti 3:15. It will give us an insight into things divine and a foresight of things to come. It will employ us in the best work and secure to us our true interests. It will make even the simple (poor contrivers as they may be for the present world) wise for their souls and eternity. Those that are humbly simple, sensible of their own folly and willing to be taught, shall be made wise by the word of God, Ps 25:9. 3. The statutes of the Lord (enacted by his authority, and binding on all wherever they come) are right, exactly agreeing with the eternal rules and principles of good and evil, that is, with the right reason of man and the right counsels of God. All God's precepts, concerning all things, are right (Ps 119:128), just as they should be; and they will set us to rights if we receive them and submit to them; and, because they are right, they rejoice the heart. The law, as we see it in the hands of Christ, gives cause for joy; and, when it is written in our hearts, it lays a foundation for everlasting joy, by restoring us to our right mind. 4. The commandment of the Lord is pure; it is clear, without darkness; it is clean, without dross and defilement. It is itself purified from all alloy, and is purifying to those that receive and embrace it. It is the ordinary means which the Spirit uses in enlightening the eyes; it brings us to a sight and sense of our sin and misery, and directs us in the way of duty. 5. The fear of the Lord (true religion and godliness prescribed in the word, reigning in the heart, and practised in the life) is clean, clean itself, and will make us clean (Joh 15:3); it will cleanse our way, Ps 119:9. And it endureth for ever; it is of perpetual obligation and can never be repealed. The ceremonial law is long since done away, but the law concerning the fear of God is ever the same. Time will not alter the nature of moral good and evil. 6. The judgments of the Lord (all his precepts, which are framed in infinite wisdom) are true; they are grounded upon the most sacred and unquestionable truths; they are righteous, all consonant to natural equity; and they are so altogether: there is no unrighteousness in any of them, but they are all of a piece.
II. He expresses the great value he had for the word of God, and the great advantage he had, and hoped to have, from it, Ps 19:10,11.
1. See how highly he prized the commandments of God. It is the character of all good people that they prefer their religion and the word of God, (1.) Far before all the wealth of the world. It is more desirable than gold, than fine gold, than much fine gold. Gold is of the earth, earthly; but grace is the image of the heavenly. Gold is only for the body and the concerns of time; but grace is for the soul and the concerns of eternity. (2.) Far before all pleasures and delights of sense. The word of God, received by faith, is sweet to the soul, sweeter than honey and the honey comb. The pleasures of sense are the delight of brutes, and therefore debase the great soul of man; the pleasures of religion are the delight of angels, and exalt the soul. The pleasures of sense are deceitful, will soon surfeit, and yet never satisfy; but those of religion are substantial and satisfying, and there is no danger of exceeding in them.
2. See what use he made of the precepts of God's word: By them is thy servant warned. The word of God is a word of warning to the children of men; it warns us of the duty we are to do, the dangers we are to avoid, and the deluge we are to prepare for, Eze 3:17,33:7. It warns the wicked not to go on in his wicked way, and warns the righteous not to turn from his good way. All that are indeed God's servants take this warning.
3. See what advantage he promised himself by his obedience to God's precepts: In keeping them there is great reward. Those who make conscience of their duty will not only be no losers by it, but unspeakable gainers. There is a reward, not only after keeping, but in keeping, God's commandments, a present great reward of obedience. Religion is health and honour; it is peace and pleasure; it will make our comforts sweet and our crosses easy, life truly valuable and death itself truly desirable.
III. He draws some good inferences from this pious meditation upon the excellency of the word of God. Such thoughts as these should excite in us devout affections, and they are to good purpose.
1. He takes occasion hence to make a penitent reflection upon his sins; for by the law is the knowledge of sin. "Is the commandment thus holy, just, and good? Then who can understand his errors? I cannot, whoever can." From the rectitude of the divine law he learns to call his sins his errors. If the commandment be true and righteous, every transgressions of the commandment is an error, as grounded upon a mistake; every wicked practice takes rise from some corrupt principle; it is a deviation from the rule we are to work by, the way we are to walk in. From the extent, the strictness, and spiritual nature, of the divine law he learns that his sins are so many that he cannot understand the number of them, and so exceedingly sinful that he cannot understand the heinousness and malignity of them. We are guilty of many sins which, through our carelessness and partiality to ourselves, we are not aware of; many we have been guilty of which we have forgotten; so that, when we have been ever so particular in the confession of sin, we must conclude with an et cetera—and such like; for God knows a great deal more evil of us than we do of ourselves. In many things we all offend, and who can tell how often he offends? It is well that we are under grace, and not under the law, else we were undone.
2. He takes occasion hence to pray against sin. All the discoveries of sin made to us by the law should drive us to the throne of grace, there to pray, as David does here, (1.) For mercy to pardon. Finding himself unable to specify all the particulars of his transgressions, he cries out, Lord, cleanse me from my secret faults; not secret to God, so none are, nor only such as were secret to the world, but such as were hidden from his own observation of himself. The best of men have reason to suspect themselves guilty of many secret faults, and to pray to God to cleanse them from that guilt and not to lay it to their charge; for even our sins of infirmity and inadvertency, and our secret sins, would be our ruin if God should deal with us according to the desert of them. Even secret faults are defiling, and render us unfit for communion with God; but, when they are pardoned, we are cleansed from them, 1Jo 1:7. (2.) For grace to help in time of need. Having prayed that his sins of infirmity might be pardoned, he prays that presumptuous sins might be prevented, Ps 19:13. All that truly repent of their sins, and have them pardoned, are in care not to relapse into sin, nor to return again to folly, as appears by their prayers, which concur with David's here, where observe, [1.] His petition: "Keep me from ever being guilty of a wilful presumptuous sin." We ought to pray that we may be kept from sins of infirmity, but especially from presumptuous sins, which most offend God and wound conscience, which wither our comforts and shock our hopes. "However, let none such have dominion over me, let me not be at the command of any such sin, nor be enslaved by it." [2.] His plea: "So shall I be upright; I shall appear upright; I shall preserve the evidence and comfort of my uprightness; and I shall be innocent from the great transgression;" so he calls a presumptuous sin, because no sacrifice was accepted for it, Nu 15:28-30. Note, First, Presumptuous sins are very heinous and dangerous. Those that sin against the habitual convictions and actual admonitions of their consciences, in contempt and defiance of the law and its sanctions, that sin with a high hand, sin presumptuously, and it is a great transgression. Secondly, Even good men ought to be jealous of themselves, and afraid of sinning presumptuously, yea, though through the grace of God they have hitherto been kept from them. Let none be high-minded, but fear. Thirdly, Being so much exposed, we have great need to pray to God, when we are pushing forward towards a presumptuous sin, to keep us back from it, either by his providence preventing the temptation or by his grace giving us victory over it.
3. He takes occasion humbly to beg the divine acceptance of those his pious thoughts and affections, Ps 19:14. Observe the connexion of this with what goes before. He prays to God to keep him from sin, and then begs he would accept his performances; for, if we favour our sins, we cannot expect God should favour us or our services, Ps 66:18. Observe, (1.) What his services were—the words of his mouth and the meditations of his heart, his holy affections offered up to God. The pious meditations of the heart must not be smothered, but expressed in the words of our mouth, for God's glory and the edification of others; and the words of our mouth in prayer and praise must not be formal, but arising from the meditation of the heart, Ps 45:1. (2.) What was his care concerning these services—that they might be acceptable with God; for, if our services be not acceptable to God, what do they avail us? Gracious souls must have all they aim at if they be accepted of God, for that is their bliss. (3.) What encouragement he had to hope for this, because God was his strength and his redeemer. If we seek assistance from God as our strength in our religious duties, we may hope to find acceptance with God in the discharge of our duties; for by his strength we have power with him.
In singing this we should get our hearts much affected with the excellency of the word of God and delivered into it, we should be much affected with the evil of sin, the danger we are in of it and the danger we are in by it, and we should fetch in help from heaven against it.
偉大的神已經出版了兩本卓越的書，為要教導、造就世人；本篇論到這兩本書，並將這兩本書都推薦給我們勤勉研讀。一、受造之物之書，我們在其中可以容易地讀出創造主的大能與神性（詩十九1-6）。二、聖經之書，它向我們顯明神關於我們本分的旨意。他先指出那書的卓越與功用（詩十九7-11），然後教導我們當如何運用它（詩十九12-14）。