Three Messages

Psalm 19:10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.

For some people, emotions are messy and are to be avoided. There are even whole denominations for whom emotions are to be downplayed, especially in a corporate worship setting. Those messy emotions can sidetrack our carefully planned and scripted service.

This isn’t only true in church settings. Husbands often don’t know how to handle the emotions of their wives. There are a few couples where this dynamic is reversed, but women tend to emote more than men. And men tend to avoid what they just can’t understand in the moment.

Children get overwhelmed with emotions. They fall and skin their knee, and their cries of pain can seem out of proportion to the injury. But most of those cries are about wanting to feel connected and cared for, and not about the level of pain. The appropriate hug comes and the crying stops. Play resumes.

Our text today comes from a Psalm that is very familiar to many believers. “The heavens declare the glory of God.” (v1) “The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul.” (v7) But the connection between the tree sections of the Psalm is often overlooked. So let’s look!

Verses 1-6 show that the LORD speaks about His presence and power through the creation itself. The creation ‘speaks’ to the human heart when the heart is willing to listen. The cycle of the sun, moon and starts, as the inhabitants of the sky, tell of the faithfulness of the LORD. They provide warmth that sustains life.

Verses 7-9 speak about the place of the written revelation of God’s involvement with humanity, including the guidance given when Israel was birthed through the Exodus and inhabiting of the Promised Land. That guidance was life-giving and life-sustaining. And we know the LORD speaks through His Word.

So we have Creation and the Word speaking. How do the verses that remain fit with this theme of the LORD speaking? Verse 10-13 deal with our subjective experience of God’s presence in our lives. We see creation and we hear/read the Word. But what is our response?

It is that response that our text highlights. “Precious” and “sweeter” are emotional responses of the human heart. These emotional responses also speak of the LORD’s presence and provision in our lives. They are valid, although in a tertiary manner.

Emotions must be connected to creation and to the Word in order to be valid representations of the LORD’s presence. But too many people are at the extremes. They trust their emotions to guide and direct their lives. BIG mistake. Emotions change too easily, and can be driving by lies.

But the other extreme is just as dangerous. We can’t ignore our emotional responses to creation and to the Word. They also speak! And we need to learn to listen to their message.