Psalm 19:1-7 (NABRE)
Psalm 19 God’s Glory in the Heavens and in the Law
1 For the leader. A psalm of David.
2 The heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament proclaims the works of his hands.
3 Day unto day pours forth speech; night unto night whispers knowledge.
4 There is no speech, no words; their voice is not heard;
5 A report goes forth through all the earth, their messages, to the ends of the world.
He has pitched in them a tent for the sun;
6 it comes forth like a bridegroom from his canopy, and like a hero joyfully runs its course.
7 From one end of the heavens it comes forth; its course runs through to the other; nothing escapes its heat.
GOD is so glorious, filled with utmost majesty. His magnificence has no boundaries. It is beyond what our eyes can discern visually. And He intent to show us and share us His great Glory that no men known except His Son Jesus Christ (John 1:18). GOD said in the Old Testament, "For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea.” (Habakkuk 2:14)
All His creations should declare His glory. Psalm 19:2 says that the heavens by its firmament, its vast arch, its beauty declares the glory of GOD. But the heavens cannot tell it all. That is why, He created man in His likeness (Genesis 1:26) to declare GOD’s glory. The LORD said, “ Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them.” (Isaiah 43:7 NLT)
But how can a man declare the invisible glory of GOD? John 15:8 has the answer. Jesus said, "My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.” Bearing much fruit is bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) This is the work of the Holy Spirit in us and we should declare these as work of GOD in us (as to glorify Him), not ours ( as to glorify ourselves).
In the Old Testament, David blessed the LORD in the sight of all the assembly; and David said, "Blessed are You, O LORD God of Israel our father, forever and ever. "Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O LORD, and You exalt Yourself as head over all. "Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone (1 Chronicles 29:10-13). At the last verse, David acknowledge GOD’s work in everyone. The truth is, we cannot do anything good apart from Him. (John 15:5)
Jesus set us an example how to glorify GOD. He did not claim that He is good, He said, He said to the young rich man that called Him good, “Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.” (Matthew 19:17). He expound it in John 5:19-23, “Very truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise. The Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing; and he will show him greater works than these, so that you will be astonished. Indeed, just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whomever he wishes. The Father judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Jesus promised in John 14:13, “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”
In the New Covenant, it is now Jesus work through the Holy Spirit that must be acknowledged in us. Hebrew 13:20-21 says, “Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever.”
It is GOD who equip and supplies us the strength to glorify Him. 1 Peter 4:11 says, “ Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever.”
So be in mind that every good works that we do, do it for the glory of GOD. Let us acknowledge that when we do favors to other people, this is the works of GOD to help them, we are only a vessel of kindness and love of GOD to them. We glorify GOD through our utterance about Him not about ourselves. 2 Corinthians 4:13-15 says, “But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE," we also believe, therefore we also speak, knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you. For all things are for your sake, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.”
"Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever Amen.“ (Revelation 7:12) AMEN
コメント