Psalm 19:1
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
Psalm 19 consists of two parts. In the first six verses, it speaks of God’s glory manifested in His work of creation, namely the heavens and the sun. The rest of the psalm speaks of God’s wisdom revealed in His Word. God’s glory revealed in the nature is referred to as His natural revelation, whereas God’s Word recorded in the Scriptures, which more clearly reveals God to us, is known as His special revelation.
The grandeur of God, as revealed in the natural world, is evident even to the heathen. As Paul says, “Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:19-20).
In all of the universe, including our earth, the power and wisdom of God can be seen. Even in little things of the earth, like the flowers of the field, the wisdom and glory of God the Creator are seen. However, David has particularly selected the heavens for our contemplation of God’s glory. The splendour of the world above us is so designed to lead us to contemplate the greatness of God the Creator.
David mentions twice in Psalm 19:1 that the heavens proclaim God’s glory. Everyone who scans the heavens should know that they bear witness to the glory of God. In our modern world, with all its technological advances, we are able to see more than ever before the great wonders of God’s creation in the heavens above us. Today, we can see the dazzling sights of the “outer space”, captured on printed pictures and on TV screens, through the powerful lenses that enable man to peer further and further into the vast endless space above us.
David affirms that the heavens above openly bear testimony that God is their supreme Architect. The heavens proclaim loudly and distinctly to us that they have been fashioned by His Hands. Like a beautiful fabric, the heavens above had been stretched out by God, and garnished with the shining sun and countless stars. They did not come together by chance. God is the Creator of them all. The spectacular sight that we behold in the heavens must draw us to the magnificence and grandeur of their Creator.