Psalms 19-21

Lets take a closer look at Psalm 19.

What does it take to bring someone to repentance? Repentance means a recognition of sin in our life and being able to walk away from that sin and walk towards God. So, what does it take for us to recognize our sin, confess it, repent and turn to God? 

For David it was the revelation of God in His creation and the revelation of God in His word. Look at verses 1-6. David once again looks at creation and he says that the heavens speak of the glory of God. Each day and night, if you were to look up at the heavens, you would see that they are speaking of God's glory! It is hard not to look at creation and realize that there is a creator. So David sees creation and understands creation to be a revelation of God's glory. 

In verses 7-11, David talks about the revelation of God in His written Word. He talks about the Law of the Lord and the testimony of the Lord in verse 7. In verse 8, he speaks of the precepts of the Lord and His commandments. David talks about all of the benefits of God's Word in these verses; that they revive the soul, make wise the simple, rejoice the heart, enlighten the eyes, endures forever etc.

So, we have the revelation of God in creation and the revelation of God in His written Word. What is David's response to these things? Verses 12-14 shows Davids prayer of repentance and asking for protection from sin. He prays for forgiveness from unknown sin (verse 12), willful sin (verse 13) and asks that his sin would not rule over his life (verse 13). 

So what does that mean for you and me? Have you ever thought about God's revelation in creation and in His Word as part of God's grace? God has not hidden Himself from us. Everything in creation shouts of His existence! God is also not silent. He has spoken to us and shown us in His Word how to have the fullness of life by walking in obedience to his word. Not only has He revealed himself in creation, and through His written Word, but His word became flesh and dwelt among us in the form of Jesus. (John 1:14) God has shown us who He is in Jesus Christ and repentance of sin. Trusting in Jesus as our savior means salvation for us for eternity! 

This is what brings us to repentance! Revelation of God in creation, revelation of God in His Word, and revelation of God in the flesh in Christ Jesus! When our eyes are open to the revelation of God, we no longer want to walk in sin, but we want to walk in obedience to God!