#005 The Sweet Honey Taste (Psalm 19)
Psalm 19 has to be one of the most beautiful things ever written.
Beginning with a breathtaking declaration that the glory of God is seen throughout the entirety of creation, the psalmist is moved to speak with corresponding fervor for the law, the testimony, the precepts, the commandment, the rules of the Lord.
In other words, the word of the Lord; the psalmist, David is talking about the Bible.
And in verse ten, David says something that has always captured my imagination.
The rules of the Lord are… ‘Sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.’
David has given us a metaphor.
He compares the experience of reading the Bible with the experience of eating the sweetest, freshest honey, straight off the honeycomb.
Of course, David means that when we read the Bible, it should be sweet and satisfying. It should be enjoyable to us on a spiritual, intellectual, emotional level as it directs our lifestyles to righteousness, and our thoughts to God.
Nothing is as useful or as satisfying as the word of God.
But also, Christian, the psalmist is describing a distinct flavour to the word of God. Honey doesn’t taste like jam, it doesn’t taste like butter, it tastes like honey.
Likewise, the Bible doesn’t read like any other book. God’s voice in it doesn’t sound like any other voice. When we become familiar with the Bible, we are able to tell the difference between it, and all the other voices that are fighting for our attention.
Becoming familiar with the Bible is like becoming familiar with a flavour. That when tasted, we can recognise it and not confuse it for something it’s not.
Christian, we have a duty to become so familiar with the sweet honey taste of God’s word that we will notice the comparative bitterness of false teaching, heresy and lies when they are served to us.
Beginning with a breathtaking declaration that the glory of God is seen throughout the entirety of creation, the psalmist is moved to speak with corresponding fervor for the law, the testimony, the precepts, the commandment, the rules of the Lord.
In other words, the word of the Lord; the psalmist, David is talking about the Bible.
And in verse ten, David says something that has always captured my imagination.
The rules of the Lord are… ‘Sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.’
David has given us a metaphor.
He compares the experience of reading the Bible with the experience of eating the sweetest, freshest honey, straight off the honeycomb.
Of course, David means that when we read the Bible, it should be sweet and satisfying. It should be enjoyable to us on a spiritual, intellectual, emotional level as it directs our lifestyles to righteousness, and our thoughts to God.
Nothing is as useful or as satisfying as the word of God.
But also, Christian, the psalmist is describing a distinct flavour to the word of God. Honey doesn’t taste like jam, it doesn’t taste like butter, it tastes like honey.
Likewise, the Bible doesn’t read like any other book. God’s voice in it doesn’t sound like any other voice. When we become familiar with the Bible, we are able to tell the difference between it, and all the other voices that are fighting for our attention.
Becoming familiar with the Bible is like becoming familiar with a flavour. That when tasted, we can recognise it and not confuse it for something it’s not.
Christian, we have a duty to become so familiar with the sweet honey taste of God’s word that we will notice the comparative bitterness of false teaching, heresy and lies when they are served to us.
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