Struggling to Read the Bible? Here’s Why? (Psalm 19)
If the Bible is God’s Word, why do I struggle to read it? This question has troubled many Christians. Thankfully, Psalm 19 provides some beautiful words of comfort.
Psalm 19
Today's Scripture Passage
A Few Thoughts to Consider
If the Bible is God’s Word, why do I struggle to read it?
This question has troubled many Christians. Thankfully, Psalm 19 provides some beautiful words of comfort. At first glance, this chapter could be divided into two sections. Verses 1-6 are a song about creation where David says, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the expanse proclaims the work of his hands.” This Psalm parallels Psalm 8 and fills us with a sense of wonder.
It's clear, as Gerald Wilson writes, “the psalmist here is not just reflecting on the impressive expanse of the heavens but shows an understanding that goes all the way back to the creation of the universe.”[1] Wilson notes that “The term kabod (“glory”) in reference to God normally describes that awesome and innate essence of God that is so intensely ‘other’ than human experience that it is described as brilliant light or a consuming fire, which at once awes and threatens to destroy the beholder.”[2] That’s the first part of Psalm 19.
The second part deals with God’s law, prompting David to write:
7 The instruction of the Lord is perfect,
renewing one’s life;
the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy,
making the inexperienced wise.
8 The precepts of the Lord are right,
making the heart glad;
the command of the Lord is radiant,
making the eyes light up.
9 The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the Lord are reliable
and altogether righteous.
Notice these synonyms for the law of God: instruction (Torah), testimony, precepts, command, fear, and ordinances. “These six synonyms establish the primary continuity between this section of the psalm and the rest of the psalm: a continuity based on the theme of word or speech. This section teaches that while creation may utter a voiceless praise of God’s glory, the Lord has given to human beings a concrete word that humans can access by studying the Scriptures of Israel.”[3]
Here is why this is important. One of the reasons we struggle to enjoy God’s Word is we have lost our sense of awe of who he is. Perhaps that thrill we once had of looking up at the night sky is gone, replaced by a cloud of cynicism and skepticism that the God we once believed in is no longer real. Once we had confidence, now all we have is questions.
If this is where you find yourself today, take heart and lean into this passage. Don’t view these words as a guilt trip but a grand invitation to rekindle your awe of God. Awe is everything, and it reveals the state of our hearts. As Paul Tripp notes, “Where you look for awe will shape the direction of your life.”[4] Look for it in pleasure, prestige, or power, and you’ll be disappointed.
Only as we increase our awe of God will we start to delight ourselves in the Word of God.
A Meditation to PRAY
Praise | God, thank you for creating the world. I worship you and thank you today. Every good gift I have today is because of you.
Release | Forgive me for settling. Forgive me for finding my delight in things other than you. Forgive me for losing the awe I once had.
Ask | Increase my awe of you today and my delight in your Word. As I read the Bible, transform my mind by helping me contrast my problems to your goodness and sufficiency.
Yield | Today, I will look for evidence of you in my life. I will look for you in my interactions with family, friends, and coworkers.
