At first glance, Psalm 18 may appear to be two psalms arbitrarily linked together. But these days, scholars carefully discerning thematic links, are suggesting otherwise. And when we become aware of these links of sun (verses 1-7) and Torah (God's law: verses 8-15)), the psalm becomes very much unified and beautiful.
We need to remember that the ancient Hebrews were more poets than scientists. They believed they lived under a kind of solid dome, the ends of which came down and were attached to the ends of the earth. This dome had a watery heaven above it which provided rain through openings. Planets and stars hovered inside the dome and the sun moved from this end to that.
Verses 1-2: We have largely lost the ancient sense that nature has a voice: The heavens declare; the skies proclaim. Nature speaks to us. The 2nd verse goes so far as to refer to this communication as unending and knowledge-displaying speech. Indeed, as the great forests are chopped down and burned away, some aware people raise their voices lamenting the knowledge of the trees, plants and animals being lost to us.
Verses 3-4: Nature has its own language and voice that is spoken in every place..."to the ends of the world," the psalmist says.
Verses 5-6: In the ancient world the sun was worshipped as a god. But here, the sun is not a god, but a created object made by a ruling, creator God! Glory belongs to God, not the sun. The sun is in God's service. The power and beauty of the sun affirm God's rule. The sun, rising at one end (the east) and making its great, daily tour across the dome to the western end, is an image of how broad and sweeping God's rule is.
Verse 7: The psalmist is aware that the sun is a powerful, energizing life-giver. Everything benefits from its heat and light. Isn't it so: the Winter Solstice has arrived, the northern hemisphere's turning again into the sun's light. And if that did not take place, if we continued into deepening darkness, the planet would die.
This might be a good place to note, that this psalm is placed among a cluster of what are called Royal Psalms - psalms for and about the king. And here the message to the king (premier, prime minister, president) is: the leader has a responsibility, like the sun, to provide life for the people. Life for ALL the people, as the sun shines on everyone, in all our variety and need.
But there is more; Psalm 18 isn't just an ode to the sun. We might better see the sun-verses as a transition for the next verses which tell us that real life is about being dependent upon God's law. Sun-like, God's rule energizes us to live authentic and full lives!
Verses 7-9: God's law is perfect - it revives us. God's decrees are sure - making us wise. God's precepts are right - making us joyful. God's commands are clear - enlightening us. God's ordinances are true - giving us right direction to live our lives as God intends.
Verse 10: I can order up the TV life: the food, the trips, the style, the stuff and still not have a real life.
Verse 11: We're told that reward is to found in keeping God's ordinances. But reward is not like the gold and silver foil-stars the teacher put on our papers, or punishments for failure. Biblical reward is a life lived in relationship with God. Biblical reward is an invitation to a new life lived in harmony with God, other people and all of creation. Some people "do" a lot of religion but there's nothing new or even harmonious about them.
Remember Psalm 1? The person who walks in God's counsel (God's good advice) is like a tree planted on the bank of a stream - "Whatever he does prospers." Prospers = becomes fully alive! So, the question isn't, "Am I following all the rules and believing all the divinely revealed truths?" but, "How am I living in the God-intended life I was created for?" There's a difference.
Verses 12-13: We ask the forgiveness of the God who knows we are full of faults, mistakes and weakness but who gives us what we need to grow us up. Blameless doesn't mean we're without faults, but that we know how deeply dependent we are on God. We're acceptable to God, not when we're finally sinless, but when we know how much we need God.
In other biblical places we see that God isn't impressed with the whole animal sacrifice thing, but when we live our lives humbly before God - down to earth about ourselves - without masks, power plays, references and resume.
Verse14: In the end, the psalmist calls upon God as rock and redeemer. God's gifts are personal and intimate. The word redeemer is closely linked to another word used to describe the relatives who would pool their money as ransom to get a sibling, child, parent or cousin, freed from slavery. Well, there you have it: The good God who made the sun and set it in place, is the same God who is as close to us as our closest relative!
