Psalms Reading – 1.18.2022
Psalm 19
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
3 They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
5 It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is deprived of its warmth.
7 The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the LORD are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever.
The decrees of the LORD are firm,
and all of them are righteous.
10 They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the honeycomb.
11 By them your servant is warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12 But who can discern their own errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.
14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
David describes the glory of God as revealed in nature and in the Word of God. The heavenly objects in our incomprehensibly vast universe continually testify to God’s glory without speaking an audible word. Day and night, creation relentlessly testifies how amazing our God is. Creation’s grandeur should cause us to be in awe and wonder, and pause to worship the Creator of it all.
The Apostle Paul said it this way in Romans 1:20, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”
David then turns to the testimony of God’s Word. He uses various terms to describe how God communicates His truth. We are told that God’s Word is perfect, trustworthy, righteous, radiant, firm, more precious than gold, and sweeter than honey. There is no flaw in what He has spoken or what we have written. It gives us reason to be certain what it accomplishes: it refreshes our soul, makes us wise, gives us joy and light, warns us, and gives us a great reward as we obey it.
David then prays, asking for forgiveness when he has failed to keep God’s Word and that he would not commit a willful sin but be kept from any great sin. He closes with a prayer that beautifully asks that our words and our deepest thoughts would be pleasing to the Lord.
Memory Verse:
Psalm 19:14, May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Question(s) to Consider:
What does creation speak to you about the nature of God? Of the many benefits listed of engaging God in his Word, which ones are you currently finding to be most true?