Read: Psalm 19
In this psalm, David extols the beauty of God’s world and how everything works with mathematical precision, so that we can count on day turning into night and night into day. The psalmist uses the earth’s beauty to explain the nature of God. Even without speaking, the world is evidence of the creator’s love and caring. We, in turn, need to pay attention to what this loving God says to us. As we admire and reflect on the beauty, logic, order and precision in nature, we ought to consider that it is the same creator who provided laws, commandments, and statutes for us to live by. These also contain logic, order and precision. David notes that there is “great reward” for keeping God’s laws and commandments. He acknowledges that as humans we make mistakes that are unintentional and sometimes deliberate and willful. He asks that God will keep him from “presumptuous” sins and not let a willful nature rule and control his actions. The psalm ends with the following well-known prayer. “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable and pleasing in your sight, O Lord my rock and my redeemer.”
God our father, we thank you for this beautiful world and for all your gifts. Forgive us our sins and keep us from deliberate sin. Help us to listen and appreciate all that you have provided and be mindful of the unspoken ways by which you reach out to draw us to you.
Lystra Alleyne
In this psalm, David extols the beauty of God’s world and how everything works with mathematical precision, so that we can count on day turning into night and night into day. The psalmist uses the earth’s beauty to explain the nature of God. Even without speaking, the world is evidence of the creator’s love and caring. We, in turn, need to pay attention to what this loving God says to us. As we admire and reflect on the beauty, logic, order and precision in nature, we ought to consider that it is the same creator who provided laws, commandments, and statutes for us to live by. These also contain logic, order and precision. David notes that there is “great reward” for keeping God’s laws and commandments. He acknowledges that as humans we make mistakes that are unintentional and sometimes deliberate and willful. He asks that God will keep him from “presumptuous” sins and not let a willful nature rule and control his actions. The psalm ends with the following well-known prayer. “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable and pleasing in your sight, O Lord my rock and my redeemer.”
God our father, we thank you for this beautiful world and for all your gifts. Forgive us our sins and keep us from deliberate sin. Help us to listen and appreciate all that you have provided and be mindful of the unspoken ways by which you reach out to draw us to you.
Lystra Alleyne