The Heavens Declare the Glory of God

 

Psalm 19

Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD my strength and my redeemer.

Psalm 19, a song written by David, for the “chief musician” (a member of the tribe of Levi, responsible for the music portion of worship in the Temple–(I Chronicles 25) as a song of praise. Fourteen verses declaring the splendor of our God. It has been called the “perfect revelation.” The psalm moves from extolling YAHWEH to lifting high the name of Adonai, the HOLY ONE of Israel: from God the Creator of heaven and earth to personal LORD, Savior, Master, friend, husband. What is required to move me from recognizing the Creator to having a personal relationship with this awesome God? David captures the process in this song. C.S. Lewis wrote, “ I take this to be the greatest psalm in the Psalter and one of the greatest lyrics in the world.” We know “God inhabits the praises of His people” (Psalm 22:3) and this is a psalm we must all learn.

On the first reading of Psalm 19, it quickly becomes evident this psalm revolves around WORDS, God’s words. Words brought about creation (Genesis 1) when “God said, ‘Let there be…….’” there is! The psalmist states, “The Heavens declare,… day after day utters speech,… and their words go out across the earth, and there is NO PLACE on earth where they (words) are not heard” (Romans 1:18) and the Word of God through laws, testimony, statutes, commandments, awe of the Lord, and judgments show us who we are in light of God’s holiness, warn us, bring us to repentance, give knowledge of and respect for God and this brings us to righteousness.

David likens God’s words to silver and honey, valuable and sweet. The Hebrew for word is dabar and the root meaning is order. In the Hebrew mind, according to Jewish scholars, speech is an ordered arrangement of words. (Proverbs 25:11) Words are things, like a boomerang (Proverbs 26:27-28): Bringing a self examination of ourselves in comparison to Holy God leading us to pray a prayer of surrender as David did for a pure heart and words the LORD finds acceptable. David Guzik writes, “…law pierces darkness of soul like sun pierces darkness of midnight–nothing hides.” God reveals HImself in His creation and through His Word. He warns us of our visible, presumptuous, and hidden sins. Words of God to the Jew are like honey and they smear honey on a slate for a child who is beginning Bet Sefar (primary school) to literally lick off the slate as the rabbi explains these are God’s Words and they are sweet, and to be “eaten and savored.”

Many scriptures remind us of the fact our heart condition is on technicolor display for all to hear by what comes out of our mouths. Words are powerful. They bless and they curse. (James 3:10) They bring life and death. (Proverbs 18:21) They are a stream of living water or a pool of bitterness. (John 7:38, James 3:11) We “will give an account for every idle word that comes” through our lips. (Matthew 12:36) Jesus is our example. Proverbs 28:9 reminds us: If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction even their prayers are detestable. The Word of God has MUCH to say concerning how we use our words. Here are just a few of His instructions:

Proverbs 10:11

Proverbs 12:18

Proverbs 13:3

Proverbs 15:1,4

Proverbs 18:4

Matthew 12:33-37

Luke 6:45

James 3:5-8

May we heed His WORDS so our prayers may be heard. May our uttered speech be as “a gushing spring of sweet refreshing water of revelation.” (Boice)

Let us be thankful, observant of all God does, heed His revelation, submit to His will in obedience, and communicate with our God through the privilege of prayer. Through WORDS we are able to do all this and herein is proof we are created in the image of Almighty God.

Lord, God of Heaven,

 

I bow before you in humble adoration for your amazing grace to me. I agree with Isaiah, for I am a person of unclean lips, and this reveals the condition of my heart even after all these years of following hard after Thee. Drive this lesson deep and purge me of this presumptuous but very visible sin. Lord, do not let it become a hidden and enjoyed sin. Continue to use your Word to convert souls, make us wise and thankful, open our eyes, and bring us to the righteousness of Christ. May I stand in awe of Your holiness and walk before You with pure a heart so my words will be sweet as honey to a child.

 

In the beautiful name of Jesus I pray,

AMEN

 

El Shaddai and Thy Word by Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith