I may have audibly gasped before saying, “I’ve never seen so many stars!”
When my husband and I were dating, he took me to his grandparents’ farm to celebrate Thanksgiving with his family. One night, we sat on a blanket in their yard and stared up at the night sky. Far away from the city lights, the wide open spaces of central Texas made the breathtaking view possible. A band of almost cloud-like haze made up of millions of stars stretched across the dark sky. I’d seen the milky way in pictures, but never in person. The first verse of Psalm 19 sprang to mind, “The heavens declare the glory of God.”
Psalm 1, the first track in our Psalms playlist taught us that a wise person lives by meditating on and following God’s Word. Track 2 has a similar theme, but with wonderful variation. Psalm 19 takes us on a fieldtrip out into creation to marvel at the wonders of God’s hand.
Day 1
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.
Psalm 19
What images does this Psalm bring to mind? What does it make you feel?
What similarities do you see between this Psalm and Psalm 1?
Reflect
The book of Acts tells a fascinating story about an encounter the apostle Paul had with some Greek philosophers in Athens. Paul remarked on an altar he’d seen while walking around the city. On it was the inscription, “To an Unknown God.” The ancient Greeks had a whole pantheon of gods, but just in case there were some unknown gods that might be offended by their lack of worship, they wanted to cover their bases. Paul assures them that he knows this God, who is the one true god. “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else” (Acts 17:24-15).
Paul can speak confidently about God because God has revealed himself to humanity. We aren’t left guessing about the One who created us. He has communicated with us through his creation. He has also communicated to us directly through his Word so that we can know his design for our lives. Psalm 19 rejoices in this revelation and shows us how we should respond.
Look back over Psalm 19. How has God revealed himself? What does this revelation tell us about our Creator?
Respond
As you sit before the Lord, praise him for revealing himself to you through creation, prayer and his Word. You are not left to wonder about some unknown god. You have a loving relationship with the Creator of the universe! Rejoice in that privilege today.