August 11

God's In His Heaven

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. — Ps 19:1 BSB

God in the Heavens (Psalm 19:1-6). The psalmist, though unaware of modern astronomical discoveries, speaks words that apply to the majestic movement of the sun and planets toward their distant destinations. The heavens declare the glory of God, though no sound reaches our ears.

The sun is not a god, but a creation. It follows its path and retires each night into the tent of darkness. Though this language is metaphorical, the sun is a fitting symbol of the Sun of Righteousness, the Bridegroom of human souls, who once dwelled among us. Let us warm our cold hearts in His life-giving rays.

God in the Scriptures (Psalm 19:7-11). In the first part of the psalm, God is referred to as El, but here, He is Jehovah. Nature reveals His strength, but the Bible tells of His redeeming love. Each sentence of this section names Scripture, describes one of its attributes, and highlights its effects. Perfect—without flaw; sure—reliable; right—a straight path; pure—like sunlight; clean—making impurity loathsome; true—reflecting God; righteous—showing His demands and the way we can become righteous. Consider the effects! David only had a fragment of divine revelation in the Old Testament. How much more would he have said about the Bible we now possess! Alas for those who, instead of enjoying its fragrance, are content merely to dissect it.

God in the heart (Psalm 19:12-14). He knows the deepest secrets of our hearts, and His Holy Spirit longs to cleanse us from hidden faults and keep us from presumptuous sin.

Prayer

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. Amen.