Psalm 19: They Declare!
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,
which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is deprived of its warmth.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever.
The ordinances of the LORD are sure,
and all of them are righteous.
They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the honeycomb.
By them your servant is warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
But who can discern their own errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.
Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.
May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
\o/ — Comments Psalm 19: Forgive my hidden faults! — \o/
As I look at this Psalm, the standard observations ring in my ears: God has revealed himself in nature and in Scripture. Both of these are clearly championed here. I do not quarrel with those insights.
However, in meditating over these verses, I am struck with a profound self-awareness and deep humility exhibited by David as he shares these insights. Truth, no matter how profound and astonishing — whether insights from nature or from Scripture — can still be distorted by our own selfish interests.
Who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults.
I confess that I can find all sorts of ways to rationalize my own “character defects.” I can easily dismiss the strong words of truth that should convict me, and then apply those same words to others while overlooking my own failures in the same area. Jesus warned about trying to take a speck of sawdust out of the eye of another while overlooking the plank in my own eye. David’s words are powerful truth — truth I desperately need just as much as I need to see the majesty of God in creation and the will of God in Scripture!
O God, no matter how I come to know your truth, I confess I need your help to see my own hidden faults and to be convicted of my willful sins. Most of all, LORD, I need you to invade and transform my heart through your Holy Spirit. With David, I cry out, May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
I love this Psalm. It convicts me to take a good look at my life, before I’m quick to point out things in others lives. I have sins in my life. (known and unknown.)
Praying this prayer every morning “May the words of my mouth and the mediation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock, and my Redeemer.”would make a difference in every aspect of my life. I’m going to start making this my prayer 24/7. Thank God for Psalms, and the truths I’m learning.
Donna
Donna
18 Mar 08 at 11:27 pm
This is one of my favorites — well, in the top 50, anyway (I REALLY love Psalms!)
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” A constant prayer of mine.
Sarah
18 Mar 08 at 11:30 pm
I wish the prayer of David was on my lips at every moment, but often it is far from my lips. “Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me…May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”
What would change if this became the prayer of my heart each morning? Could I really believe that if I ask for forgiveness for the things I don’t know that I do wrong and stop sinning deliberately that I would be blameless in God’s sight? At least for this day, that is my prayer and it feels good to be clean.
Colin
18 Mar 08 at 11:31 pm
It is not comfortable for me to remember the danger of sin, what I do deliberately to transgress, what I forget to do that I should have done, and those secret sins that hide within me. I so often choose to ignore my unfaithfulness to God. Sin just is not popular to mention in our culture, but David knew how important it was to confess his sins so that God, his Redeemer could cleanse his heart.
Oh, how I needed this Psalm again, and to remember to pray daily for forgiveness and that the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart will be acceptable in God’s sight, for He is my Rock and my Redeemer and I want to live with Him.
Thank you, Phil, for bringing this to the forefront of our meditation.
God Bless You.
Jerita
19 Mar 08 at 9:28 pm