The Nineteenth Psalm

Do you remember how I told you that our LOGOS class at church was committing to memory Psalm 19? They asked me several weeks ago if I could put that Psalm to pictures so that us "old folk" would have a visual to aid us in our memory work. I couldn't wait to get started! I thought and prayed about it for almost two weeks, and then last Saturday I had some free time so I started working on the project. These four pictures are what I used to illustrate the Psalm. In the one that I printed up for each family in our class, the Scripture is printed right on the picture itself -- however, I can't figure out how to do that in this particular setting, so I'm just going to type the verses out near the appropriate picture. I learned so much about this Psalm as I was doing this very fun exercise, and I tell you what I learned after you read it.

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.

There is no speech or language

where their voice is not heard.

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 forth from his pavilion,

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 hidden from its heat.

The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving 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 altogether righteous.

They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold;

they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.

By them is your servant warned;

in keeping them there is great reward.

Who can discern his 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 the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be pleasing in your sight,

O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

I have always loved this Psalm -- much beautiful music has been set to it -- but before I did this pictorial rendition of it, it just never seemed to be completely unified to me -- I couldn't make it come together -- but now it does!

Notice a couple of themes: the spoken word of God, the written word of God, the living Word of God, and finally my words; notice the illustration of the sun in verses 5-6 and then the mention of light in verse 8; take note of the word "hidden" in verse 6 and the word "hidden" in verse 12.

Remember in Genesis chapter one when God speaks everything into being? And which person of the Godhead does that creative work? John chapter one says it was Jesus who spoke everything into being! "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . . . through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men . . . and the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." And in Hebrews chapter one, the writer says, ". . . in these last days he has spoke to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word."

And what did God say after each day of creation? "And God saw that it was good." He was pleased with what he had made! I got to thinking about that. I am a minimally creative person. I enjoy working with my hands, whether I am making a card, doing a work of calligraphy, or even just wrapping up presents -- I like to look at what my hands have done -- and I take pleasure in it. God was pleased with his spoken word. David asks that God be pleased with the words of his mouth; and not only that, but the meditation of his heart. I like how the New English Bible translates this verse: "May all that I say and think be acceptable to you!"

I have always loved being alone outside, worshiping God in his creation. I am glad to know that there is no place on this earth where his creative word cannot be heard! Even on the most remote island, or in a country where people are poor or illiterate -- or have no Bibles! Remember the first chapter of Romans where it says, " . . . the truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts. From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities -- his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God." He cares about people everywhere, and so he tells them who he is by what he has made!

I love David's use of the sun as a picture for how the creative word of God goes from one end of the heavens to the other, and "nothing is hidden from its heat!" Isn't that a great picture? And kind of scary too -- I cannot hide anything from him! Psalm 139 says, "I can never escape from your spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the place of the dead, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night -- but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are both alike to you." (vs 7-12 from The Book) So too, I cannot hide my sin from him -- and he is so awesome, I can even ask him to show me the sins that are "lurking in my heart". I can ask him to forgive those sins that are hidden deep within me.

Look how the written word of God is talked about in vs 7-11. It is described as: perfect, trustworthy, right, radiant, sure and altogether righteous, more precious than all the money in the world, more delicious than the sweetest food -- double chocolate devil's food cake even! And what does it do for me? It revives (makes alive again) my soul, it makes me wise (because I am simple), it gives my heart JOY, gives light to my eyes (because I am blind!), it warns me of danger, and great reward is promised for obedience.

The Psalm concludes with the phrase, "O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." Who is my Rock and my Redeemer? Jesus is! "He is my strength and my song!" "He is the light of the world!" "In him is no darkness at all!" He has taken the punishment for sin that should have been mine, paid for my life with his very own blood, and promised to "never leave or forsake me!"

When I consider the work I put into designing a card -- editing, cropping and printing off one of my photos, choosing just the right color of paper to mount it on, deciding which Scripture to put with it -- I take a lot of time doing it -- and the entire time I am "creating", I am 100% happy. I look at the finished product and I am (usually) pleased and I am proud of what my hands have made! I am a little jealous over my creation -- I don't want it to get wrinkled in the mail -- I cringe if I am getting ready to put it into the envelope and I see an error somewhere! How puny are my cards compared to the works of His hand? Why am I surpised to find that He is jealous over me? Ephesians 2:8 "God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. FOR WE ARE GOD'S MASTERPIECE. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us to do long ago."

I like to think about being God's masterpiece, don't you? I want to worship him for his spoken word of creation, I want to learn and obey his written word, and I want more and more of Jesus, the Living Word, in my life.

"May all that I say and think be acceptable to you, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer!"

FYI: The first two pictures were taken by me on our trip to Hawaii last fall. The first picture is taken looking out the window of our airplane on the approach to Honolulu National Airport. The second picture was taken on almost the last day of our vacation in Hawaii -- it is the first day it actually did not rain -- the sunrise that morning was amazing! I shot 100 pictures of it and got about a half dozen really good ones. The last two pictures were taken by our friends, Bob and Kay Scott, who went to Israel with us in 2004. The first picture is of Qumran, where the Dead Sea scrolls were found (1947-51). The last picture is of Mount Arbel -- we all climbed this very mountain (overlooking the Sea of Galilee), sat down at the top and had an amazing time of prayer and Bible study.