Psalm 19 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 19 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Verse 2Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge.
Verse 3There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard;
Verse 4yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun,
Verse 5which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy, and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
Verse 6Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them; and nothing is hid from its heat.
Verse 7The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple;
Verse 8the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes;
Verse 9the fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
Verse 10More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb.
Verse 11Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
Verse 12But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults.
Verse 13Keep back your servant also from the insolent; do not let them have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.
Verse 14Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Devotion
Many preachers have begun sermons with the words of Psalm 19:14: "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer." It's a fitting acknowledgement with which to begin a homily. Whether one is the preacher giving the sermon or the listener receiving it, the point of it all isn't to entertain or to impress. The point is to get out of the way and let the God we meet in Jesus Christ come alive and be encountered.
My dad used to say he noticed few stained glass windows of John the Baptist, and he liked that, because John the Baptist made it very clear that his only role was to draw attention not to himself, but to the one who was to come—Jesus. A good clear pane of glass is a nice metaphor for what should happen when we proclaim our faith.
Prayer
O God, in the mystery of Jesus, the Christ-among-us, you have made clear that the presence of the divine is with us, among us, and shows through us. Use us, our words, our actions, our witness and even our uncertainties to be something of your presence in the lives of others today. Amen.