Listen: Psalm 19

Today, it is most fitting for the choir to lift their voices and sing today’s scripture—Psalm 19—before it is read and proclaimed from the pulpit. This psalm was written for music; and Bach, Handel, and Haydn joined Beethoven in putting Psalm 19 to musical settings of their own.[1] As I read this psalm, I invite you follow along in your Bible, or you may want to close your eyes to listen closely.

Beloved, listen for God’s holy word for God’s holy people.

The heavens are telling the glory of God;
   and the firmament proclaims [God’s] handiwork.
Day to day pours forth speech,
   and night to night declares knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words;
   their voice is not heard;
yet 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,
which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy,
   and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
   and its circuit to the end of them;
   and nothing is hidden from its heat.

The law of the Lord is perfect,
   reviving the soul;
the decrees of the Lord are sure,
   making wise the simple;
the precepts of the Lord are right,
   rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear,
   enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the Lord is pure,
   enduring for ever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true
   and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
   even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey,
   and drippings of the honeycomb.

Moreover by them is your servant warned;
   in keeping them there is great reward.
But who can detect their errors?
   Clear me from hidden faults.
Keep 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.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable to you,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims [God’s] handiwork.

If you have ever watched the sun rise over the ocean or observed the dazzling sparkle of raindrops caught in a spider’s web, glistening like diamonds, then you know this to be true.

If you have ever breathed in fresh air after reaching the summit of a mountain hike or been in awe of the bright colors of fall before the trees let go of their leaves, then you can relate to how this psalm begins.

The resplendence and radiance of creation can take our breath away.

Yet, this is not simply a psalm singing of God’s praises found in nature.

Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge.

There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard;
yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.

We can see the glory of God in creation, and we can listen to what creation is crying out to us today. The natural world may not use words or speech, yet her voice goes out through all the earth.
Listen to these headlines from the past week:

--From the BBC:

Fears of further flood deaths as rain lashes Europe

Why humpback whales are changing course

Myanmar hit by deadly floods after Typhoon Yagi

--From the Richmond Times Dispatch:

Baby ospreys starving along Chesapeake Bay

Farmers adapt to climate impact on key crops

Methane pollution soars, mainly from humans

Right here in our own backyard, we can see the effects of a changing climate. Around the world the earth is crying out with storms and harsher weather patterns, affecting the habitat of humanity, plants, and animals. Our commitment to Matthew 25 forces us to acknowledge that the destruction of our changing climate disproportionately affects those who also suffer from poverty and racism. It doesn’t seem like a week goes by without headlines about wildfires, floods, tornadoes, or earthquakes striking some community across our nation. God’s amazing creation is pleading for our protection and care—not with words but with wounds, not with speech but with storms. Beloved of God, are we listening? Are we listening?

As an Earth Care congregation, we have pledged to not only listen and pay attention, but to respond. We are taking steps every year to improve our practices of recycling and reusing our resources instead of creating so much waste. We are mindful of the paper we use and share on Sundays, and of the materials we use on Mondays during our Walk In lunch program, and on Tuesdays with our shower ministry. During the month of September, we are collecting men’s clothing, so that our neighbors can have clean clothes to wear. Thrift shopping or cleaning out your closet are ways to find a new home for clothes. Beloved, we have work to do, listening to creation and responding in a way that will praise and please God, our Creator.

Psalm 19 doesn’t end there of course. It goes on to applaud the wisdom of God’s law and the divine love found through the ordinances, precepts, decrees, and commandments found in scripture. God’s good creation is not our only teacher. God’s good news guides us through the inspired word. In the scriptures, we give thanks “For the wonders that astound us, For the truths that still confound us, Most of all that love has found us, Thanks be to God,” as we sing in the hymn.

Anyone who has ever been a parent, teacher, camp counselor, or babysitter knows that children don’t usually like rules. God’s children are no different, of course. In the Old Testament, God’s children were not fans of God’s rules from our earliest stories, eating fruit from the one forbidden tree or killing a brother out of envy. Now we know all too well, as God’s children we have not improved our track record in loving the law in the millennia since the early chapters of Genesis. And yet. And yet, the Psalmist encourages us to appreciate God’s precepts and ordinances as much as we desire fine gold and the sweetness of honey. When we live by God’s word and will, we find our way to God’s peace. Psalm 19 highlights the beauty and freedom found in God’s decrees, echoing the beauty found in creation. Are we listening? Are we listening?

It is fitting to start with music and the gifts of our choir praising God and to close with poetry. Psalm 19 closes with prayer and poetry many of us repeat. Mary Oliver had an attentive eye to the beauty of God’s creation. Her poem “Praying” echoes Psalm 19. Oliver understands that prayer can be a method of listening to God, and the natural world can lead the way. She writes:

It doesn’t have to be

the blue iris, it could be

weeds in a vacant lot, or a few

small stones; just

pay attention, then patch

a few words together and don’t try

to make them elaborate, this isn’t

a contest but the doorway

into thanks, and a silence in which

another voice may speak.[2]

Through the wonders and woundedness of creation, the voice of God speaks. Through the law and decrees of scripture, God guides us to abundant life. When we pay attention, we observe and listen to God’s glory and God’s pain. Beloved, let us keep listening. And let us respond with praise for our Creator and love for all creation. Let us love the earth, just as we extend God’s love to our neighbors. With God’s promise, we will experience the joy of the sun’s rising and a new, fresh, glorious day. May it be so.

God of Glory, Let the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts

be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen

[1] Eric Mathis, “Commentary on Psalm 19,” Working Preacher. January 24, 2016. https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/third-sunday-after-epiphany-3/commentary-on-psalm-19-6

Kate FiedlerSeptember 16, 2024