“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.”
Psalm 19:1-2
There are many immediate and reoccurring vocal offerings that God’s followers often render in private prayer and praise sessions: personal sustained or improved health, the joy of experiencing cohesive relationships with family members and friends, having a satisfying life purpose, and enjoying a fulfilling vocation. And while all of the aforementioned tributes are noble they tend to be self-focused. In a “me-centric” world it is hard to distinguish the proper priorities and spiritual emphasis that believers should be actively engaged in. But Psalm 19, yet another psalm of David, presents believers a beautiful God-fixated anthem, an anthem whose central premise is that God forever reigns. This truth should be an unending submission in individual, and church-wide, worship each and every day.
To a skeptical and unbelieving world David declares in Psalm 19 that nature itself displays the evidence of God’s eternal presence and power. The sun, the stars, and the moon did not come about, or function in perfect harmony, by some cosmic accident or billion-to-one random occurrence. God made heaven and earth out of nothing. This world had no light and God gave it light. This world had no shape and God gave it shape. This world had no life and God gave it life. How much did this reflection stir the heart of David? So-much-so that he longed to mediate on God’s majesty as much as possible.
Realize that the Lord gives us guidance, a life-map, in His Word. He gives us counsel, words of mercy and permanence, through the Bible. He gives us instruction, knowledge desperately needed for our earthly pilgrimage, through Scripture. It is in this mindset that often inspired David to not wallow in despair, but worship in devotion to the God Who still, and always will, reign. Knowing that God eternally rules is an incredibly liberating and humbling reality. God is infallible; He cannot morally fail. God is indestructible; He cannot be defeated. God is immortal; His dominion cannot end. These underlying certainties are heralded throughout Psalm 19.
Psalm 19 can be analyzed in four motifs: the beauty of God’s creation (verses 1-6), the beauty of God’s commandments (verses 7-11), the beauty of God’s character (verses 12-13), and the beauty of humanity’s conviction-led confessions (verse 14). But all of the verses in this ancient Hebrew song point to the overarching recognition of God’s supreme authority. Overall, this biblical consideration provides God’s followers colossal hope. God reigns even when our enemies surround us. God reigns even when trials besiege us. God reigns even when our plans crumble and fall. God reigns! And for that fact alone He deserves our praise. God is enthroned in heaven and His reign will not be thwarted. Even in what humanity views as chaos (i.e. tragedy, floods, droughts, storms, etc.), God is still in command of the affairs and destiny of everything and everyone. This means we need not fret about today, or tomorrow, because we serve the God of complete and total supremacy. We serve the God Who forever reigns.
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