Psalm 19

Psalm 19 (NRSV)
1 The heavens are telling the glory of God;
and the firmamenta proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours forth speech,
and night to night declares knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words;
their voice is not heard;
4 yet their voiceb goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In the heavensc he has set a tent for the sun,
5 which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy,
and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them;
and nothing is hid from its heat.

Lord,
How magnificent is this? I stand nearly speechless. The heavens tell, there is no speech, yet their voice is heard. My, oh my, I get it. The poet points towards that which is beyond speech and defies description. There is something holy in the sun and moon, in day and night, in the stuff of life and in life which inhabits stuff. Pure literal description is essential for some forms of communication. There can be no science without it. But the poet knows of things which lie beyond the capacity of pure literal description. He points toward that which words cannot describe and neither mind nor heart can define. The poet points us towards God, that for which the only sound is a gasp and the only word is “Ahhhhh.” After that, we use thoughts, words, concepts, poetry, and art to point towards the Ineffable, the Indescribable, and the Felt but always in part. The heavens and the earth tell the glory of God.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Sit quietly before God and live within the Mystery and confess that we can know only in part.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.


a Or dome

b Gk Jerome Compare Syr: Heb line

c Heb In them