Carrubbers' Blog

You should to see this and more posts.

singing with creation - psalm 19

Singing with Creation - Reflections from Psalm 19

“The sun comes up it’s a new day dawning, it’s time to sing your song again… whatever may pass and whatever lies before me, let me be singing when the evening comes.” – Matt Redman 10000 Reasons

We’ve had some lovely sunny mornings lately… the sun streaming in, the sky blue, the birds singing their hearts out (why do they do that I wonder?) and the sound of a quiet city… (that’s before the kids wake up!)

But even tho these are beautiful mornings… we don’t always wake with a song in our hearts do we? We have had clouds of uncertainly and anxiety about what the news or the whatsapp messages will bring when we turn on our phones.

God’s word tells us that “Today is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!” Psalms 118:24

How do we rejoice in difficult days, and how do we ensure that whatever will come our way in the day ahead, we are still “singing when the evening comes”? (or as Wayne might put it; how do we “rejoice regardless”?)

One way I have been helped to do this is to lift my eyes from the circumstances of the day to day, to the heavens… to hear the song of praise that creation is singing all around me. There is a message being sung of God’s unchanging glory, his creative care.

Psalm 19 begins by praising God:

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 reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice[
b] goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.

 

There is then a picture of Christ… the bridegroom… like the sun, he is bringing warmth and life to all creation as he rejoices to run his course… a course that for Christ included suffering and death.

In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
    It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
    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 deprived of its warmth.

Then we see that it’s the word of God that helps us understand the song of creation. The word of God incarnate, bringing refreshment, wisdom, life and great delight to our souls.

The law of the Lord is perfect,
    refreshing 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 decrees of the Lord are firm,
    and all of them are righteous.

10 They are more precious than gold,
    than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
    than honey from the honeycomb.
11 By them your servant is warned;
    in keeping them there is great reward.

 

So how do we respond? We choose to believe and trust in what is true rather than the lies -the sins - that might rule our hearts and keep our mouths from joining in the song of the creation around us in praising the glory and goodness of God.

 12 But who can discern their own errors?
    Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;
    may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
    innocent of great transgression.

14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
    be pleasing in your sight,
    Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

 

I love this psalm for many reasons; and pray that as you reflect on it too it will help you to be singing God’s praises when the evening comes.

here's the Matt Redman song if you want to sing along 


rss: Subscribe to the rss feed.
Twitter: Follow us on Twitter.