My Psalm 19

Bob Hostetler

The heavens declare your glory, God;
the starry sky shows off your handiwork.
Day after day they speak of you,
and nightly they show knowledge of you like a canvas revealing the artist.
Without speech or language,
without an audible voice,
they publish your praise through all the earth,
and silently shout your glory to the end of the world.

You have made the sky to house the sun,
which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
and daily springs up like an athlete ready to run a race.
You send it forth every morning from the eastern horizon,
until it sinks in the western sky,
giving light and heat to everything in its path.

As the sun, so your law, O Lord: it is perfect,
giving strength to the soul:
the testimony of your Word, Lord, is sure,
making wise the simple.
Your statutes are right,
rejoicing the heart:
your commandments are pure,
enlightening the eyes.
Respect for you, Lord, is pure;
let it last for ever in my heart:
your judgments are true
and righteous altogether.

Your Word is more desirable than gold,
far more valuable than a Ft. Knox of fine gold:
your words are sweeter than honey
and tastier than the drippings from a honeycomb.
They steer me away from danger:
in keeping them there is great reward.

Lord, even your “errors” are too sophisticated for me;
let your Word convict and cleanse me from my most secret faults.
Keep me from presumption;
break the power of pride in my life;
make me upright
and keep me innocent in your sight.

Let the words of my mouth,
and the meditation of my heart,
be acceptable in your sight, O Lord,
my strength, and my redeemer, amen.