Psalm 19

¹ The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
² Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.
³ They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
⁴ Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.

I love this idea of speaking without words.

It’s true in more ways than one.

“Actions speak louder than words.”
“A picture is worth a thousand words.”
“Share the gospel at all times. Use words when necessary.”

These familiar phrases all point to the same truth: our lives are our message.

And the heavens preach in the same way.

My favorite time to run is at sunrise. The oranges, pinks, and purples paint a new and unrepeatable picture of God’s glory each morning—no words, no sound, yet unmistakable.

Day after day.
Night after night.

There is no end to His glory, no end to the quiet proclamation that He alone is God. Anyone, anywhere, can look up and see it.

Paul echoes this in Romans:

For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. Romans 1:20

Creation declares God is real. But it’s the next part of the psalm that shows us that God is good.

⁷ The law of the Lord is perfect,
    refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
    making wise the simple.
⁸ The precepts of the Lord are right,
    giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
    giving light to the eyes.

This is about God’s Word—the place where He reveals Himself to His people.

Look at the descriptors: Perfect. Trustworthy. Right. Radiant.

Just as the heavens point us to the glory of God, Scripture points us to the character of God.

But it doesn’t end there. We don’t read Scripture only to know about God—though that would be enough. He gives us so much in return for drawing near.

He refreshes the soul, leading us to green pastures.
He makes wise the simple, offering wisdom to all who ask.
He gives joy to the heart, regardless of circumstances.
He gives light to the eyes, helping us see clearly.

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.
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.

When we spend time in creation and spend time in the Word, our desires begin to shift. What once held our attention loses its shine. Hidden sins come into the light. God’s ways begin to look more precious than gold, sweeter than honey.

So today, as I look to the heavens and see the greatness of our Creator, and as I open the Scriptures and encounter the grace of my Savior, I pray along with David at the end of Psalm 19:

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