... in the name of the Father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Amen. Through the prayers of our
holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us. Amen. Glory
to You, our God, Glory to You.
O Heavenly King,
the Comforter, the Spirit of truth, You are everywhere and fill all things,
Treasury of blessings, and Giver of life: come and abide in us, and cleanse us
from every impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy
Immortal, have mercy on us (three times).
To the, A Psalm of David.
The heavens declare the Glory of God. The firmament shows His handiwork. Day after day utters speech, Night after night
shows knowledge. No speech, no language,
their voice is not heard. Their line is
gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them has He set a tabernacle for the sun, [which is] as a bridegroom coming from
his chamber, [and] rejoices as a
strong man to run a race. His going
forth [is] from the end of the
heaven, and his orbit to its ends. There
is nothing hid from its heat.
The law of the Lord [is] perfect, converting
the soul. The testimony of the Lord [is] sure, making wise
the simple. The statutes of the Lord [are] right, rejoicing
the heart. The commandment of the Lord [is] pure, lighting the
eyes. The fear of the Lord [is] clean, enduring forever. The judgments of the Lord [are] true and righteous
altogether. More to be desired [are they] than gold, yes, than much fine
gold. Sweeter also than honey and the
honeycomb. Moreover by them is Your
servant warned. In keeping them [there is] great reward.
Who can understand [his] errors? Cleanse me from
secret [faults]. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous
[sins]. Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be upright, I shall be innocent
from the great transgression. Let the
words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Your sight,
Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.
________
If you have been blessed or helped by any of these meditations in
[i]
Psalm 19 is to be sung in the tabernacle as a serenade to God because it is addressed
to the “Chief Musician.” When we sing in
church we are singing love songs to God: let the fervor of our singing be a
reflection of our love. Because God has
sung to us, as this Psalm fervently shows, we echo back appropriately. Psalm 19 is an ode reflecting God’s odes.
The Psalm begins with an ode to Creation. The silent message of God is seen in the
heavens, the firmament; it is faithfully displayed both day and night. Silently the message goes through all the
earth to the world’s end. In this
message, the Sun appears as the icon of God addressing the inhabitants of earth
with light and heat: even the blind know and rejoice in the heat of the sun.
The ode to the Law follows: it is inseparable from the ode to
Creation, as both have one Singer, God Himself.
The idea that there is a God of science (Creation), and a distinct or separate
God of the Law (Scripture) is transparent foolishness. This Law, like the Gospel brings salvation
(conversion), wisdom, rejoicing, purity, cleansing, righteous judgment; values
that are better than gold, and sweeter than honey. They also warn (about evil and sin), and
bring reward (the riches of redemption.
We might ask, how does the Law bring about conversion? The Law proclaims Jesus, incarnate,
oppressed, crucified, resurrected, and victorious.
The Psalm concludes with an ode to conversion, which brings
understanding, cleansing, and prevention of secret and presumptuous
errors. It is the work of the Holy
Ghost, speaking the words of the Law, silently to the conscience, that stops
the commission of “the great transgression.” The person who has a seared conscience, lives
a life filled with woe. The person with
a conscience, made bright by God, is given words and thoughts that are
acceptable to God: for God Himself is the source of his strength and
redemption.
Redemption in what sense? As a ransom paid to Satan? No! As
a ransom paid to the Father? No! As a gift to fallen man, leading him and
empowering him in the war against evil.
Christ arises triumphant over evil, having trampled “death by death.” Christ Incarnate, the perfect man leads us in
the glorious fight to new victory. “God
became man, so that man might become god.”
“ΙΣ ΧΣ ΝΙΚΑ!”
As the sun
overthrows the darkness every morning; as the Law overthrows evil, with fresh
purity every day; so Jesus overthrows the fall in Adam, so that each new day is
filled with renewed faith, hope, and love, giving David new words and thoughts
of Yahweh.
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