This reflection was written for the Sunday Devotion for Christ Episcopal Church, Yankton, SD on October 4, 2020
Psalm 19
This version of Psalm 19 is from the Book of Common Prayer, 1979
1 The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the firmament shows his handiwork.
2 One day tells its tale to another, *
and one night imparts knowledge to another.
3 Although they have no words or language,
and their voices are not heard,
4 Their sound has gone out into all lands,
and their message to the ends of the world.
5 In the deep has he set a pavilion for the sun;
it comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber;
it rejoices like a champion to run its course.
6 It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavens
and runs about to the end of it again;
nothing is hidden from its burning heat.
7 The law of the Lord [The Torah of Yahweh/God] is perfect
and revives the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure
and gives wisdom to the innocent [simple].
8 The statutes [precepts (guidance)]of the Lord are just
and rejoice the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear
and gives light to the eyes.
9 The fear [to be in awe] of the Lord is clean
and endures for ever;
the judgments [manners (ways)]of the Lord are true
and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
more than much fine gold,
sweeter far than honey,
than honey in the comb.
11 By them also is your servant enlightened,
and in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can tell how often he offends?
cleanse me from my secret faults.
13 Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous [arrogant (proud)] sins;
let them not get dominion [rule] over me;
then shall I be whole and sound,
and innocent of a great offense.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my
heart be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.
[NOTE: The bracketed italicized words offer an alternate translation (interpretation) of the original Hebrew words used in this psalm. - NW]
REFLECTION
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Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.
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This familiar opening to sermons preached in Episcopal churches is a direct quote of the psalmist’s prayer at the close of today’s psalm. I want to start with that prayer as a way of exploring this unique psalm, which blends the concept of the “Torah (law) of the Yahweh (Lord),” in the original Hebrew text of this psalm, with the cosmic declaration of God’s glory.
What can be a bit confusing is this psalm starts out with the heavens declaring the glory of God in verses 1 through 6 and then switches gears to talk about “the Torah of Yahweh” in verse 7. This switch intrigued me and led me to research the original Hebrew text of this psalm. As a result, I found that most of the “legal” terms used in this psalm have other meanings indicated by my italicized inserts within the psalm. As noted in the past, Hebrew is a contextual language; in that, the meaning of specific Hebrew words are determined by the overall contextual setting.
Some biblical scholars consider Psalm 19 to be the combination of two different psalms; the heavenly declaration of God’s glory and the psalmist’s meditation on “the Torah.” While this may be the case, I propose that the psalmist intentionally is referencing the Torah in a specific way to explain the psalmist’s experience of awe and wonder while meditating on the firmament of heaven. The closing prayer of this psalm is one of cautious humility in having had an experience that “gives light to the eyes” through a pure awe-inspiring experience with God’s cosmic creation.
Awe of this magnitude challenges one’s ability to say anything that captures such an experience. Words fall short trying to explain a feeling that is beyond words. What the psalmist distills from this cosmic experience is an orderliness that brings the Torah to the psalmist’s mind.
Before proceeding, it will help to have a better understanding of the term torah, a Hebrew word which is rooted in the concept of instruction and guidance. In Judaism the Torah is understood in two ways; as the written Torah and oral Torah.
The written Torah is understood as the first five books of the Old Testament. The Ten Commandments from today’s Old Testament lesson in Exodus are often understood as the Torah, which is how many Christians apply the term, but in Judaism the Ten Commandments are properly understood as mitzvoth (required practices), which is the Hebrew word for commandments. The Ten Commandments, along with over 600 other mitzvoth, are found in the written Torah.
The oral Torah is broadly considered oral traditions handed down from Moses and the interpretations derived from written Torah and its mitzvoth. They are the topic of much discussion found in the rabbinical writings of Judaism known as the Mishnah written around the 3rd century CE, and the Talmud that began in the 5th centuries CE and beyond. This practice of interpreting the written Torah is likely what the psalmist was doing when meditating on the firmament of heaven and seeing the Torah of Yahweh writ large in the cosmos, which will be identified in this reflection as the Cosmic Torah.
What the psalmist experienced in meditating on the vault of heaven was the Sun and Moon being guided by unheard precepts; that they and all the entities in the firmament of heaven have their manner of communicating; as in, one day informing the next day and one night informing the next night. The psalmist takes delight in the apparent orderliness displayed in the cosmos.
The Cosmic Torah, like the written Torah, proclaims the profound love God has for all creation. The psalmist sees in this cosmic orderliness divine wisdom that gives guidance to the stars and to the simple. The Cosmic Torah, like the written Torah, demonstrates something other than intellect at work. The psalmist discerns an underlying current of divine wisdom that has no speakable explanation other than the experience of wonder at the breadth of God’s created love.
Such wisdom makes no sense to those who are secure in their rationalizing intellect, but it carries weight with those who know they do not know; those who remain open to instruction and are simple at heart, those who possess a righteousness found in the innocence of simplicity.
As one nears the end of the Psalm, the psalmist’s humbling encounter with something larger than the affairs of humankind prompts the question how one, so limited in understanding, can avoid committing offense against the righteous, orderly ways of God? So the psalmist prays, “Keep your servant from presumptuous sins, let them not get dominion over me.”
Presumptuous sin (arrogant sinning) is something that proceeds from a sense of entitlement, pride, and self deceit. The psalmist is cognizant that engaging in presumptuous sin can subjugate and recoil on those who engage in such offensive behavior. To ignore the glory of God in all creation comes with a heavy price.
Presumptuous sins lead to act of violence against the natural world, that proceeds from arrogance and greed.
Presumptuous sins lead to violence between humans, that proceed from a sense of pride in one’s culture, politics, race, religion and social status.
Presumptuous sins lead to acts of violence against the human soul, that proceed from the most destructive and oldest of presumptuous sins, the willful deception of self and others.
This psalm invites us to humbly step away from the allure of presumptuous illusion and step outside; to get out of our heads and into our hearts; to look up and look around, to be silent and meditate deeply, humbly, and reverently on the Cosmic Torah.
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Loving God, our strength and redeemer, increase our mindfulness so that the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts are always acceptable in your sight. Amen
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Until next time, stay faithful.
Norm
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