“The heavens declare the glory of God, the vault of heaven proclaims his handiwork; day discourses of it to day, night to night hands on the knowledge. No utterance at all, no speech, no sound that anyone can hear; yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their message to the ends of the world.” Psalm 19:1
Since getting my dog Lucy from the Humane Society four years ago, I take her outside very early each morning so she can go to the bathroom. It is always still dark as we head out, but in the wintertime there is not even a hint of the forthcoming sun, so the skies seem extra clear and sparkly. Sometimes two or three particularly bright “stars” stand out as I gaze up, and of course they aren’t stars but planets which outshine everything around them.
The above Scripture comes to mind almost daily as I walk around waiting for my dog. This translation highlights that the skies “pass on” all the glorious things God has done on their watch that day – “day discourses of it to day” – the old day gives the report and instructions to the new day that’s about to begin, like one shift of hospital staff handing things over to the next shift; “night to night hands on the knowledge” – a continuum of praise and glorifying God.
It’s not in a language or tongue that we can understand with our audible ear, but if we gaze at the stars, planets, sunrises, sunsets, the palette of colors that God chooses to use for that day – we can begin to “hear” the report, the message:
“Our God is an awesome God.”
“God is faithful. God is constant.”
“God creates and renews.”
“Nothing is impossible for God.”
Go out and look up to the heavens. Make time for it. Still your voice, quiet your heart, and try to hear what the skies are saying as they fulfill their role of “proclaiming the greatness of God.” You will begin to understand what their message is that reaches “to the ends of the world.”
Baruch 3:33 – “He sends the light and it goes, He recalls it, and trembling it obeys: the stars shine joyfully at their set times; when He calls them, they answer, ‘Here we are;’ they gladly shine for their creator.”
Job 38:7 – [Where were you] when all the stars of morning were singing with joy?
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