“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14)
What a profound aspiration David voices in the closing verse of this psalm! It’s the culmination of a journey through the grandeur of God’s creation and the perfection of His law. As we meditate on this verse, we consider it through the lens of the preceding verses of Psalm 19.
David begins Psalm 19 by marveling at the cosmic testimony of God. The heavens, the sun, and the very expanse of the universe all eloquently declare God’s glory. They speak without words, yet their message is undeniable and reaches “to the end of the world.” This external revelation of God’s power and majesty should inspire awe and a deep sense of His presence.
But God’s revelation doesn’t stop there. David then turns to the revelation found in God’s law. He describes the “law of the Lord” as “perfect, converting the soul”; His “testimony” as “sure, making wise the simple.” His “statutes” are “right, rejoicing the heart,” and His “commandment” is “pure, enlightening the eyes.” These are not burdensome rules, but life-giving principles, more desirable “than gold, yea, than much fine gold,” and “sweeter also than honey.” They warn us and offer a “great reward.”
This progression is crucial. Our understanding of God’s character, first revealed in creation, is deepened and clarified through His written Word. The vastness of the cosmos points to His power, but the precision and purity of His law reveal His holiness, wisdom, and love.
Yet, even with such profound revelations, David recognizes his own limitations. He asks, “Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.” He acknowledges the hidden sins, the unintentional missteps that can still defile. Furthermore, he pleads, “Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.” He understands the danger of deliberate rebellion, of willfully turning away from God’s perfect law.
This recognition of human fallibility is essential. We are not perfect, and even with the beauty of creation and the clarity of God’s Word surrounding us, our hearts and minds still stray.
This leads us to the heart of our devotional verse: “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.”
This is not a casual wish, but a fervent prayer. Having been overwhelmed by God’s glory in creation and enlightened by the perfection of His law, and having acknowledged his own propensity for error and sin, David longs for his entire being — his outward expression and his inward thoughts — to be pleasing to God.
“The words of my mouth” is our communication, our conversations, our witness, our prayers, even our complaints. Do our words reflect the character of God we see in creation and in His law? Are they seasoned with grace, truth, and love?
“The meditation of my heart” delves deeper into the wellspring of our thoughts, intentions, desires, and motives. Our heart is the control center of our lives. Are our inner musings pure, righteous, and focused on Him? Are we dwelling on things that honor Him or things that lead us astray?
David recognizes that this aspiration is not achievable through his own self-effort. He addresses God as “O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”
“My Strength”: David acknowledges that he lacks the inherent power to control his words and thoughts perfectly. He needs divine intervention and assistance, the enabling power of the Holy Spirit, to align his inner and outer life with God’s will.
“My Redeemer”: This title holds profound significance. It speaks to God’s act of delivering David, of setting him free from the guilt and dominion of sin. It reminds us that our ability to offer an “acceptable” offering is not based on our merit but on God’s redemptive work. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we are counted righteous, and it is in Him that our imperfect offerings become pleasing to God.
Psalm 19:14 is not just a beautiful verse; it’s a profound daily prayer for every believer. In a world saturated with noise and distraction, where our words can be careless and our thoughts chaotic, this verse calls us to intentionality.
Are our words pleasing to God? Do they bring Him glory or dishonor His holy name? Are our thoughts focused on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8)? Do we rely on God’s strength to purify our hearts and guide our tongues? Are we living in gratitude for His redemption and trusting in Christ Jesus and His atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world?
Only through the cleansing of Christ’s blood can our words, thoughts, and works be acceptable and holy in God’s sight! Cf. Heb. 10:19ff.
Let us, like David, commit to this prayer. Let us consistently bring our words and our meditations before our Lord, our Strength, and our Redeemer, trusting that, as we surrender to Him, He will conform us more and more to His likeness, making our lives a sweet and acceptable offering in His sight. Amen.
[Scripture quoted from the King James Version of the Bible]