For the director of music, a Psalm of David.
A psalm lifting up the glory of God as revealed in the starry heavens and the law of the Lord, which has been given to Israel. C. S. Lewis says, “I take this to be the greatest poem in the Psalter and one of the greatest lyrics in the world.”
The heavens declare the glory of God in all languages. As in Psalm 8, David is marveling at the heavens. A marvel indeed! As science and technology increases so does the amazement of the Universe!
He ends this hymn with a beautiful, yet serious prayer, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, 0 Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” What goes through your mind?
v 13 keep your servant from willful sins (NIV) keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins (KJV) Presumptuous means overstepping due bounds: taking liberties. This is at the heart of all sin. I recently asked my wife if I should wear my gray sweater. The problem was that it was tan, not gray. I spoke an untruth, not a lie. It was a mistake, not a , “willful sin.” Mistakes are bad, but willful sin is the problem; it’s for that we will be judged.
Think of all the hurts that would be saved if we, the church of God, would pray that prayer and put it to into practice.
This psalm divides into three parts:
- The High and Exalted God of the Universe, 1-6
- The Valued Word of God, 7-11
- My Personal Spiritual Need, 2-14