Project 119: Heaven and Nature Sing | Psalm 19
| Project 119 | Joel Burks
Reading for Wednesday, December 30: Psalm 19
Joy to the world! the Lord has come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing.
-"Joy to the World"
Just this last year I received one of my favorite gifts ever given to me for my birthday: a pair of concert tickets. These tickets would allow me entry to see a band that had inspired me as a young man to become a musician. I was so excited to get these tickets! It seemed, in the moment, like my parents had never spent so much money on me. As I opened the envelope that held the tickets, I could feel the anticipation rising as all of my family members watched. I pulled the tickets out and couldn’t help but shout with excitement! I was finally going to see my 16-year-old self’s FAVORITE BAND! My enthusiasm in that moment couldn’t be contained, and all I got was a pair of tickets!
Psalm 19 paints a picture for us of a different kind of enthusiasm, one that is put forth by the created world around us. Reading Psalm 19 (within the context of the Christmas season) caused me to think about what the earth’s praise might have been like on the night that Jesus was born. Oh, if we could only have heard the song that night. Even still, just that mental image of God the Son coming down to the creation which He spoke into existence is one that gives me reason to celebrate during this time of the year.
How did the earth acknowledge His coming, though? Did it praise the Lord like we do? I would posit that there are many things that we just can’t know. However, Scripture helps us to see that the earth is in fact worshiping. Psalm 19:3-4 tells us that the earth has no speech, but its words go to the ends of the world. We also know from Paul’s writing in Romans 8:22 that creation can feel things very deeply. He tells us there that the earth feels the pains of childbirth as it waits to be redeemed through Christ’s return. Jesus even tells us that if we don’t worship Him, the rocks will cry out in our place. I, for one, am convinced that there is more than enough evidence that the world around us is in active participation of the worship of our Lord.
Creation is a testament to the might and majesty of our God. This world around us is His masterpiece. And just as you and I were created to worship God, this world lives out this calling as well. Isaiah 55:12 looks forward to the day of creation’s redemption: “You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.” Does this not sound just like the worship services we attend every Sunday? Creation doesn’t exist to be praised (which is what some believed in the ancient world), but rather it exists to praise God and to show us His character. This season, join in with creation’s song. Don’t let the rocks outsing you. Amen.