Recently NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) launched a new space telescope, aimed at the far reaches of the outer space. They hope to look further and deeper into our galaxy, wondering as we all do—what’s out there?

Like the scientists at NASA, David also found the stars fascinating. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Undoubtedly he gazed up and pondered the heavens during long nights standing guard over his father’s sheep.

David echos the creation account in Genesis, reminding us how the heavens point to our creator. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. God’s fingerprints cover the skies.

In the next breath David turned from the heavens, launched by the voice of God, to God’s voice in his hands—the Holy Scriptures. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. Firm—just like the heavens and the earth—and righteous—worthy of a long gaze.

David saw the wonder of God’s creation mirrored in the wonder of God’s word.

As I start this new year it’s helpful for me to remember that while the heavens remain accessible only from a distance, one treasure of God’s creation—the words of the Lord—rests in my hands.

Psalm 19 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by NASA