Psalm 19
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.
– Psalm 19:14 NRSV
At the very end of the assigned Psalm for the Third Sunday of Lent in Year B is this little gem of a verse. You have probably heard it before, and maybe you did not even connect that it comes from scripture. This is a particular favorite for worship leaders to pray before they preach. What I have always loved about this passage is the way it forces us to admit that what we are saying could be incorrect. I do not know about you, but it is a unique person who operates under the assumption that they are wrong. But it can be a tempting thing to assume that our own “way” is in the right.
And so we can use pieces of scripture like this in all aspects of our lives as a simple reminder that we never know everything. It also becomes a way to remind ourselves that at every moment of the day, our words and actions should reflect those that build up the community of Christ, not tear it down.
The final part of this verse is a confession. God is our strength, God is the one who redeems. What a wonderful thing that God is doing, redeeming the world! And you know what is really cool? We get to reflect that same redemption every day when we live our lives in a way that God might find acceptable.