Acceptance by Our Rock and Redeemer
(Psalm 19:14)
Mike Johnson
Psalm 19:14 says, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.”
This verse is at the end of a magnificent Psalm. In verses 1-6, the writer spoke about the heavens declaring the glory of God and the firmament showing His handy work. Through natural revelation, one can realize there is a God. In verses 7-11, he spoke about special revelation, which pertains to God’s written message where the writer talks about the God. Then in verses 12-14, in response to the first two concepts, he looked inwardly, turning to God in prayer, asking for forgiveness.
Looking at verse 14, we see it is essential to be “acceptable” to God. First, as the text indicates, our tongues must be acceptable to God, and we accomplish this by using speaking in a way to be pleasing to Him. We can commit sins with our tongue by lying, using profanity, and engaging in gossip, etc. James 3:5 points out, “. . . the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!” Proverbs 21:23 warns, “Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles.” In Colossians 4:6, Paul admonished, “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.”
Further, according to the text, our thoughts (meditations) must be acceptable. It is essential to note in verse 14 how the Psalmist mentions words and thoughts but not deeds. Why is this? Perhaps it is because he dealt with deeds earlier. However, verse 14 does stand independent in this respect. The “meditation of my heart” is inclusive of acts. It is essential to realize that thoughts of the heart are the source from which actions spring. In Mark 7:20-23, Jesus said, “…What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.” (Note also Phil. 4:8.) If a person keeps his heart pure, he will not have so many problems with his deeds. It has been said, “We are not always what we think we are, but we are always what we think.”
In the last part of verse 14, the writer referred to God as his strength. Vine defines the Hebrew word used here as, “rock; rocky wall; cliff; rocky hill; mountain; rocky surface; boulder” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words) Many translations render the word as “rock.” Psalm 18:2– “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Commenting on this passage, Barnes points out the following:
The idea in this expression, and in the subsequent parts of the description, is that he owed his safety entirely to God. He had been unto him as a rock, a tower, a buckler, etc. – that is, he had derived from God the protection which a rock, a tower, a citadel, a buckler furnished to those who depended on them, or which they were designed to secure. The word “rock” here has reference to the fact that in times of danger a lofty rock would be sought as a place of safety, or that men would fly to it to escape from their enemies. Such rocks abound in Palestine; and by the fact that they are elevated and difficult of access, or by the fact that those who fled to them could find shelter behind their projecting crags, or by the fact that they could find security in their deep and dark caverns, they became places of refuge in times of danger; and protection was often found there when it could not be found in the plains below.” (Barnes’ Notes, Electronic Database)
Sometimes one person may refer to another as his/her rock. On a higher plain, God is our rock: He is our source of strength and our refuge.
David also referred to God as his Redeemer. The Old Testament uses the word “redeemer” in other places as well to refer to God, and it means “to buy back.” God redeemed his people from sin, death, and danger. David probably recalled many occasions where God had delivered him, but he may not have understood the details regarding the actual price of redemption. The cost would be Jesus, having been sent by God, dying for the sins of humanity on the cross. Ephesians 1:7 points out, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”
It is important to be acceptable to God. We must make sure our words, thoughts, and deeds are in keeping with the Will of our Creator. God is our strength and our redeemer!