While the search for the meaning of life continues in many ways, including the fruitless exploration of outer space, Psalm 139:1-24 gives us a far different perspective. The psalm, written by King David, is a masterful and profound piece of poetry and a leading favourite of God’s people. There are many reasons why this is so, the main being that God’s intimate knowledge of us leads us to a wonderful knowledge of Him.

The Psalms are a great source of information and encouragement to the belever and Psalm 127:1-5 is no exception. The psalm was composed by King Solomon,  who simply should have put into practise what he wrote!  Life is busy, very busy, with work, houses, family and sleep all part of the picture. But all of it –  without the Lord – will only lead to frustration.  The Psalm tells us that much and puts life into perspective, but it also points forward to the One who came from heaven for us to build us and incorporate us into His house – forever!

Who would want to be a parent these days? The task has always been a hard one, but in these days there are so many more complicating factors and influences. This message examines the high calling of parenthood, some helpful texts from Psalm 78, Psalm 127 and Psalm 128 and a challenge to all to pass on the faith to the next generation.

There are three vioices in Psalm 19:1-14. The first voice is the voice of creation. Like other parts of the Bible, Psalm 19 teaches that all that we see in the created order testifies to the truth that God exists and that by all that He has made, He has spoken to all mankind about His existence. This is true for people all over the world. No-one can say they did not know that God existed. The second voice in the Psalm is the voice of God’s Word. While God’s voice through creation can be ignored or misinterpreted, He has also spoken to us through His Word, which, for the writer of the Psalm, were the books of God’s law which he treasured above everything. The third voice in the Psalm is the voice of God’s servant, who asked God to cleanse his heart from hidden sins and faults. The one who loves God over all things will want to be pure in order to serve Him and be ready to obey Him from the heart.

Most people get their education at school, but life also hands out many complex lessons. The man who wrote Psalm 116:1-19 found this to be true. When faced with an overwhelmingly desperate situation in which he was threatened by death, his cry to the Lord did not go unheard. In fact, God heard his cry and came to his rescue. As a response to this rescue, the Psalm writer willingly gave himself to the Lord to be his devoted servant and to testify to His saving power. God’s people know that the problem of sin is too big for anyone to handle alone. Only God can deal with sin and its consequences, and He did this by sending His Son to the cross. Salvation comes to all who call to the Lord and because He is gracious and faithful, He hears the cry of His own and saves them.

Psalm 19 begins by telling us that all around us is evidence for the reality of God. The stars and the skies daily proclaim His handiwork and his glory. These created things ‘speak’ to us of His presence and greatness, but they do not tell us of who he is or how we can find him. These truths about God are found in the rest of the Psalm. God speaks through His written word and this completes the puzzle. What the skies and stars do not tell us, His Word does! Sadly, many remain deaf and blind to the voice and the glory of God which has reached its greatest expression in the ministry and person of Jesus His Son.