By them your servant is warned;
    in keeping them there is great reward.
12 But who can discern their own errors?
    Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant also from wilful sins;
    may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
    innocent of great transgression.

14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
    be pleasing in your sight,
    Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. NIVUK

In the ‘New Bible Commentary’, Alec Motyer provides this outline of Psalm 19:

  • The voice of creation: paradox (1-6). This paradox is that ‘The notion of a Creator is conveyed but there is not the verbal revelation we need’;
  • The voice of the word: perfection (7-10);
  • The voice of the sinner: praying (11-14). He says, ‘Here is one who has come under the influence of the divine word.’

I find myself keeping company with David in this nineteenth psalm:

  • I need forgiveness: I can say that I am aware of sin (sins) in me, or potential sins, the thought of which is distressing to me. But I also have other sins that are currently hidden from me. I’m not aware of them; but God is, and I need His forgiveness for every sin. We can thank Him that 1 John 1:9 is true: ” If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”;
  • I need freedom: Not only do I need cleansing for what I am, for what I have done, and do, I also need the freedom to live differently. Freedom from sin’s penalty, certainly. But also freedom from its power. I need God’s grace imparted so that I don’t persist in doing what I ought not to do. This freedom is ours in Christ. See, e.g. Rom.6:12-14: ”Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.”

As the psalm ends, we can see that a fundamental element of the pursuit of godliness involves a heart soaked in God’s written revelation.

” Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Rom.12:2

You may want to use this prayer as your own today:

”There’s more: God’s Word warns us of danger
    and directs us to hidden treasure.
Otherwise how will we find our way?
    Or know when we play the fool?
Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh!
    Keep me from stupid sins,
    from thinking I can take over your work;
Then I can start this day sun-washed,
    scrubbed clean of the grime of sin.
These are the words in my mouth;
    these are what I chew on and pray.
Accept them when I place them
    on the morning altar,
O God, my Altar-Rock,
    God, Priest-of-My-Altar.” The Message