Psalm 19 - Looking Up

Thirty two years ago, I gave my dad a gift. That year, I had spent the summer serving at a youth camp in Belize. That experience changed the course of my life as I shifted my studies in college to focus on going to seminary after graduation. At the end of our time in Belize, our team spent a few days at Caye Caulker and I photographed a sunrise over the ocean (and 32 years later, I’m still photographing sunrises over water). After developing the photo (pre-digital), I had it framed and gave it to my Dad for some special day (birthday, Father’s Day, Christmas) along with the opening words of Psalm 19.

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the sky displays his handiwork.

Psalm 19 is one of the Psalms that always speaks dearly to me, largely because it lifts up how the beauty of the skies can speak to the presence and the breath of the divine. I know I have experienced that countless times - sunrises, midday, sunsets, and soaking in the wonder of the night sky. In fact, it was sitting under one of the most vibrant night skies I’d ever seen that I began to feel the leading to move towards training as a pastor. I was sitting in the grass between our cabins with thick jungle only a few hundred feet away listening to the amazing sounds surrounding us while looking up at a stunningly vibrant sky with the clearly visible Milky Way crossing above. It was at one of those moments that I felt a leading to a shift in where I was headed for my life.

Today with this Psalm, I could easily share one of many photographs of the sky that I have in my archives. But I wanted instead to share something else that isn’t a sky scene but a beautiful piece of art of something that does take to the skies. My dad carved this intarsia of a heron in 2005 and sent it to me after my book was published. It arrived today. It is a beautiful piece isn’t it?

Herons are deeply special to me. I’ve come to see herons as my spirit animal for many reasons and you’ll see them through many of the reflections and you’ve seen herons in more than a few reflections posted here. I am so grateful for this beautiful piece (now to decide where to hang it).

I know this Psalm doesn’t speak of birds flying in the sky but I found the connection really beautiful that this gift came from my dad today - a day that I was reflecting on Psalm 19 - words printed on a gift I gave to him 32 years ago that went along with a sunrise that definitely connected to this Psalm...(I think that sentence makes sense...)

Here are the first four verses in the NET translation

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the sky displays his handiwork.
Day after day it speaks out;
night after night it reveals his greatness.
There is no actual speech or word,
nor is its voice literally heard.
Yet its voice echoes throughout the earth;
its words carry to the distant horizon.

And here’s a photo of the piece from 32 years ago.

And finally a recent glimpse of one of our local herons walking on the remainder of the ice...

My book, Ordinary BenchMarks (where you’ll read quite a bit about herons) is available now by clicking here. For more information about the book and how to order the e-book without giving $$$ to Jeff Bezos, click here.

Grace, Peace, Love, and Joy,
Ed

---