Meditaions

Having coffee with Andy (my loving husband) this morning, we were discussing some of the ways our speech can be used for good and bad. He brought up Psalm 19:14

 

"May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer". 

Knowing this verse for as far back as I can remember, it should have been my default! But today, it struck me, and dare I say convicted my heart. 

The simple yet straight forward words of the Psalmist pierced my heart. 

Have I been using words in such a way that they are "PLEASING" to the Lord?

In our world today with social media, texting, instagram, and video calling, it is so easy to lash out and put our immediate thoughts on display for the world to see. We want to stand on a platform and shout out our discontent with the current state of the world, and even our own lives. 

It is so much easier to complain than it is to proclaim His blessings. 

I was searching out the many different versions of this verse, because it always intrigues me how one verse can be said in so many different ways through language. Yet, when looking at this verse, I was amazed to see that it doesn't change that much. Below you will be able to see the many different versions and how they don't change: Psalms 19:14

 

  New International Version May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. 

  New Living Translation May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. 

  English Standard Version Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. 

  Berean Study Bible May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

 

  King James Bible Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

 

  New King James Version Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer. 

  New American Standard Bible May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.

 

  NASB 1995 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer. 

  NASB 1977 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Thy sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.

 

  Amplified Bible Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable and pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my [firm, immovable] rock and my Redeemer. 

  Christian Standard Bible May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, LORD, my rock and my Redeemer. 

  Holman Christian Standard Bible May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You, LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.

 

  American Standard Version Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in thy sight, O Jehovah, my rock, and my redeemer. 

  Aramaic Bible in Plain English Let the words of my mouth be for your pleasure, and the meditation of my heart before you, LORD JEHOVAH, my helper and my Savior. 

  Brenton Septuagint Translation So shall the sayings of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be pleasing continually before thee, O Lord my helper, and my redeemer. 

  Contemporary English Version Let my words and my thoughts be pleasing to you, LORD, because you are my mighty rock and my protector. 

  Douay-Rheims Bible And the words of my mouth shall be such as may please: and the meditation of my heart always in thy sight. O Lord, my helper, and my redeemer. 

  Good News Translation May my words and my thoughts be acceptable to you, O LORD, my refuge and my redeemer! 

  International Standard Version May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. 

  JPS Tanakh 1917 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before Thee, O LORD, my Rock, and my Redeemer. 

  Literal Standard Version Let the sayings of my mouth, And the meditation of my heart, Be for a pleasing thing before You, O YHWH, my rock, and my redeemer! 

  New American Bible Let the words of my mouth be acceptable, the thoughts of my heart before you, LORD, my rock 

    Many times when looking at the different translations, you can come away with different views on what that one verse is saying. With this verse, I only walk away with ONE THING:

 

  CONVICTION 

 Is my speech pleasing to THE LORD? 

Do the words I say bring Glory to Him?

 

If not, than I should re-evaluate and re-focus my attention on the Lord.  Over and Over, "BE PLEASING"  Do the words I say, please the Lord?  To be honest...NO...Not always, I am not perfect, I complain just like everyone else.  I should how ever be ready to admit my faults and redirect my words in such a way that the Lord is pleased in them.

While searching out this thought farther I was reading a blog written back in 2015 by NEIL ALAN WILLARD. “Let the words of my mouth . . .” | Tumbleweed Almanac (neilwillard.com) 

This is his final statement:

  "I don’t know about you, but I look forward to the moments of silence that follow the sermon and the invitation to confession in the liturgy here at Palmer. They are moments of hesitation before we feebly attempt to speak the truth about God and about ourselves. They are also moments of holiness, pregnant with the movement of the Holy Spirit. It is evident in those moments of truth that God’s love, which is stronger than death, can set us free to come to this Table at peace, reconciled with our sisters and brothers in Christ, forgiven by God and forgiving of others. 

So today embrace the words of Psalm 19 as your words too. Regardless of what the politicians and the pundits and the people around you are screaming at full volume, let the words of your mouth — uttered carefully, thoughtfully, and truthfully — be acceptable in the sight of the Lord, your strength and your redeemer."