Scripture
1The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.
2Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.
3They speak without a sound or word;
their voice is never heard.[1]
4Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
and their words to all the world.
God has made a home in the heavens for the sun.
5It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding.
It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race.
6The sun rises at one end of the heavens
and follows its course to the other end.
Nothing can hide from its heat.
7The instructions of the Lord are perfect,
reviving the soul.
The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
8The commandments of the Lord are right,
bringing joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are clear,
giving insight for living.
9Reverence for the Lord is pure,
lasting forever.
The laws of the Lord are true;
each one is fair.
10They are more desirable than gold,
even the finest gold.
They are sweeter than honey,
even honey dripping from the comb.
11They are a warning to your servant,
a great reward for those who obey them.
12How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?
Cleanse me from these hidden faults.
13Keep your servant from deliberate sins!
Don’t let them control me.
Then I will be free of guilt
and innocent of great sin.
14May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing to you,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Translation notes (1)
- 19:3 Or There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14
There is a reason why numerous sections of the Bible are dedicated to our thought life and the way we train our minds. You see, many of the battles we face, particularly in our battles against our bad habits, are battles with the mind. Because of this, Scripture teaches us of the importance of protecting our minds and carefully monitoring the things we are focusing on.
David writes in Psalm 19 about his desire to set his mind on Christ above anything else. "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer" (verse 14). In other words, David was expressing his desire to have a mind, heart, and actions that pleased the Lord. His desire echoed throughout this entire chapter, a desire to obey and honor God, and that begins when your heart and mind are set on Him. After all, when our minds and hearts are set on Him, the more we are thinking about the things of Him and His kingdom, the more our desires and mindsets are aligned with His.
Now, you may be thinking, "This sounds great, but how do I actually live this out? How do I renew and protect my mind each day?" The answer is that we treat protecting our minds as a battle that must be taken seriously. We read our Bible and memorize verses. We listen to sermons focused on Christ. We pray. We spend time talking about God and the Bible with other people around us. We are intentional with what we let our hearts and minds meditate on. This, my friends, is a huge, deliberate, and helpful step as we think about getting rid of our bad habits. Let the words of your mouth and the meditation of your heart be pleasing to God. He is your Rock and your Redeemer!
Moving Toward Action
Listen to the verses from this Going Deeper section listed below read out loud on your favorite Bible App. As you listen, think about your habits and the way you guard your mind. How can you better protect and guard your mind so that you carefully train your thoughts when it comes to your bad habits.
Going Deeper
Read Psalm 19:1-14 (NLT)
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