Psalm 92:5 - September 16, 2009

Ps 92:5 "How great are your works, O LORD, how profound your thoughts!" NIV

Today I am considering this passage from an entirely different point of view. Early in the morning from a scenic overlook in the mountains of Virginia as I watch the sun rise there is a deeper impact when I read this simple phrase: “How great are your works, O Lord.” When I consider the fact that the beauty that is stretched out before me is one small thimble full in comparison to the great ocean of God’s glory that he has stretched out over the expanse of His whole creation, city to city, state to state, nation to nation, this glory repeats itself over and over again. And where the glories of the earthly creation cease the glories of the heavenly creations take over this display of splendor and the wonders of God continue to unveil more and more of their majesty as science reveals through tools such as the Hubble space telescope the ever expanding mysteries and marvels of outer space.
Even then when all of this is considered we have only just begun to touch the hem of the garments of God’s glorious works. As we reflect inwardly into the scientific makeup of every living being the revelations and mysteries of God’s works unfold with an equally beautiful presentation of His wisdom and order as the biology of every living thing reveals both their similarities and their uniqueness and the breadth of diversity contained within each facet of God’s creation. Still more we can consider the dimensions of personality and the depths of mind, will and emotions as the works of God display with an equally remarkable wisdom the creativity of God as He has fashioned each person and the potential within each man, woman and child. As we consider the human makeup and the reality that this God of power and glory could and would create man with a free will to choose to spend his life in any way that he desires God again displays His glory in the fact that He can so inspire the hearts of men through the revelation of Himself so deeply that they would choose to surrender willingly that freedom and spend their life in pursuit of knowing Him and serving Him instead of themselves. Truly how great are the works of the Lord.
These works of wonder are reason alone to praise Him and to marvel at who He is but the Lord does not stop there. The measure of the greatness of God’s works continues on as we consider for a moment every act that He has orchestrated and brought forth in His dealings with men. Every miraculous intervention, each supernatural deliverance, every work of provision, cries out in praise of God and His power. The acts of God throughout each and every day of human history that have unfolded in the life of each and every person who has ever walked the earth leave us standing before the God of creation in amazement. As we consider that this glorious God has said of Himself that every hair on our head is numbered, times the span of human beings who have ever lived throughout the course of human history, the works of God in just this one act are amazing and yet how much more does care involve himself in every life than just to keep track of our ever changing hair count! Glory to God! Jesus told His disciples that if God is consistently able to provide for every sparrow that flies, how much more is he able to watch over each and every man, the crowning glory of His creation. Truly, great are your works O Lord!
This simple verse in Psalm 92 is so rich with the provocation of thought that it generates as we consider the works of God and yet the psalmist pushes our meditation even further. The works of God are fathomless and yet they are not the measure of God. They are not the fullness of what makes Him worthy of your praise and mine. Ponder for just a moment a simple contrast within your own life. Over the span of your years how many works have you done? How many activities have you engaged in? How many times have you habitually performed even routine functions such as breathing, sleeping and eating? Each man and woman is finite in their abilities and mortal in their span of life. Consider the measure of the works of God in the context of His infinite capacities and His immortal span of existence both past and future and then declare: “How great is our God!”
Beyond the eternal nature of God’s abilities comes an even greater contrast. Consider your every act and every word then remember that for every deed fulfilled and acted upon there are countless numbers of thoughts and ideas that have passed through your limited mind that you have never brought forth into being. The meditations of your heart, the philosophies you have considered, the values and choices that you have made are measureless in their volume and yet again, you are but one man, or one woman with a measurable beginning and a quickly approaching end in the context of your earthly existence and in comparison to God’s infinite capacity for thought.