The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth.

Some days seem like a drag. I am tired, spent and worn out. Or I have seen some relational conflict or challenge. Or [fill in the blank].

When life gets us down, we can choose to stay down or we can LOOK UP! I love Psalm 19 because it is a great poetic picture of what we see when we LOOK UP.

The heavens — I think of this as a reference to beyond the clouds and sky we can normally see in the day. The heavens are visible at night, with stars and planets sparkling all over the place. What an incredible nightly display for us to see and enjoy! And the more we learn of the science behind these planets and stars, we find the wonder of God’s intricate design.

The skies display the work of his hands. What are these works? Well, some of them are practical, like cloud cover for shade and rain clouds to provide water for the earth. The birds live and fly in the sky. And the winds move through the trees and plants, spreading seeds and creating a freshness. Then there is the beauty of the sky.

The sun is the main character of the sky, so to speak. When it rises, brightness and beauty are illuminated. A sunrise is born. As it makes its way across the heavens, warmth is given to grow things. Vitamin D is given to heal. And it helps us to see all around us. When it sets, each night is a different display of color and vibrancy. And oh, the sunsets we see.

The sun plus moisture brings the rainbow! The sun plus water causes plants to grow. The sun plus snow brings water down from the mountains in spring. It fills the rivers and the fish thrive. So much is interdependent on the sun.

If I am down or having a trying day, God made the beauty of creation to brighten me up.

Thank you, Lord, for your beautiful creation you made for us all to enjoy. It is a master painting, and our provision and our comfort and warmth all at once! Teach me to appreciate all you have made for me to enjoy more and more each day!