Prepared by Rev. Daniel Yovan

SUNDAY SERVICE – 10th October 2026

Call to worship: The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer (Psalm 19: 1, 14).

Prayer: Almighty God, whose glory the heavens are telling, the breath of life of all things living: to you be praise from all your creatures, and from humans made in your own image, redeemed and restored by Jesus Christ your only Son, our Lord. Most glorious Lord God, you created the world and uphold its fabric in order and beauty: give us grace to meditate on your creative skills and wisdom, your power and great mercies, that we may thank you, and adore you and praise you for ever; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

-Daily prayer 74. 

STF 161

1.Speak, O Lord, as we come to you

To receive the food of your holy word.

Take your truth, plant it deep in us;

Shape and fashion us in your likeness

That the light of Christ might be seen today

In our acts of love and our deeds of faith.

Speak, O Lord, and fulfil in us

All your purposes, for your glory.

2.Teach us, Lord, full obedience,

Holy reverence, true humility.

Test our thoughts and our attitudes

In the radiance of your purity.

Cause our faith to rise, cause our eyes to see

Your majestic love and authority.

Words of power that can never fail;

Let their truth prevail over unbelief.

3. Speak, O Lord, and renew our minds;

Help us grasp the heights of your plans for us.

Truths unchanged from the dawn of time

That will echo down through eternity.

And by grace we’ll stand on your promises,

And by faith we’ll walk as you walk with us.

Speak, O Lord, till your church is built

And the earth is filled with your glory.

 Kieth Getty (b. 1974) and Stuart Townend (b. 1963).

Read Psalm 19:

God’s Glory in Creation and the Law

1 The heavens are telling the glory of God;
   and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours forth speech,
   and night to night declares knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words;
   their voice is not heard;
4 yet their voice goes out through all the earth,
   and their words to the end of the world.
In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun,
5 which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy,
   and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
   and its circuit to the end of them;
   and nothing is hidden from its heat.
7 The law of the Lord is perfect,
   reviving the soul;
the decrees of the Lord are sure,
   making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the Lord are right,
   rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear,
   enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the Lord is pure, enduring for ever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true
and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
   even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey,
   and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them is your servant warned;
   in keeping them there is great reward.
12 But who can detect their errors?
   Clear me from hidden faults.
13 Keep back your servant also from the insolent;
   do not let them have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
   and innocent of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
   be acceptable to you,
   O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Reflection:

 You may have heard preachers use the final verse of Psalm 19 as a prayer before the sermon. It offers the whole congregation to God and asks for his grace to guide their thoughts and words. The preacher here wanted to please God in all that is happening during this address. It is a good thing to be aware of God’s presence with us during the service. The idea that God knows our thoughts, words and circumstances is further explored in Psalm 139. This knowledge of God knowing us completely, brings great comfort and confidence in God’s care. Although we rejoice in the fact that we are not alone in this sense, we must also need to be mindful of what we think or say. It can be unsettling to realise that God hears our thoughts. Can you imagine the peril we will be in, if others can ‘hear’ our thoughts about them? If people can know our thoughts, I think, we will have no friends. But God in his sovereign grace and mercy chose to love us regardless of our flaws. And God is not surprised or shocked by our conducts. However, God doesn’t want us to stay the way we are, but calling us to a closer walk with him in all that we do.

Nevertheless in the context of this psalm, this is not a prayer to be said just before a sermon. This psalm tells us that God speak to us through the creation (vv. 1-6), and through the scriptures (vv. 7-10). Theologians call this as God’s “general” and “special” revelation. God reveals himself in the proclamation of his sovereignty  through the cosmos. This general revelation is available to all regardless of their culture or language. Unlike the culture of the day, the psalmist insists the heavenly bodies are not to be worshiped; rather, they should invoke a sense of awe and wonder at the glory of God.

But God is not far away from us but revealed himself through the prophets in the past and we have the records of God’s revelation in the form of Scriptures. These are special revelation to a people and their context. The word of God revives the souls of human beings. The transformation power of God’s word is still available to all those who receive with an open heart. 12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight (Hebrew 4: 12-13). If we allow the word of God to examine our lives, we will experience the abundant life God offers. David cries out to God in Psalm 139: 23-24, “search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting”

God is revealing his plans and purposes for the whole world through creation and through his word. Are we spending enough time to listen and yield. In light of this revelation of God, this is a prayer of dedication of our lives. Because God is on the throne, let us do not say anything in haste and be careful in what we say about God and his people (Ecclesiastes 5: 2). This prayer is not just for Sunday but also for every single day of our lives. Shall we dedicate our lives with the Psalmists? O Lord, I dedicate my words and my thoughts to you. May my speech reflect your truth, and my meditation align with your will. I ask that my words and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.[1] Amen.

Prayer of intercession: Please bring your own prayer for peoples and places to God…….

[1] Psalms 19:14 Prayer: A Prayer for Acceptable Words and Meditations | Bible Art