May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)

I’ve always loved this prayer and David’s heart to please the Lord. Often I’ve heard this prayer prayed and prayed it myself. There also is a song that I usually sing when I pray this prayer.

Psalm 19

Terry Butler
© 1995 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing

May the words of my mouth,
And the meditations of my heart,
Be pleasing to You,
Pleasing to You.

May the words of my mouth,
and the meditations of my heart,
be pleasing to You, my God.

You’re my Rock and my Redeemer,
You’re the reason that I sing.
I desire to be a blessing,
in Your eyes,

Ev’ry hour, ev’ry moment,

Lord I want to be your servant,
I desire to be a blessing,
in Your eyes,
in Your eyes.

To the Lord, the heart is of prime importance. Outward appearances or how things look in the eyes of man are not what counts in the eyes of the Lord. The Lord looks on the heart. A pleasing heart to the Lord is humble and fully committed; a heart that trembles at His word and longs to be a blessing in His eyes.

The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.
(1 Samuel 16:7)

This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.
(Isaiah 66:2)

For this is what the High and Lofty One says- He who lives forever, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
(Isaiah 57:15)

David knew how important the condition of his heart was to the Lord. Inspire of his stumbling, he always sought wholeheartedly to do the Lord’s will. David is called a man after God’s own heart. I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will. (Acts 13:22) A heart like David’s, humble, fully committed, always desiring to do the Lord’s will, is pleasing in the Lord’s sight. The eyes of the Lord actually range throughout the entire earth to find and strengthen a heart such as this (2 Chronicles 16:9), to actually dwell with a heart such as this.

Recently I discovered what the word meditation in the above verse means. From http://net.bible.org/verse.php?book=Psa&chapter=19&verse=14 and http://net.bible.org/verse.php?book=Psa&chapter=92&verse=3 mediation – higgayown means resounding music, musing. In Psalm 92:3 higgayown refers to music made by a harp.

Pleasing meditations of the heart are like making resounding music in the heart to the Lord! A pleasing heart song, like music made by harp to the Lord! Be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:18-20)

From http://net.bible.org/verse.php?book=Eph&chapter=5&verse=19; make music –psallo also refers to music made by a harp. As we speak to one another, sing and make music in our hearts to the Lord, we are filled with the Spirit and He dwells in our midst. The mouth and heart are closely linked in these verses. Out of the fullness (the overflow, the superabundance) of the heart the mouth speaks. (Matthew 12:34). What we set our hearts upon, and give our time to, what we love, will pour out of our mouth, when we speak or sing. David seemed to know this truth. The book of Psalms is a beautiful example of what came out of the overflow of David’s heart. Remember the ‘one thing’ David asked?

One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek {contemplate, inquire, meditate on} Him in His temple.
(Psalm 27:4)

David had his whole heart set upon the Lord, to seek Him, to do His will and proclaim His truth. David knew this whole process started with what he put in his heart. Hear the cry, the desire of David’s heart to be pleasing in the eyes of the Lord.

I delight {desire} to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart. I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, O LORD. I do not hide Your righteousness in my heart; I speak of Your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal Your love and Your truth from the great assembly.
(Psalm 40:8-10)

When we set our hearts upon the word of Christ and apply our hearts to the knowing Jesus as Lord, the word of Christ can then dwell richly in our hearts and midst. This pleases the Lord, for then His words will be ever ready to flow out of our mouths; pleasing words of His Spirit and Truth, which strengthen our faith and trust in the Lord. Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge. For it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips. So that your trust may be in the LORD. (Proverbs 22:17-19)

Pleasing meditations bring music and the joy of the Lord to our hearts. A glorious (unspeakable) inexpressible joy, which comes from believing in Him. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and you rejoice with a glorious (unspeakable) inexpressible joy. (1 Peter 1:8)

A joy which can not be contained; this joy bursts forth from deep within the wells of our salvation. Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. (Isaiah 12:2-3)

A joy which bursts forth from making music in our hearts to the Lord, music as a harp. Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises. Sing praises to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of melody. (Psalm 98:4-5)

Pleasing meditations, not only bring rejoicing and this joy of the Lord, they also bring the God of peace. Let the Prince of Peace rule! What does your heart song sing? Can the joy of the Lord, His peace, the rule of Jesus be seen and heard springing forth from the music made in your heart? What are the meditations of your heart? What are you thinking on today?

Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
(Philippians 4:8-9)

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
(Colossians 3:15-17)

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
(Romans 5:1-2)

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be always pleasing in Your sight, O LORD. Help me to allow the word of Christ to dwell richly in my heart. That I might apply my heart to Your knowledge, to keep Your words ever ready on my lips. Create in me a clean heart, O God, Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, O Lord, open my lips, that my mouth may declare Your praise. Let my heart song be heard and seen, pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. Jesus my strength; Jesus my song. (Psalm 51:10,12,15)