psalm 19

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.

—King David, Psalm 19

the steep slopes descend one upon the other
evergreens standing straight 
pointing heavenward
against gravity’s best efforts otherwise
treeline etched by a majestic blue 
lending vibrancy to each green needle 
numbering millions upon millions
there, at the threshold of the hills
emerges a billowy cloud, puffy and proud
they have no speech, they use no words

in the halting hush of the panorama
loon pops up from the waters below
head tilting turning twisting in peaceful exploration
bald eagle soars – riding the drafts
circling into the canyon
until it rests its claws on a bare branch
dragonfly hovers
bees pollinate, butterflies flit
swallow silently swoops by
no sound is heard from them

in the flurry found in fumbling
wanderings wishing everyone was all right
YHWH so often seems silent
but it’s the scurried scattering of my soul
divided every which way 
where the lostness of night 
crowds out the path of possibilities
and so i sit, before ancient wonders of boundless beauty
letting my soul return home in quiet
yet their voice goes out into all the earth

like the rock faces jutting out in defiance
layers of grays, hints of browns, strands of whites
so too do the coloured words of my creator come
i hear healing
my brokenness washing like watery streaks of paint
into the canvas before me
i hear strength
my smallness finding refuge in the grandeur of god
now, that i may listen with courage to
their words to the ends of the world

*In the illustration, search for these silent creatures: a loon, a bald eagle, a dragonfly, bees, a butterfly and a swallow*

Written by Scott Moore
Illustrated by Landon Wideman

Inspired July 2022