SHOUTING SUNSETS

They who dwell in the ends of the earth stand in awe of Your signs; You make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy.” – Psalm 65:8 (NASB)

I don’t fully know why but I have always loved sunsets. I also know I am not alone in appreciating the beauty of sunsets. Perhaps Psalm 65:8 clues us in as to why so many people find sunsets stunningly beautiful. God has made them to shout with joy as a sign to Him as Creator.

Notice how the psalmist speaks of those who live at the ends of the earth, here in context referring to those who live in the east and west. David is saying no matter which end they live on God has put signs there to cause them to stand in awe of Him. In the east they can see the dawning of the sun and in the west the setting. God uses both regularly to create colorful masterpieces upon the tapestry of the skies. Notice David gives the sunrise and sunset human features as he writes that they “shout for joy.” Well, they sure do to me! Also they cause me to shout to joy with them to the glorious Creator God and Redeemer of my soul!

I am attaching some pictures from the trip. These pictures and more are also on my facebook page. Let me briefly seek to explain the setting of each picture below. The first was taken on just our second day when we saw the sky turn a pale orange as the sun set beyond the Golden Gate Bridge and the hills to the northwest of us. One sunset we really savored was the one at the Grand Canyon as the next three pictures show that setting. The blazing orange ball of fire set beyond the canyon as we sat at the Desert View area. It caused the clouds to become pink and orange. It caused the Lookout Tower and our faces to glow. It was gorgeous. It was some days later in Bozeman, Montana when we were again in a setting where we could enjoy a sunset. The sun lit the upper half of the sky with a solid orange color. I also was able to line the setting sun up with a plant before me. It made the unknown field weed look almost radioactive with its glow. The fifth and final sunset only Daniel and I saw as we raced down from our campsite to catch the sun setting on the west side of Lake Tahoe. Adding the dimension of the water made that sunset unique and enjoyable to us.

Yes, we stood in awe of these sunsets as unmistakable signs that a creative and intelligent God put this earth here for his glory and our joy. It grieves me when so many miss or ignore these signs God has given. Yet I am grateful that we who know Him personally can so easily direct the unknowing and preoccupied to Him and His Son simply by pointing to a sunrise or sunset. May we do so in order that others may hear the sunsets shout for joy to Him!

Joining in the joyful shouts of sunsets!
Scott