Written in the Stars (Psalm 19)

November 20, 2025 By Stanton Lanier Leave a Comment

As we take this cinematic journey through Psalms together, I encourage you to listen to the album and each song on your favorite music streaming service first, for pure enjoyment and also to see how God may speak to you through the music. If you want to go deeper Psalm 19 is down below. You can also read and reflect on the spiritual and musical inspirations behind each song while you listen or in silence as a quiet devotional. Wishing you God’s grace and peace, Stanton

After opening the album with two powerful “God is big” tracks, the third song could have been big as well. Psalm 19:1 says, “God’s splendor is…written in the stars.” God created the universe, the earth and everything in it, the planets, and all the galaxies and stars. Our heavenly Father is magnificent, impressively beautiful and extravagant. He speaks through His creation, the skies (Psalm 19:1-6,) and His Word, the Scriptures (Psalm 19:7-14).

As I was musically sketching and recording ideas for this piece, what came to mind was the idea that God doesn’t need to clinch His fist or grit His teeth to be strong. He didn’t need to “try harder” in creating everything we see in the heavens above and the earth below. He is such a big and powerful God, I wanted to compose music expressing the ease with which He demonstrates His incomprehensible, immeasurable strength. The melodies became like a soundtrack for a master painter making brush strokes to create a marvelous work of art.

As you listen to Written in the Stars I pray the music offers God’s peace and rest to your soul. His sustaining strength and calming gentleness gave me hope as I was writing the notes. The soothing piano, symphony strings, and solos on French horn, English horn, and cello all work together to symbolize the effortless beauty and wonder of God’s creativity. They also represent the comforting assurance of His strength and presence.

The second half of the Psalm is worthy of attention and deep reflection as well. Even though musical ideas did not stem from these words, they are ever present behind the melodies. God’s Word is perfect, reviving the soul (verse 7). The “seen” in the first half and the “unseen” in the second half of Psalm 19 make me grateful to God for His faithfulness. He continually fulfills His promises as I walk by faith.

C.S. Lewis said, “Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in; aim at earth and you will get neither.” He described heaven as a place far beyond human imagination, a place where earthly joys are faint echoes of the true, glorious reality. He emphasized that heaven is not an ethereal existence but the renewal of creation and our resurrected, perfected selves, filled with unimaginable joy, beauty, learning, and love. For Lewis, the longing for something more than earth can provide is proof that heaven is our true home. God’s splendor is a tale that is told, written in the stars.

How does Written in the Stars speak to you?

Psalm 19 (Passion) — WRITTEN IN THE STARS

God’s Story in the Skies

1 God’s splendor is a tale that is told, written in the stars. Space itself speaks his story through the marvels of the heavens. His truth is on tour in the starry vault of the sky, showing his skill in creation’s craftsmanship. 2 Each day gushes out its message to the next, night by night whispering its knowledge to all — 3 without a sound, without a word, without a voice being heard, 4 yet all the world can hear its echo. Everywhere its message goes out. What a heavenly home God has set for the sun, shining in the super dome of the sky! 5 See how he leaves his celestial chamber each morning, radiant as a bridegroom ready for his wedding, like a day-breaking champion eager to run his course. 6 He rises on one horizon, completing his circuit on the other, warming lives and lands with his heat.

God’s Story in the Scriptures

7 Yahweh’s Word is perfect in every way; how it revives our souls! Yahweh’s laws lead us to truth, and his ways change the simple into wise. 8 Yahweh’s teachings are right and make us joyful; his precepts are so pure! Yahweh’s commands challenge us to keep close to his heart! The revelation-light of his Word makes my spirit shine radiant. Yahweh’s decrees are trustworthy. The fear of Yahweh is pure, enduring forever. 10 The rarest treasures of life are found in his truth. That’s why God’s Word is prized like others prize the finest gold. Sweeter also than honey are his living words—sweet word dripping from the honeycomb! 11 For they warn us, your servants, and keep us from following the wicked way, giving a lifetime guarantee: great success to every obedient soul! 12 How would I discern the waywardness of my heart? Lord, forgive my hidden flaws whenever you find them. 13 Keep cleansing me, God, and keep me from my secret, selfish sins; may they never rule over me! For only then will I be free from fault and remain innocent of rebellion. 14 So may the words of my mouth, my meditation-thoughts, and every movement of my heart be always pure and pleasing, acceptable before your eyes, Yahweh, my only Redeemer, my Protector.

Pachelbel’s Canon in D Meets Psalm 19

March 13, 2015 By Stanton Lanier Leave a Comment

Click above to listen to Across the Skies (featuring Canon in D) from the album A Thousand Years as you read. If you enjoy, consider ordering the CD or MP3 Album, or Sheet Music (the song is also on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, Pandora, and more).

What is your favorite classical or hymn melody?

This question was my challenge in creating my 7th album A Thousand Years, which features original composing interwoven with six world renown classical melodies and seven great hymn melodies. One of these is Johann Pachelbel’s famous Canon in D. Since this is so often included in wedding ceremonies, it an interesting that when Pachelbel wrote this in 1694 it may have been for Johann Christoph Bach’s wedding, who was Johann Sebastian Bach’s oldest brother.

Since I was a little boy I have marveled at the skies. Maybe this is why I loved climbing trees so much in my childhood. Maybe this is why Psalm 19 is one of my favorites. Across the Skies opens with two phrases of my simple arrangement of Canon in D, then here is what happens…

An original melody appears for a new variation. The piano is “singing” word for word, “In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun” (verse 4). Then the Pachelbel arrangement expands with new variations, answered by some new variations on the original melody. This “meeting” of classical and original continues to build, then concludes with the simplest Pachelbel to take us off into the sunset after these moments of musical “sky gazing.”

What is your favorite memory of a beautiful sky?

Psalm 19 (NIV) for Meditation while Listening…

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.
3 They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice[b] 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.
5 It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth.
7 The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous.
10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.
11 By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
12 But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression.
14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Do the Skies Speak to You?

November 3, 2014 By Stanton Lanier 2 Comments

Click above to listen to Across the Skies from the album A Thousand Years as you read, featuring Johann Pachelbel’s Canon in D. If you enjoy, consider purchasing the song, album download, or CD from iTunes or stantonlanier.com (where sheet music is also available). Do the skies speak to you? I can remember it like it was yesterday. I loved climbing to the top of the tall sweet gum tree across the street from my childhood home in North Carolina. I call it the “100-foot tall sweet gum tree,” as seen through the eyes of a nine-year old boy. When I sat on a strong branch near the top, holding on to the tree trunk, my perspective shifted. I could look out over the neighborhood. I could see the birds flying high. I could sense there was something much bigger than me. I didn’t know it then, but there is scripture that speaks to what I believe I was sensing…

“God’s glory is on tour in the skies, God-craft on exhibit across the horizon. Madame Day holds classes every morning, Professor Night lectures each evening. Their words aren’t heard, their voices aren’t recorded, But their silence fills the earth: unspoken truth is spoken everywhere. God makes a huge dome for the sun—a superdome! The morning sun’s a new husband leaping from his honeymoon bed, The daybreaking sun an athlete racing to the tape.That’s how God’s Word vaults across the skies from sunrise to sunset, Melting ice, scorching deserts, warming hearts to faith.” (Psalm 19:1-6, The Message) This is how the melody Across the Skies was birthed for the album A Thousand Years, which interweaves original composing with timeless hymns and classics. Johann Pachelbel’s Canon in D became the canvas for painting an original melody inspired by the first half of Psalm 19. As you listen, think about some of your favorite “sky moments.” What vistas did you treasure as a child? Where do you like to go today to see the sky? As you take in the scene, can you hear God’s gentle whisper speaking softly to the depths of your soul? Let your heart be warmed to faith as God reveals Himself to you, as the Great Storyteller writes a page in your story today (the image above happened as my flight was landing on a recent Ohio concert trip). “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[b] goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” (Psalm 19:1-6, NIV)