A Reading from Psalm 105:1-22
1 Give thanks to the LORD and call upon his Name; *
make known his deeds among the peoples.
2 Sing to him, sing praises to him, *
and speak of all his marvelous works.
3 Glory in his holy Name; *
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
4 Search for the LORD and his strength; *
continually seek his face.
5 Remember the marvels he has done, *
his wonders and the judgments of his mouth,
6 O offspring of Abraham his servant, *
O children of Jacob his chosen.
7 He is the LORD our God; *
his judgments prevail in all the world.
8 He has always been mindful of his covenant, *
the promise he made for a thousand generations:
9 The covenant he made with Abraham, *
the oath that he swore to Isaac,
10 Which he established as a statute for Jacob, *
an everlasting covenant for Israel,
11 Saying, "To you will I give the land of Canaan *
to be your allotted inheritance."
12 When they were few in number, *
of little account, and sojourners in the land,
13 Wandering from nation to nation *
and from one kingdom to another,
14 He let no one oppress them *
and rebuked kings for their sake,
15 Saying, "Do not touch my anointed *
and do my prophets no harm."
16 Then he called for a famine in the land *
and destroyed the supply of bread.
17 He sent a man before them, *
Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
18 They bruised his feet in fetters; *
his neck they put in an iron collar.
19 Until his prediction came to pass, *
the word of the LORD tested him.
20 The king sent and released him; *
the ruler of the peoples set him free.
21 He set him as a master over his household, *
as a ruler over all his possessions,
22 To instruct his princes according to his will *
and to teach his elders wisdom.
|
|
|
Meditation
I’ve engaged a fascinating experiment in my substitute school-chaplain work this spring: I’m just exuding love for the Psalms.
At least once a week (chapel is almost every day) I use a psalm as my theme scripture for my message, and often I invite (require) the students to recite the selection with me at the end of my speech. I fell in love with the Psalms when I became Episcopalian, and I’ve been able to share with the students some of the stories behind my devotion, connecting them to a particular psalm or turn of phrase and how God has brought me close to him anew in the contemplation of them.
I haven’t beaten a drum about the importance of speaking God’s Word out loud, I haven’t shaken my finger over and over about memorizing Scripture, I haven’t engaged in a lengthy disquisition about the significance of the Word spoken through the breath of humans. I have instead just done it myself and urged the students (with peer pressure!) to do so, too.
It’s too early to tell, but I am hoping, praying, and suspecting that by standing on the tradition and faith of our forefathers and their commitment to the transforming power of the Psalms as spoken prayer, that these students’ imaginations may be formed by the words which they are repeating.
May we glory in God’s holy name — and through praying it, understand it evermore deeply. Amen.
|
|
|
The Rev. Emily R. Hylden resides with her priest husband and three sons in Lafayette, Louisiana. Find her podcasting at Emily Rose Meditations.
|
|
Daily Devotional Cycle of Prayer
Today we pray for:
The Diocese of Tanga – The Anglican Church of Tanzania
The Diocese of Long Island
|
|
|
|
|
