Monday, June 7, 2021
Today, in God’s Lavish Mercy, we pray with Psalm 34, filled with lovely images assuring us of God’s abiding mercy. This mercy moves the psalmist to promise perpetual praise – that means “no matter what”!
I will bless the LORD at all times;
Psalm 34:2-3
praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
By telling about God’s loving intervention in our lives, the psalmist invites everyone to join in praise:
Glorify the LORD with me,
Psalm 34:4-5
let us together extol God’s name.
I sought the LORD who answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
I’m not so sure it’s an easy thing to rejoice in another’s blessing when we ourselves are feeling overlooked by God. But that’s the whole point of the psalm. It is WE who feel overlooked, not God who is overlooking.
It is as if we have turned our back to a brilliant sun and complained how cloudy it is. The psalmist says, “Stop that … turn your self around.”
Look to God that you may be radiant with joy,
Psalm 34:6-7
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the suffering one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all distress was saved.
Notice that they were not saved from suffering but from distress. Such salvation rests in the confidence that, even in suffering, we are never alone; that when we take refuge in God, palpable blessing ensues.
The angel of the LORD encamps
Psalm 34:8-9
around those who reverence God, and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
blessed the one who takes refuge in God’s embrace.
Surely Psalm 34 calls us
to live in the spirit of the Beatitudes
which we can savor in today’s Gospel.
Poetry: Safe Harbor by Robert B. Shaw
Music: Two songs suggested themselves today. Here are both🤗 Enjoy!
Multiplied by needtobreathe
(notice the radiant diamonds)
Psalm 34 – Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
I sought the Lord And He answered me And delivered me From every fear Those who look on Him Are radiant They'll never be ashamed They'll never be ashamed This poor man cried And the Lord heard me And saved me from My enemies The Son of God Surrounds His saints He will deliver them He will deliver them Magnify the Lord with me Come exalt His name together Glorify the Lord with me Come exalt His name forever Oh taste and see That the Lord is good Oh blessed is he Who hides in Him Oh fear the Lord Oh all you saints He'll give you everything He'll give you everything Magnify the Lord with me Come exalt His name together Glorify the Lord with me Come exalt His name forever Magnify the Lord with me Come exalt His name together Glorify the Lord with me Come exalt His name forever Let us bless the Lord Every day and night Never ending praise May our incense rise Let us bless the Lord Every day and night Never ending praise May our incense rise Let us bless the Lord Every day and night Never ending praise May our incense rise Every day and night Never ending praise May our incense rise Magnify the Lord with me Come exalt His name together Glorify the Lord with me Come exalt His name forever Magnify the Lord with me Come exalt His name together Glorify the Lord with me Come exalt His name forever Oh taste and see That the Lord is good He'll give you everything He'll give you everything
Lavish Mercy 