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jn_en_2014_04_08

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Deutsche Version | Wiki Start | Topics Collection vi

I will sing to the Lord as long as I live ...

Tuesday, April 8, 2014. 1 Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty, 2 covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent. This morning is starting for me with the praise of Psalm 104. Though, if I am honest, I have to admit that it did not start with the psalm, but with other thoughts, which were much less constructive …

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Get back on track …

When I started this morning, my thoughts were drawn into some difficulties which I am having currently. Let us not go into more detail, ok? But my thoughts were drawn into a spiral of negativity again. I know: that is not faith, and it is not leading anywhere. We can be depressed by some things, and we might even have reasons to be. But it does not help.

So I opened the bible and chose a random psalm - and ended with Psalm 104. Indeed, the morning here is lovely. The sun is shining, though there are some thunder clouds around as well. The green grass and the forest is wonderful. When I cycle to work, I always admire the nature around me, and it was particularly beautiful this morning. It seems as if the Psalm is quite right, and fighting my negative thoughts:

24 O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. 25 Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great. 26 There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it. 27 These all look to you, to give them their food in due season. 28 When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things. 29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. 30 When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.

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Not up to us …

The psalm takes into God's presence and activity in creation. This includes mankind, in verse 23 human daily work is included: 23 Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening. We also learn here, that it is God who provides food. It is him, who is the wise creator. The psalm also describes the dependence of creation on the provision of the creator. He is it, who gives. All creatures are waiting for him.

31 May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works, 32 who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke! 33 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being. 34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord. 35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more! Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord! (Psalm 104)

The song writer ends with praise. God is great. God is good. And he is the only one we can fully trust and rely on. That this is possible, is something which is worth true praise! God is worth true praise. So there is no other end to choose than the “bless the Lord, oh my soul!” Praise the Lord! (Roland Potthast) ... more texts

jn_en_2014_04_08.txt · Last modified: 2017/06/18 16:48 by 127.0.0.1