Epiphany 2
Worship
Aids To The Psalms
Your steadfast love, O Lord, extend to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
your judgments are like the great deep;
you save humans and animals alike, O Lord.
How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house,
and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.
O continue your steadfast love to those who know you,
and your salvation to the upright of heart!
Do not let the foot of the arrogant tread on me,
or the hand of the wicked drive me away.
Alternate Image
The Singer stops by a stream to drink. The water from the stream caresses her lips. It is delicious. It quenches a thirst so deep she didn't even know it existed. The Singer lifts her hand and lets the water stream down her arm. So refreshing. She immerses her feet in the stream, they are rejuvenated. She rinses her eyes with the vibrant water and sees more clearly than ever before. She plunges her total body into the rushing water, and weilness invades her entire being. The revitalized Singer sees that God's delicious river runs throughout the land, throughout all of life. The Singer sings her thanks and praise to God's river of faithfulness to God's covenant people.
Reflection
Hesed, emunah - God's loyalty, God's faithfulness. How we like to talk of our loyalty and faithfulness as though we were doing God a favor by believing. God is the source of all loyalty, all faithfulness, all grace. Our belief, our understanding of God's salvation for us is only known to us through God's revealing it to us. God is life. God presents us with life. God grants us vision of full life. God redeems us to live cup overflowing lives forever. We are the recipients, the objects, the focus of God's passion. How blessed we are. May God always control our arrogance so we may revel in these truths.
your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
your judgments are like the great deep;
you save humans and animals alike, O Lord.
How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house,
and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.
O continue your steadfast love to those who know you,
and your salvation to the upright of heart!
Do not let the foot of the arrogant tread on me,
or the hand of the wicked drive me away.
Alternate Image
The Singer stops by a stream to drink. The water from the stream caresses her lips. It is delicious. It quenches a thirst so deep she didn't even know it existed. The Singer lifts her hand and lets the water stream down her arm. So refreshing. She immerses her feet in the stream, they are rejuvenated. She rinses her eyes with the vibrant water and sees more clearly than ever before. She plunges her total body into the rushing water, and weilness invades her entire being. The revitalized Singer sees that God's delicious river runs throughout the land, throughout all of life. The Singer sings her thanks and praise to God's river of faithfulness to God's covenant people.
Reflection
Hesed, emunah - God's loyalty, God's faithfulness. How we like to talk of our loyalty and faithfulness as though we were doing God a favor by believing. God is the source of all loyalty, all faithfulness, all grace. Our belief, our understanding of God's salvation for us is only known to us through God's revealing it to us. God is life. God presents us with life. God grants us vision of full life. God redeems us to live cup overflowing lives forever. We are the recipients, the objects, the focus of God's passion. How blessed we are. May God always control our arrogance so we may revel in these truths.
