Psalm 24 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 24 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it;
Verse 2for he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers.
Verse 3Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place?
Verse 4Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully.
Verse 5They will receive blessing from the Lord, and vindication from the God of their salvation.
Verse 6Such is the company of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah
Verse 7Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.
Verse 8Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle.
Verse 9Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.
Verse 10Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah
Devotion
Our third grader started piano lessons this fall. Lately he has been playing “This Land Is Your Land,” a folk song that sings the praises of a land owned by all. By contrast, many disgraceful battles have been fought here over the question of land ownership.
But the psalmist reminds us that “this land” – and everything else – really belongs to God. In worship we appropriately sing, “All that we have is thine alone, a trust, O Lord, from thee” (LBW 410).
What a difference it might make if our leaders acknowledged that fact! What a difference might it make for each of us in our everyday lives! What a difference it might make in our dealings with Native Americans and Hispanic immigrants to remember that the land of opportunity we so jealously protect belongs not to those of us who hold title to it – legally or otherwise – but to God!
Prayer
God of creation, watch over farmers and others who tend the land. Help each of us to treat the land on which we live, the things in our possession and all the world around us as a trust from you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.