Psalm 18:16; 84:5-6 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 18:16; 84:5-6 on biblegateway.com
Verse 16He reached down from on high, he took me; he drew me out of mighty waters.
Verse 5Happy are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
Verse 6As they go through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools.
Devotion
More than anything else, psalms are about praising God and giving thanks. Water streams its way through this thanks and praise. Through the psalms we thank God individually for saving us from the mighty waters, both literally and metaphorically, and for giving us refreshing water to drink. We thank God as
communities for bringing us through the waters, for bringing water to the desert and for covering the earth with springs.
Psalm 84 pictures those who continually sing praises to God in the house of the Lord. They are happy and blessed. Through their praise, their hearts become like highways to the house of prayer, filled with the joy of homecoming and of experiencing the return from exile in Babylon. Their joy is like those pilgrims walking home through the valley of Baca. Their praise transforms the dry valley into a spring-fed oasis. When we give God thanks and praise, not only is God given the glory, but we ourselves and those around us are transformed.
Prayer
We give you thanks, dear Lord, for all the bounties you shower upon us. To you be honor and glory!
Amen.