Psalm 146 (NRSV)
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Verse 1Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul!
Verse 2I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long.
Verse 3Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help.
Verse 4When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish.
Verse 5Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God,
Verse 6who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever;
Verse 7who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free;
Verse 8the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous.
Verse 9The Lord watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
Verse 10The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the Lord!
Devotion
Daily, headlines contain stories about terrible tragedies, often involving children, throughout our communities and world. Some tragedies do not make headlines; they are deep pains within our hearts and homes. Has anyone asked you, “How can a loving God allow such tragedies?” What is your response?
Today's Psalm says the Lord "executes justice," "gives food to the hungry," "sets the prisoners free," and more. Yet, we know people suffer from injustice, hunger, and imprisonment. The text also says, "Do not put your trust in...mortals." Therefore, are we "off the hook" for righting injustice and halting poverty? Hardly. In both Old and New Testaments, God says, "Love me first, and, then, go love your neighbor." How do we demonstrate our reliance on and love for God? We go courageously into the world to serve as God's loving hands and feet that work for justice, economic security, freedom, and more.
Prayer
Compassionate God, we thank and praise you for your constant presence with us as we face life's tragedies. We frequently fail to see our neighbors' suffering; forgive us. Empower and lead us to act courageously as your loving hands and feet throughout our troubled world. Amen.