Psalm 96:1-9 (10-13) (NRSV)
Read Psalm 96:1-9 (10-13) on biblegateway.com
Verse 1O sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Verse 2Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.
Verse 3Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples.
Verse 4For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be revered above all gods.
Verse 5For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.
Verse 6Honor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
Verse 7Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Verse 8Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts.
Verse 9Worship the Lord in holy splendor; tremble before him, all the earth.
Verse 10Say among the nations, "The Lord is king! The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved. He will judge the peoples with equity."
Verse 11Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
Verse 12let the field exult, and everything in it. Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
Verse 13before the Lord; for he is coming, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with his truth.
Devotion
One of the questions I often ask of the congregation in which I serve is, "Is your God too small?" In verses 4 & 5, I read of this Lord who is "great" and to be "revered," while the gods of the people are false idols. I wonder how I too lessen God by creating a picture and an understanding of God that fits into my life. I create a god in my image and wrap it in layer after layer of support and explanation, all the time reflecting only my own wants and desires. But the reality of God goes beyond what I understand and what I can fathom. When I recognize this I am moved to worship, trembling with awe, and singing a new song of reality.
How are you moved beyond what you know and understand about God into the mystery that breathes with who God is? Be embraced by the mystery and raise your voice in a new song!
Prayer
O great and glorious God, open us to the mystery, the One who moves us to reverential worship, and let us join with all creation in raising our voices in a cacophony of song. Amen.