LHC Midday Word: PSALM Sixty Six

For the director of music.

A song. A psalm.

Shout for joy to God, all the earth!

Sing the glory of his name;

make his praise glorious.

Say to God, ‘How awesome are your deeds!

So great is your power

that your enemies cringe before you.

All the earth bows down to you;

they sing praise to you,

they sing the praises of your name.’

Come and see what God has done,

his awesome deeds for mankind!

He turned the sea into dry land,

they passed through the waters on foot –

come, let us rejoice in him.

He rules for ever by his power,

his eyes watch the nations –

let not the rebellious rise up against him.

Praise our God, all peoples,

let the sound of his praise be heard;

he has preserved our lives

and kept our feet from slipping.

For you, God, tested us;

you refined us like silver.

You brought us into prison

and laid burdens on our backs.

You let people ride over our heads;

we went through fire and water,

but you brought us to a place of abundance.

I will come to your temple with burnt offerings

and fulfil my vows to you –

vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke

when I was in trouble.

I will sacrifice fat animals to you

and an offering of rams;

I will offer bulls and goats.

Come and hear, all you who fear God;

let me tell you what he has done for me.

I cried out to him with my mouth;

his praise was on my tongue.

If I had cherished sin in my heart,

the Lord would not have listened;

but God has surely listened

and has heard my prayer.

Praise be to God,

who has not rejected my prayer

or withheld his love from me!

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Word by Word Meditations

by Fred Ursell

Psalm 66 : “glorious!” (v.2)

To be “tested” or “refined” (v.10) is not enjoyable. We don’t choose such experiences. The Psalmist writes about being in “prison” and having “burden on our backs” (v.11), of passing “through fire and water” (v.12). Not nice!

Are you feeling confined, shut in? Or weighed down with many problems? Or drowning in money worries? Or being scorched by stress? No? Really? Lucky you, then! But - if the answer is ‘Yes’, know it won’t last! Why on earth not? “God brought us to a place of abundance” (v.12). So “shout … sing … make his praise glorious … say … awesome!” (vv.1-3).

Happy Christmas!

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READING

Psalm Sixty Six

Read by David Suchet