Thoughts for the Day

Praise the Judge of the World. A Psalm.

O sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvellous things.
His right hand and his holy arm
have gained him victory.
The Lord has made known his victory;
he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the victory of our God.

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises.
Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
with the lyre and the sound of melody.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord.

Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
the world and those who live in it.
Let the floods clap their hands;
let the hills sing together for joy
at the presence of the Lord, for he is coming
to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with equity.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

My knowledge of God has been surrounded with music, from before I was baptised a Christian (aged 7 years old), by listening to my mother Olive singing in the Baptist Chapel at the mid-week services, to the choruses and hymns she sang when doing housework or on holiday. The happier she was the more she sang. She sang her joy to the Lord, and all of these were to underline my own singing of the psalms and hymns each Sunday morning and evening in a church choir. Psalms like 98 were my food and my joy, teaching me about worshipping a God who loved me, who forgave my mistakes, and who set me off on a new course.

So let us join with Heaven this day in joyful praise of those who wrote the psalms and the passages of scripture that gave us songs, choruses and hymns, with which to make a joyful noise to God! Here's some of my mother's old favourites:

• Will your anchor hold (based on Psalm 107.23-37).
• Count your blessings (based on Psalm 103.2).
• I will make you fishers of men (based on Mark 1.17)
• Down in the valley (based on Psalm 23.1-4)

↠ What are your old favourites?

Lord God,
We thank You for all who have taught us about You
through the medium of poetry,
from those who wrote the psalms,
to those who produced choruses,
hymns and modern worship songs.
May our voices join this day with
the great fellowship of Heaven,
in joyful praise,
to worship You.
Amen.