Psalm 100
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come into his presence with singing.
Know that the Lord is God.
It is he that made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him, bless his name.
For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.
I can’t possibly be the only person here who learned this psalm at a very early age. The earliest church I attended must have said it on a regular basis, because we stopped going there before I was five, and yet the words still bring back memories of a large dark room with lots of maroon velvet and how important it is to praise God with gladness.
The Psalms are an amazing collection of poetry. They’re not all as kind and uplifting as Psalm 100, though. Some of them are really really angry, some downright murderous. The Psalms, in their entirety, display all the characteristics of a fully human family. That makes them especially valuable in times like these. Are you angry right now? There’s a psalm to give voice to your anger. Are you sad? There’s a psalm for you. Did you wake up this morning with joy for the sight of the sun and another day? There’s a psalm for you.
Take some time today to read a psalm or two; find one you really like. Circle it, mark it, put a bookmark in your Bible… and read it every day this week. Let it speak to you, give voice to your feelings, bring you closer to the God who knows us well and love us always.
Easter blessings, Pastor Virginia
To Believe is to Care. . . To Care is to Do 