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Environmental
Stewardship Commission
(MEESC) |
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Environmental
Stewardship Commission
(MEESC) |
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Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota
Lectionary
Reflection
Year A, Proper 24, Psalm
Year C, Epiphany 2, Psalm
Psalm 96
Sing to the Lord a new song;*
sing to the Lord, all the whole
earth.
Sing to the Lord and bless his
Name;*
proclaim the good news of his
salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations*
and his wonders among all peoples.
For great is the Lord and greatly
to be praised;*
he is more to be feared than
all gods.
As for all the gods of the nations,
they are but idols;*
but it is the Lord who made
the heavens.
Oh, the majesty and magnificence
of his presence!*
oh, the power and the splendor
of his sanctuary!
Ascribe to the Lord, you families
of the peoples;*
ascribe to the Lord honor and
power.
Ascribe to the Lord the honor
due his Name;*
bring offerings and come into
his courts.
Worship the Lord in the beauty
of holiness;*
let the whole earth tremble
before him.
Tell it out among the nations:
"The Lord is King!*
he has made the world so firm
that it cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity."
Let the heavens rejoice, and
let the earth be glad; let the sea thunder and all that is in it;*
let the field be joyful and
all that is therein.
Then shall all the trees of
the wood shout for joy before the Lord when he comes,*
when he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with
righteousness*
and the peoples with his truth.
Reflection on Psalm 113
by John G. Gibbs, PhD
For once the lectionary for the day lists four texts, all of which have something in common. All 4 are visionary texts, loaded with symbols for fragile souls, freighted with more meaning than meets the eye. Each of the 4 pictures makes its own emphasis: here our vision of God, there God's view of us, here the Church's vision of Jesus glorified, there our vision of "the common good." In every case it's theological imagination at work as if our very lives depend on it.
Psalm 96 portrays our vision of God. Imagine all humanity, whether we are tone-deaf or not, becoming composers who "sing to the Lord a new song." Imagine us becoming orators who "declare" God's "glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples." Imagine that "all families of the peoples" will ascribe to the Lord "glory and strength, ...the glory due to his name." Imagine that all the earth will worship "the Lord in holy splendor." That's the picture in Psalm 96.
Neither tent nor temple could contain such visionary enthusiasm: "Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it. Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord." If ever there was a sanctified imagination, this is it. The whole world becomes "a theater of the glory of God," as John Calvin put it. This is our place, and this our life under the sovereignty of God, day in and day out in a universe that God "firmly establishes." When our insight squares with the Psalter, we envision not a tribal nor a nationalistic god but the sovereign of all the heavens. We then worship "the God of all being, throned afar," as if our lives depend on it.
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