Psalm 111 (NRSV)
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Verse 1Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
Verse 2Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them.
Verse 3Full of honor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever.
Verse 4He has gained renown by his wonderful deeds; the Lord is gracious and merciful.
Verse 5He provides food for those who fear him; he is ever mindful of his covenant.
Verse 6He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the heritage of the nations.
Verse 7The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy.
Verse 8They are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
Verse 9He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name.
Verse 10The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever.
Devotion
We live in a world that often breaks our hearts. Our hearts break over violence and injustice. Our hearts break over war and devastation. Our hearts break over the hurts, big and small, that we inflict upon each other. Human beings are capable of terrible things. The sin that we encounter in our own lives and in the world around us threatens to leave us with shattered and fragmented hearts.
Then, in the words of the psalmist, we hear that God promises that when turn to God in worship, we are given a path back to a whole heart. God is full of power, capable of great works of beauty, and provides the people with good things. We may be capable of terrible things, but our God is capable of even more wonderful things. That same God chooses to extend love, mercy and grace to us in the midst of our brokenness. God is faithful and trustworthy to receive the meager offering of our battered and bruised hearts and in return to give us hope and a path toward wisdom and wholeness.
Prayer
Loving God, we pray for the broken-hearted, the hungry, the devastated, the lost and the sick. We thank you that even though our sin has fragmented our hearts and the hearts of others, you offer us an abundance of healing, love and grace. Encourage us to use our pain and brokenness in service to you and your wonderful purposes and lead us toward the wisdom only you can give. In the name of your broken and risen Son we pray. Amen.