Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21 on biblegateway.com
Verse 8The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
Verse 9The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made.
Verse 14The Lord upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down.
Verse 15The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season.
Verse 16You open your hand, satisfying the desire of every living thing.
Verse 17The Lord is just in all his ways, and kind in all his doings.
Verse 18The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
Verse 19He fulfills the desire of all who fear him; he also hears their cry, and saves them.
Verse 20The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.
Verse 21My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and all flesh will bless his holy name forever and ever.
Devotion
The psalmist first lists all that the Lord God does for us. As for the Judeans spoken of yesterday, God’s hand is open and filled with everything we need. We may often think that we can provide our own way and that we do not need to depend on others, but we each have times when life knocks us off center and we will cry out in search of God who has promised to be with us.
Our God hears our cry and then lovingly lifts us up and sets us right beside the Lord whose hands hold everything we need. And once again, we are filled with God’s love and forgiveness and presence.
And so let us join the psalmist in praise of the Lord.
Prayer
Gracious and merciful God, who has provided us with everything we need, accept our grateful praises. Amen.