Psalm 95:1-7a (NRSV)
Read Psalm 95:1-7a on biblegateway.com
Verse 1O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Verse 2Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
Verse 3For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
Verse 4In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also.
Verse 5The sea is his, for he made it, and the dry land, which his hands have formed.
Verse 6O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
Verse 7For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. O that today you would listen to his voice!
Devotion
Having lived for a number of years in the Pacific Northwest surrounded by bodies of water and majestic mountains, it’s easy for me to see God’s hand all over this beautiful and bountiful creation. In fact, while living in Seattle, I remember the first time I saw that “the mountain was out.” If you’ve lived in or visited the PNW, you know what is meant by that expression. Once you’ve seen Mount Rainier with your own eyes, it dawns on you what people have been talking about. Due to all the rain and gloom, there are a lot of days when that massive snow-capped mountain simply isn’t visible. But when it’s “out,” it absolutely takes your breath away! This stunningly beautiful creation has an uncanny way of making our hearts sing with songs of praise and thanksgiving to God, the Creator of all that is good.
Prayer
Creator God, our rock and our salvation, blessed are the works of your hands. Instill in us the joy that comes when our eyes are open to see that “the mountain is out” and receive our praise and thanksgiving for the wonders of your creation, even when it’s not visible to us. Amen.