Psalm 145:10-19 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 145:10-19 on biblegateway.com
Verse 10All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your faithful shall bless you.
Verse 11They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom, and tell of your power,
Verse 12to make known to all people your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Verse 13Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. The Lord is faithful in all his words, and gracious in all his deeds.
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.
Devotion
“Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest, and let these gifts to us be blessed.” So our family prayed together before most every meal we shared when I was growing up. Sometimes, particularly if guests or extended family joined us around the table, my parents would offer this table grace instead: “The eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou givest them their food in due season; thou openest thy hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.” Only years later did I discover that Psalm 145 is the source of this table blessing.
The practice of saying grace before meals seems to happen less frequently now, as families eat in shifts or on the run at fast food drive-throughs between activities. Yet the discipline of asking God to bless our food before eating is a wonderful reminder about the one who is the source of our every desire.
Prayer
Lord of all, we look to you alone as the one who can satisfy our needs, trusting that you will nourish the bodies and souls of those who wait upon you. Amen.