“Sing to the Lord a new song.
Sing to the Lord all the earth.” Psalm 96:1
Here’s what struck me about this psalm: People and nature have an equal participation in our created relationship to God. So why do we religious human types think we have the monopoly on praising God? Apparently, God thinks otherwise since…
People—- Nature—-
sing to the Lord heavens rejoice
bless the name earth be glad
proclaim salvation let the sea thunder
declare God’s glory and all that is in it (thunder)
ascribe to the Lord let the field be joyful
bring offerings earth tremble
worship the Lord and all that is in it (be joyful)
tell it out (the Lord’s king) let trees shout for joy
Here’s the second thing that struck me: Why all this human singing and earth rejoicing in the first place? (Note again that it’s not even clear that all the singing is human!)
Why? Because the Lord is coming to judge the earth with righteousness-justice and the people with truth. (And we know we need more justice and truth in and for the earth.) Because the Lord is coming to judge. (How we long for a truly wise judge!) Because the Lord is coming. (Now that’s something to get excited about.) Because the Lord is. (And because the Lord is, we are.)
The earth and humans are partners in this praise. So go, human person, somewhere outdoors and sing a new song (or at least a song you have never sung outdoors before). I have never been so moved as I have singing the doxology (“Praise God from whom all blessings flow”) on a mountain top. Go sing where the earth can hear you, and then pay attention while the earth makes noises around and with you! That’s where both of you, earth and human, have entered the courts of the Lord together. And that’s why I go hiking….
Suggestions:
1. Take this verse with you and ponder its meaning for you throughout the day. What do you notice? What do you wonder? What song of praise would you like to sing outdoors?
2. Or read all of Psalm 96 to discover how this verse fits into this psalm.
3. Or comment with a photo of your own that is a window of this verse’s meaning for you.
Tomorrow’s psalm will be Psalm 97.
Starting January 1, 2016, for 150 days I am posting a daily psalm verse with a photo that is a visual meditation on the text for me. Each day a verse from the next psalm is chosen until all 150 psalms have been featured. To participate you may subscribe to my blog at https://elainedent.net or “friend” me on Facebook and watch for the daily links to blog posts. Disclaimer: I am not a photographer and most of the photos are from a cell phone or small camera while hiking the Appalachian Trail or the C&O Canal/Great Allegheny Passage Trail.
Jean N. Kuebler says
Yes, this expresses some of why I love being in the woods.
Patty Steinacker Wachter says
The mayapples are singing in the forest. I too, love the woods as it comes to life in the spring.
Elaine Dent says
Hurray! I just finished sitting on my porch swing, sun angling in, a blanket wrapped around me, listening to the sounds, contented as a cat.
Patty Steinacker Wachter says
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