Give thanks to the Lord;
call upon his name;
make his deeds known to all people!
2 Sing to God;
sing praises to the Lord;
dwell on all his wondrous works!
3 Give praise to God’s holy name!
Let the hearts rejoice of all those seeking the Lord!
4 Pursue the Lord and his strength;
seek his face always!
5 Remember the wondrous works he has done,
all his marvelous works, and the justice he declared—
6 you who are the offspring of Abraham, his servant,
and the children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
Reflection
This psalm of praise is attributed to David on the recovery of the Ark of the Covenant from the Philistines. The loss of the Ark was a time of darkness and devastation in Israel. The return of the Ark signaled a time of renewal and celebration and this psalm recounts God’s faithfulness and all that God has done for Israel. It was a time for the people to remember who they are, they are God’s children. This Psalm calls us to worship God with prayer & praise, to remember our past trust in God, and to look forward to future deliverance and blessings.
Like the Israelites we have experienced the loss of something precious to us, our way of life, that has been dramatically altered and we are struggling to live into this chaotic season. It seems premature to sing praises to God when we’re still struggling, but this psalm instructs us to praise God, seek God and to remember we are God’s children through Jesus Christ.
This psalm shows us how to get through the dark times in our lives. First, we worship God. We do this by thanking God, calling on God, telling others what God has done for us. We’re told to sing to God, praise God, and meditate on God’s handiwork. Next if we want to have joy in our hearts, we need to seek God, be in close relation with God. Not just seek God, but pursue God and God’s strength, seek God’s face because we can’t get through the dark times on our own. Lastly, we are to remember, the promises of God, that God loves us and will always be with us even when life looks really dark and hopeless. Remember whose you are, you are a child of God.
By Jeneene Reduker
For Pondering & Prayer
Let’s try these three steps to joy: Praise God, Seek God, and Remember. Maybe right now we feel like we’re stuck in darkness, and we don’t feeling like singing praises to God. Can you relate? Maybe we feel like our worship is hollow because our hearts are broken. Like Jesus in the dark tomb, God is with us in the darkness and we are promised our darkness will be resurrected into joy. Focus on gratitude to find things for which you are thankful. Listen to and sing along with your favorite songs of praise. Spend time with God in prayer. And remember. Remember whose you are, and all God has done for you, you are a beloved child of God, worth dying for!
Prayer: Holy God of the Resurrection, we praise you and seek you, even as we feel surrounded by darkness, continue to be with us. Help us to remember whose we are, that we are your beloved children and let that understanding fill our hearts with your joy. Amen!
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