Common English Bible: The property lines have fallen beautifully for me; Yes, I have a lovely home.
Contemporary English Version: You make my life pleasant, and my future is bright.
Reflection
These are two of my favorite translations to use, and I find it very interesting how differently they translate this line of scripture!
This first version from the Common English Version is easy for me to write about literally… I am so SO lucky I married into the Polhemus family and literally… God has blessed me so well. I am literally living in a lovely home on a beautiful property; I had nothing to do with it except for pursuing the boy I first fell in love with back when I was 16.
The second translation is from the Contemporary English Version, which makes it obvious we are discussing a relationship rather than actual property. This is still pretty easy to write about… Psalms are songs of praise. We praise God for the best things in our lives and relish in the comfort of his loving embrace. “You make my life pleasant.” I have a lovely home because of You. “My future is bright” because You have blessed my life.
It’s just a nice reminder to be grateful for all that God has provided us. It’s not lost on me that my life is blessed not only by God but also by societal privilege. I’m enjoying a day off from work on a day that celebrates a man who persecuted the indigenous people of this land. Not that I want to turn this happy-go-lucky, easy-to-write devotional into a bummer… but I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the full picture.
Not all days are good. Not all days do I get to sleep in or do my daughters eat all of their breakfast without complaint. Some days are downright garbage. But even so, I have a home to come home to. I have a warm bed to curl up in with little girls and a loving husband to snuggle with. Even on my worst days, life is really good. All credit goes to God for that.
By Ashley Bowler
For Pondering and Prayer
Even when you’ve had a really bad day, have you taken a moment to say, “Thanks”?
On the good days, are you patting yourself on the back, or do you acknowledge where your blessings are really coming from?
What are you thankful for today? How have the property lines fallen in your life?
Prayer: God, thank You for the beautiful boundaries You’ve drawn around my life—both the tangible comforts and the quiet mercies I often overlook. On the bright days, remind me to trace every good thing back to You. On the hard days, help me to see that Your presence still surrounds me.
Thank You for the gift of home, of family, of a future held safely in Your hands. Keep me mindful of the blessings I didn’t earn, and open my heart to those who long for what I’ve been given. May gratitude shape my spirit and guide my actions, today and always.
Amen
