Psalm 65

There's a rumor about the Old Testament ... that God is an angry God. Judging. Vengeful. Harsh.

Don't listen to rumors!

David knew the God of grace even olden times. "3 Though our hearts are filled with sins," he cheered, "you forgive them all."

And "4 joy" and "4 joys" are the natural response! "13 [S]hout and sing for joy!"

Today, just revel in the love of God as described by David:

___ "2 You answer our prayers ... 5 [Yes,] you faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds."
___ "3 You forgive ... all ... [our] sins."
___ "4 Joys await us inside your holy Temple."
___ "5 O God[, you are] our savior."
___ "5 You are the hope of everyone on earth."

Wait ... we're only part of the way through! Don't just read these. Print them out. Study them. Rate them. What are the three that your heart most needs to hear today? Tape those three on your steering wheel, and every trip you take next week, comfort yourself in the assurance of God's love. Indeed, mile by mile sing of his praise.

___ "6 You formed the mountains by your power and armed yourself with mighty strength." O Lord, nothing is too great for you, including my greatest need ____________. Help me, O God.

___ "7 You quieted the raging oceans with their pounding waves and silenced the shouting of the nations." Silence my doubts and fears, O God.

___ "8 Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders. From where the sun rises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy." Slow me down (and wake me up early enough) to celebrate a sunrise, to rejoice in your creation. Lord, help me to worship you!

___"9 You take care of the earth and water it, making it rich and fertile." Lord, thank you for the foods we eat. You are generous with the bounty of the earth. Help me "care [for] the earth and [our increasingly fragile] water [supply]."

___ "10 You drench the plowed ground with rain, melting the clods and leveling the ridges. 9 The rivers of God will not run dry; they provide a bountiful harvest of grain, for you have ordered it so." Lord, I pray for the people in North Dakota who are facing flood. I'm tempted to ask why the rains that bring harvests also bring destruction? But then I'm forgetting that all of life is a metaphor. I focus so much on the things of this earth, including dry or swollen, that I forget that they should always point me to you. "9 The rivers of God will not run dry," but I will. Baptize me in your rivers.

___ "10 You soften the earth with showers and bless its abundant crops." Bless the vines and fruits in my life.

___ "11 You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance." Soften the hard parts of my heart and crown my year with gladness.

___ "12 The wilderness becomes a lush pasture, and the hillsides blossom with joy." Wild deserts, Lord? Those dry places are in my heart. Make them lush! And make the distant hills blossom and blush!

___ "13 The meadows are clothed with flocks of sheep, and the valleys are carpeted with grain." Lord, I love the image of clothing the meadows with sheep. Populate my life so thoroughly with wooly and curly haired blessings that I can't even see the ground.

___ "13 They all shout and sing for joy!" Make joy be my ultimate offering to you today, O Lord.