Psalm 65
Thanksgiving for Earth’s Bounty
To the leader. A Psalm of David. A Song.
1 Praise is due to you,
O God, in Zion;
and to you shall vows be performed,
2 O you who answer prayer!
To you all flesh shall come.
3 When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us,
you forgive our transgressions.
4 Happy are those whom you choose and bring near
to live in your courts.
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
your holy temple.
5 By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance,
O God of our salvation;
you are the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the farthest seas.
6 By your strength you established the mountains;
you are girded with might.
7 You silence the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
the tumult of the peoples.
8 Those who live at earth’s farthest bounds are awed by your signs;
you make the gateways of the morning and the evening shout for joy.
9 You visit the earth and water it,
you greatly enrich it;
the river of God is full of water;
you provide the people with grain,
for so you have prepared it.
10 You water its furrows abundantly,
settling its ridges,
softening it with showers,
and blessing its growth.
11 You crown the year with your bounty;
your wagon tracks overflow with richness.
12 The pastures of the wilderness overflow,
the hills gird themselves with joy,
13 the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,
the valleys deck themselves with grain,
they shout and sing together for joy.
Reflection:
Today’s Psalm is one we might normally read around Thanksgiving, in the fall during a traditional harvest time. Given the upheaval in our country today, a harvest and thanksgiving prayer may seem out of touch. But this psalm is more than that – it is a reminder of God’s goodness. Beginning in verse 5 we read of God’s power to deliver, to bring hope to all the peoples in creation. God is mighty enough to calm the seas and raise the mountains, give life to the earth, and forgiveness to the sinful, deliverance to the suffering. Our God cares about this earth and what fills it. God cares about the people rising up and demanding justice. God cares about those who sin against God and neighbor with hatred toward others. God cares about those who suffer at the hands of sinful systems which keep us from being able to sit at the table of grace together, without fear, without jealousy, without prejudice. God’s goodness is more than enough for this world, as our psalm tell us. We are the ones who limit it. God’s power is more than enough to repair what is broken and reconcile the lost relationships. We are the ones who would wield God’s word for our own purposes. Our psalm reminds us that this earth belongs to God, we are stewards of what God has given to us. This includes the plants, the animals, and one another. May we find ways to work for God’s purpose as we are awed by the signs of God’s presence.
Prayer:
Powerful, creative, blessing God, we pray today for your world and all the places which are torn apart by violence. Instead of meeting that violence with our own, give us your heart for those which are broken by unjust treatment, raging and erupting, unable and unwilling to bear that burden any longer.
We pray for those who are in authority over others. For police officers, mayors, and governors who are working within a broken system, who face violence, who work for peace, who desire to protect all citizens. Watch over them and help them make sound decisions in the face of unimaginable stress, fear, and hatred.
We pray for those who have authority over others who make poor decisions which result in harm to others. We pray for those who are angry, who do harm to others. We pray that the people in this country will find a path to justice and peace. We pray that your church will be a voice and force for reconciliation, hope, and healing.
Our hearts are reeling. Our fears are overwhelming. Our stability is shaken. Help us to find a way to courageously love one another through this time. Take our fears and transform them into hope and answer our prayers. Amen.
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