Sunday, September 15, 2024  

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Today's Scripture
Psalm 146

Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul!

I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long.

Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help.

When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish.

Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God,

who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever;

who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free;

the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous.

The Lord watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the Lord! (NRSV)

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Reflection

“Praise the Lord.” I think the psalmist gives us a clear directive. Then the psalmist lays out the argument in no uncertain terms. There is no point in putting your trust in mortals, because “when their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish.”

However, God, “who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them,” the Lord remains faithful forever. The psalmist points out the stark contrasts between the two and explains that God is always there for us. God comforts us. God lifts us up. God watches over us. Praise the Lord.

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Prayer
“Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long.” Amen.

(Psalm 146:1–2)

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Reflection written by Pamela Spann, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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