Tuesday, August 5, 2025  

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Today's Scripture
Psalm 33:12–22

Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people whom he has chosen as his heritage.

The Lord looks down from heaven;
he sees all humankind.
From where he sits enthroned he watches
all the inhabitants of the earth —
he who fashions the hearts of them all,
and observes all their deeds.
A king is not saved by his great army;
a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
The war horse is a vain hope for victory,
and by its great might it cannot save.

Truly the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
on those who hope in his steadfast love,
to deliver their soul from death,
and to keep them alive in famine.

Our soul waits for the Lord;
he is our help and shield.
Our heart is glad in him,
because we trust in his holy name.
Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
even as we hope in you. (NRSV)

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Reflection

I have been enjoying almost daily walks along a path beside the north branch of the Chicago River. This particular stretch, created by the Chicago Park District, is down the bank almost to the water. It is surrounded by beautiful wildflowers and trees. It is a place where it is easy to connect to the beauty of the world God created.

As I contemplate the beauty of this stretch of land, symbols of wealth and power rise in the distance. The magnificent Chicago skyline can be seen in the distance, a contrast to the prairie where butterflies flit about and rabbits scurry across the path.

Psalm 33:12–22 talks about kings, warriors, and war horses rather than the mighty skyscrapers of our beautiful city as symbols of wealth and power. Nevertheless, the psalm reminds us that human powers will rise and fall. God will remain constant forever.

God created a universe that includes the earth that includes my little stretch of heaven along the Chicago River: 1.3 million Earths could fit inside the sun that those wildflowers soak in the warmth from. The sun is one of more than 100 billion stars in our galaxy. The closest star to us, other than the sun, is 4.24 light-years away.

God’s creation and love are infinitely more powerful and true than any human-made structure or human power that anyone will ever have. The psalm reminds us that our hope does not lie in human things but in a God who extends love to all creation.

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Prayer

Sovereign God, thank you for your creation. Thank you for your love that is more powerful than anything we can ever put our trust in here on earth. Amen.

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Written by Anthony Hipp, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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