Proclaim, Sing praise, Rejoice

Psalm 105 begins: 

Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;

    make known among the nations what God has done.

Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.

 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

Not only here in the Psalm, but throughout all of scripture, there is a sense of enthusiasm – a spark of life that can’t be kept in. That’s, that’s a big part of what our scriptures are: they are stories and poetry that name what God is doing and give praise for what God has done.

Sometimes people try to reduce the Bible to a rule book. But it’s not that. It was written by people telling us that their faith makes a difference – that the God they worship makes a difference. It is mostly evangelical, trying to share with us good news, trying to open our eyes to God’s work in the world around us.

It is widely believed that this Psalm was written while the community of faith was living in Exile in Babylon. If we were to read it to the end, it tells the story of early Israel. It retells the story from Abraham through the Exodus – out of Egypt – God carrying, God rescuing, God saving. It is poetry and may very well have been sung or chanted in worship from a very early time.

Now I just have to imagine that there were people in exile who heard these words, this poetry, this song who were feeling some measure of anxiety. I have to imagine there were people who were worried about their situation and who wondered, “What kind of world will our children grow up in? What will their lives be like?” I have to imagine there were people who were longing for healing: will this diagnosis; this disease, this divorce, this problem get to have the last word in my life? Or is there hope?

And I have to imagine that when this Psalm read was out loud or sung by a congregation, people would hear its overwhelming tone of joy; they would hear the witness of the community over a thousand years; they would hear this powerful reminder that God had moved in their lives in the past; a reminder that we worship a God who rescues, who redeems, who saves. And I have to imagine, these stories, these words would have to give them a measure of hope…

But this Psalm does something else as well. It also reminded them, and it reminds us, that we have this same power to bring hope with our own words and with our own stories.

The Apostle Peter once wrote, “Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting of the hope that is within you.” (2 Peter 3:15) 

I wonder what hope you have within you… I wonder when and how God has touched your life… I wonder if there may be someone who is looking for an accounting of the hope that is within you… if there is a story you have to tell. 

Let us pray: God give us eyes to see your hand at work in our lives – now and in the past. And as our eyes are opened, may we give thanks, rejoice, sing, and even find words to tell. Amen.