Read
The Lord Works Miracles
1Sing a new song to the Lord!
He has worked miracles,
and with his own powerful arm,
he has won the victory.
2The Lord has shown the nations
that he has the power to save
and to bring justice.
3God has been faithful
in his love for Israel,
and his saving power is seen
everywhere on earth.
4Tell everyone on this earth
to sing happy songs
in praise of the Lord.
5Make music for him on harps.
Play beautiful melodies!
6Sound the trumpets and horns
and celebrate with joyful songs
for our Lord and King!
7Command the ocean to roar
with all its creatures,
and the earth to shout
with all its people.
8Order the rivers
to clap their hands,
and all the hills
to sing together.
9Let them worship the Lord!
He is coming to judge
everyone on the earth,
and he will be honest
and fair.
Reflect
Last night we had dinner with new friends who live on the shores of Georgian Bay. Afterwards our host asked, sort of tongue in cheek, if I wanted to have a deeply spiritual experience? His idea was to walk out onto the ice of the Bay and look at the night sky. I said sure and out we went, our wives choosing to tend to the warmth of the gas fireplace.
Man was it cold. We walked probably 200 meters off shore onto the vast, openness of the Bay. The night glow of Owen Sound was visible beyond a point of land to the south and radiant specks of light emanated from homes on the far shore seven kilometers away. It was dark, really dark; and clear and cold and we said very little to each other. Then we started to hear the sounds the thick bay ice made as it gently shifted with the deep motion of the water. Sounding at times like disembodied whales calling, then like muffled rifle shots, then a gentle orchestral symphony of crushing friction as the fissures rubbed. I thought of God’s creation praising their Maker. “Let the sea resound…” verse 7 says. I was stunned by the beauty of it all.
If the rivers had been running I’m sure I would have heard them clapping their hands and if there were mountains nearby I’m sure I would have heard them “sing together for joy” (v 8). In fact as I stood there I was sure I could hear the stars so immediately near and the frozen air itself “shout for joy to the Lord” (v 4).
This psalm is one of the hymn psalms. Why not “Sing to the Lord a new song…” (v 1) yourself today?
Respond
Maker God of all creation. Help me to sing you a new song, for you have done marvellous things. Let me share these words with everyone I meet today and not forget them. In Jesus’ name I ask this.
James Paterson
James works as a visual artist. His current body of work is a series of metal wire sculptures called Prayer Machines which are whimsically ambiguous machine-like objects that give expression to mystery. “I love to share the gospel message, using art as a bridge, to encourage people in their relationship with Jesus.” He and Lynn have four young adult children. Publications Jim’s Grandiose Big Bible Picture Book (Bastian Books ,2007)