Read
(By David for praise.)
The Lord Is Kind
1I will praise you,
my God and King,
and always honor your name.
2I will praise you each day
and always honor your name.
3You are wonderful, Lord,
and you deserve all praise,
because you are much greater
than anyone can understand.
4Each generation will announce
to the next your wonderful
and powerful deeds.
5I will keep thinking about
your marvelous glory
and your mighty miracles.
6Everyone will talk about
your fearsome deeds,
and I will tell all nations
how great you are.
7They will celebrate and sing
about your matchless mercy
and your power to save.
8You are merciful, Lord!
You are kind and patient
and always loving.
9You are good to everyone,
and you take care
of all your creation.
10All creation will thank you,
and your loyal people
will praise you.
11They will tell about
your marvelous kingdom
and your power.
12Then everyone will know about
the mighty things you do
and your glorious kingdom.
13Your kingdom will never end,
and you will rule forever.
Our Lord, you keep your word
and do everything you say.
14When someone stumbles or falls,
you give a helping hand.
15Everyone depends on you,
and when the time is right,
you provide them with food.
16By your own hand you satisfy
the desires of all who live.
17Our Lord, everything you do
is kind and thoughtful,
18and you are near to everyone
whose prayers are sincere.
19You satisfy the desires
of all your worshipers,
and you come to save them
when they ask for help.
20You take care of everyone
who loves you,
but you destroy the wicked.
21I will praise you, Lord,
and everyone will respect
your holy name forever.
Reflect
As I get older, I realize how important it is to tell my grandchildren the story of my journey with God and have them hear of the times when God has intervened, supported, challenged, encouraged, disciplined, and cared for me.
It is especially important for them to understand God’s unconditional love and faithfulness in the lives of ordinary people.
We look at David and are inspired by his relationship with God and sing the praises that he wrote in the Psalms. But then we tend to dismiss the stories of our own relationship with God because we know it’s not what we would like it to be – not as faithful, not as deep, not as prayerful, not as intimate. However, David was not perfect either and yet God provided for him and called him his friend.
This Psalm was used as a congregational hymn of praise encouraging each generation to speak of all God’s glory, majesty and wonderful works to the next generation.
It’s the kind of thing that we are called to do in many different ways throughout scripture. The piling up of stones when the Israelites crossed over the Jordan into the promised land was so that when the children asked what that pile of stones was there for, they could hear the story of the miraculous crossing. The stories of God’s goodness and marvelous works were thus passed on from generation to generation.
We also need to tell the stories of God’s faithfulness and unconditional love toward us throughout our lives. It is our legacy to the next generation. They need to be encouraged by the fact that those of us who are far less than perfect are still God’s beloved, held in his firm embrace.
David gave us his legacy through the Psalms. What is your way?
Respond
Lord, you are gracious and compassionate. May the stories I tell speak of your glory, majesty and unconditional love. May the legacy my generation leaves be one of praise and adoration for you, my God and King. Amen.
Lynn Smith
Lynn served Tyndale University College and Seminary in Toronto as Dean of Students and Vice President of Student Development where leadership development became the focus of her involvement with students. After retiring, she co-founded NextLEVEL Leadership, an International organization focused on encouraging Christian women to develop in their leadership roles in the marketplace, profession or ministry. Her passion for seeing others grow in their leadership confidence has inspired her to teach and mentor wherever God calls. Publications: Gender or Giftedness: a Challenge to rethink the basis for leadership within the Faith Community; Mentoring: Leaving a Legacy; Fred's Not Here - Living with Alzheimer Disease takes Courage