 Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed. 2 O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come. 3 When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions. 4 Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!
5 By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas; 6 the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might; 7 who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples, 8 so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your sign. You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy. 9 You visit the earth and water it; you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide their grain, for so you have prepared it. 10 You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth. 11 You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with abundance. 12 The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, 13 the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy. Meditation Our family enjoys the game Settlers of Catan. The goal is to take over all the resources, an objective more easily accomplished when you draw the card, “Year of Plenty.” Today’s reading is a harvest hymn promising a year of plenty for those who sow seeds of trust in the soil of God’s redeeming love. God provides all resources needed for the goal of His glory through a harvest of righteousness. God forgives sin and His grace empowers us to begin again (1-4). His gracious invitation for salvation is for every people, tribe, and nation- hope to the ends of the earth (5-8). The river of God will never run dry, nourishing grain growing in God’s gracious space (9). The water will bring plentiful life, showers of grace growing in both blessing and abundance (10). The harvest planted in hope will be plentiful, “wagon tracks overflowing in bounty” (11). The picture is of an overflowing harvest, the land itself shouting in joy and the flocks joining the choruses (13). The Lord promises a year of plenty for those who sow seeds in the Spirit, reaping eternal life one day and righteousness in life today (Galatians 6:8-9). When we sow righteousness we will reap steadfast love (Hosea 10:12). God’s covenant love promises a year of plenty, abundant fruitfulness when we trust His design and direction, a life lived by faith alone. Do you want to experience more deeply the abundance of God’s steadfast love? Step out in faith, trusting God and His promises more than anything else in life. Richly Dwelling -Do you have faith in God’s design and direction for life, trusting Him and His promises more than anything else? -Do you believe God wants to bless you with an abundant harvest, a year of plenty? What does a blessing of abundant harvest look like in God’s economy? -What are specific ways you can step out in faith… in your finances, friendships, family, future plans…? Key Verse 11 You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with abundance. 12 The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, 13 the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy. Comments are closed.
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