psalm 24

Psalm 24 (NRSV)
1 The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it,
the world, and those who live in it;
2 for he has founded it on the seas,
and established it on the rivers.

Lord,
The earth is yours by the rights of creation. The earth:
The mountains, rivers, plains and seas;
The oil and natural gas, the top soil and water rights;
Cattle, chickens, tuna, and the legs of crab and frog;
And all of the acreage, it all belongs to you according to the rights of creation. You were before the earth and you will be after the earth and when all else is done, it’s yours.

The people of the world are yours:
Men of every hue and women of every language and children of every size, all are yours.
The oil sheiks of the middle east and the moguls of Wall Street;
Generals and privates and civilians who pray not to become collateral damage;
Plumbers and carpenters, lawyers and doctors, preachers and beggars;
We all belong to you.

Now this is the hard part. Some of us do not know to whom we belong. We see ourselves as the masters of our own universe. And some of us do not know that the others belong to you. We simply cannot bring ourselves to believe that the damaged children of Iraq and the people of Iran and Sudan, and Moslem and Hindu and the practitioners of Native American traditional spirituality – all are yours. All are yours.

Lord, if the earth is yours, and it is, make me a good steward of the earth. And if all people belong to you, grant me to see every boy and girl and man and woman as a person created by you and beloved by you. Help me to see the beauty and value in each.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to help you see the creator in the creation.
Ask God to help you to see the image of the creator in each person you meet.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.


3 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
4 Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,
who do not lift up their souls to what is false,
and do not swear deceitfully.
5 They will receive blessing from the Lord,
and vindication from the God of their salvation.
6 Such is the company of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob.a Selah
7 Lift up your heads, O gates!
and be lifted up, O ancient doors!
that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is the King of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O gates!
and be lifted up, O ancient doors!
that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
he is the King of glory. Selah
[1]

a Gk Syr: Heb your face, O Jacob

[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989