Slices
Prepare
Imagine, are you coming into God’s presence quickly or slowly, eagerly or reluctantly, alert or weary, distracted or focused?
Bible passage
Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights above.
2 Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
3 Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars.
4 Praise him, you highest heavens
and you waters above the skies.
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for at his command they were created,
6 and he established them for ever and ever –
he issued a decree that will never pass away.
7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,
8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds,
stormy winds that do his bidding,
9 you mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,
10 wild animals and all cattle,
small creatures and flying birds,
11 kings of the earth and all nations,
you princes and all rulers on earth,
12 young men and women,
old men and children.
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his splendour is above the earth and the heavens.
14 And he has raised up for his people a horn,
the praise of all his faithful servants,
of Israel, the people close to his heart.
Explore
I’m writing this note in Holy Trinity Church, Blythburgh in Suffolk, known as the Cathedral in the Marshes. The angel roof in the fifteenth-century church is stunning. Originally brightly coloured, 11 angels remain, lifted high above the full length of the church, back-to-back, outstretched wings drawing the eyes of worshippers into God’s presence. Sunlight streams down the chancel.
This psalm starts with the praise of angels in the highest heavens, shifts to the second heaven of sun and moon, then moves on to the heavens nearest us, the rain clouds. They all offer unending praise to God by their very existence – mainly without using words.
Then we reach the earth (vs 7–12). The genius of contemporary photography displays exquisite and unimaginable images of nature, calling forth praise and honour to God. Praising God tends to be described in terms of words, but the created world honours God by just being with its sheer biodiversity, by procreation, by seasonal transformation, by demonstration of awesome power. The psalm begins with mysterious angels who worship God in the heavens and deliver God’s messages by words. It ends with children who communicate verbally but in many other ways.
Respond
Pray that all generations gathering in God’s presence today will be able to offer joy-filled, unfettered praise to the Lord whose splendour is above both earth and the heavens.
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Mark 4; Colossians 2
Pray for Scripture Union
Pray for a new project in Quebec where SU for French-speaking Canada aims to open a resources centre. Pray for continued support to make the initiative possible and that it will make a significant contribution to Christian work in the country.
