Wednesday 23 May 2007

Selah...




Psalm 77
1 I cried out to God for help;


I cried out to God to hear me.
2 When I was in distress, I sought the Lord;


at night I stretched out untiring hands


and my soul refused to be comforted.
3 I remembered you, O God, and I groaned;


I mused, and my spirit grew faint.




Selah


4 You kept my eyes from closing;


I was too troubled to speak.
5 I thought about the former days,


the years of long ago;
6 I remembered my songs in the night.


My heart mused and my spirit inquired:
7 "Will the Lord reject forever?


Will he never show his favor again?
8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever?


Has his promise failed for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be merciful?


Has he in anger withheld his compassion?"




Selah


10 Then I thought, "To this I will appeal:


the years of the right hand of the Most High."


11 I will remember the deeds of the LORD;


yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
12 I will meditate on all your works


and consider all your mighty deeds.
13 Your ways, O God, are holy.


What god is so great as our God?
14 You are the God who performs miracles;


you display your power among the peoples.
15 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,


the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.


Selah
16 The waters saw you, O God,


the waters saw you and writhed;


the very depths were convulsed.
17 The clouds poured down water,


the skies resounded with thunder;


your arrows flashed back and forth.
18 Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind,


your lightning lit up the world;


the earth trembled and quaked.
19 Your path led through the sea,


your way through the mighty waters,


though your footprints were not seen.
20 You led your people like a flock


by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

1 comment:

Ruth said...

Have been thinking...Was reading Luke 13v11-13 (I think that's it), about the woman who Jesus healed. He told her she was free and she straightened up immediately and praised God. But our experience is so often (or mostly, in my case) not like that - it takes us a long time to really live in that freedom that Christ declares (whatever that freedom is)...It takes a long time, a lot of lessons, a lot of tears, a lot of encouragement to begin to straighten up. Or that's my experience anyway...So, what does this mean in terms of who God is? In terms of what the reality of God in a life looks like? What is it that Christ promises? But I don't want to beleive in a God that I don't expect anything from at the same time. We are told to expect big things. So, how do we match our experiences with our expectations?...But then again that process of 'straightening up', even if it takes years, is a miracle all the same - or lots of small miracles and victories.
Anyways, just thoughts following on from our conversation on Tuesday. Love you.