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Psalm 47, Today's New International Version:
Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.
For the LORD Most High is awesome,
the great King over all the earth.
shout to God with cries of joy.
For the LORD Most High is awesome,
the great King over all the earth.
He subdued nations under us,
peoples under our feet.
peoples under our feet.
He chose our inheritance for us,
the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.
God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets.
the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.
God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets.
Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
For God is the King of all the earth;
sing to him a psalm of praise.
God reigns over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne.
sing to him a psalm of praise.
God reigns over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne.
The nobles of the nations assemble
as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings of the earth belong to God;
he is greatly exalted.
as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings of the earth belong to God;
he is greatly exalted.
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Sometimes, you've just gotta sing praise.
That's all there is to it.
You remember who God is.
You remember who God is.
And who you are not.
"God has ascended amid shouts of joy!"
ALL RIGHT! Amen. Hallelujah.
Except.
"God has ascended amid shouts of joy!"
ALL RIGHT! Amen. Hallelujah.
Except.
During Lent, the hallelujahs are supposed to be
suppressed,
removed from the liturgy,
laid to rest until Easter Sunday,
when they will surge forth from the people of God.
So today, I'll do the praising a little more quietly,
So today, I'll do the praising a little more quietly,
more quietly even than I might feel.
Because I think it's good to keep a season of quiet,
Because I think it's good to keep a season of quiet,
to contain the exuberance,
to reflect on the seriousness of this journey we're on.
I will admit that 40 days is a very.long.time.
I will admit that 40 days is a very.long.time.
And by the time we get to the end,
I'm gonna want to let 'er rip -
I mean,
every word of joyful abandon I can find.
40 days feels like a long, hard climb.
But then I think about that for just a minute.
40 days feels like a long, hard climb.
But then I think about that for just a minute.
And really, is it so much to ask?
After all, 'from the foundations of the world,'
After all, 'from the foundations of the world,'
scripture tell us -
that's how long Jesus has been climbing that hill to
our salvation,
our restoration,
our wholeness.
On second thought, I think I can hike with him for 40 days.
On second thought, I think I can hike with him for 40 days.
Yes. I think I can.
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Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for taking the dive and making the climb. For sinking and rising, for coming and changing everything. Thank you for the journey you made for me; now strengthen me to journey for you and with you during this Lenten season.
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