I am an emeritus professor from Cornell University and was a Commissioned Lay Preacher in the Presbyterian Church (USA). For many years I have followed the Daily Lectionary as printed in the Mission Yearbook of my church. For each day of a two-year cycle, the lectionary lists four psalms and three other scriptural passages--usually one from the Old Testament and two from the New Testament. My practice is to copy down a verse or two from one of the psalms and from each of the other three passages. After I have written out all four selections, I reflect upon them, rearrange their order, and incorporate them into a meditation. Sometimes I retain much of the original wording; sometimes all that remains of a selection is an idea that was stimulated when I read the original words. All selections are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. For the Daily Lectionary, see the link below.


Songs of Revelers, Songs of Praise--April 30, 2012



You have given us voice to make all manner of sounds--
victory cheers when we win or groans when defeated;

raucous clamor of revelers or songs of praise to you
that make the earth echo our joy in your works.

Make us hunger and thirst after righteousness;
give us gracious speech, seasoned with salt.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 97; 145; 124; 115
Exod. 32:1-20
Col. 3:18-4:18
Matt. 5:1-10

Selected Verses
Ps. 97:1
The LORD is king! Let the earth rejoice;
      let the many coastlands be glad!

Exod. 32:18
But [Moses] said [to Joshua], "It is not the sound made by victors, or the sound made by losers; it is the sound of revelers that I hear."

Col. 4:6
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone.

Matt. 5:6
"… Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. …" [Jesus on the mountain, to his disciples and the crowds]
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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