Made to Be a People of Joy--Oct. 30, 2013

 You have made us to be a people of joy,

and our joy is in you, and before you,

for you are coming to judge the earth;

and when you come to judge the earth,

you will make everything just and right.

All the trees of the forest shall sing for joy;

the air will ring with a new song, a song

of golden bowls filled with incense

(or the prayers of the saints),

all strummed on the harp.

There will be feasting,

and even the hearts of kings

shall rejoice in you; our eyes will see,

and our ears will hear, and we will be blessed.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 96; 147:1-11; 132; 134

Ezra 6:1-22

Rev. 5:1-10

Matt. 13:10-17

Selected Verses

Ps. 96:12b-13a

 Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy

            before the LORD; for he is coming,
            for he is coming to judge the earth.

Ezra 6:22

With joy [the returned exiles] celebrated the festival of unleavened bread seven days; for the LORD had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.

Rev. 5:8-9a

When [the Lamb] had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell before the Lamb, each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.  They sing a new song…

Matt. 13:16

"…But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.  …"  [Jesus to his disciples]