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.

God, Our Exceeding Joy--March 23, 2019

[From March 2, 2013 archive]

We praise you, O God, our exceeding joy.

Though the world is full of evil works,
and scoundrels are among your people,
and all we have sinned and fallen short
of your glory,

you have given us your gift of grace,
through the redemption that is
in Christ Jesus.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 43; 149; 31; 143
Jer. 5:20-31
Rom. 3:19-31
John 7:1-13

Selected Verses
Ps. 43:4
Then I will go to the altar of God,
          to God my exceeding joy;
and I will praise you with the harp,
          O God, my God.

Jer. 5:26a
For scoundrels are found among my people;
          they take over the goods of others.

Rom. 3:22b-24
For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…

John 7:7
"…The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify against it that its works are evil.  …"  [Jesus to his brothers]

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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