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.

The Hills Sing for Joy--April 23, 2019


Rise up, and show your mercy to us,
for you, O God, are a God of justice;
waiting to be generous to us.

Lord Jesus Christ, you are coming
to judge the earth.  The floods clap
their hands; the hills sing for joy.

Spirit of Truth, abide with us, and be in us
as together we break bread and eat our food,
praising you with glad and generous hearts.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 98; 146; 66; 116
Isa. 30:18-26
Acts 2:36-47
John 14:15-31

Selected Verses
Ps. 98:4, 8-9a
Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth;
          break forth into joyous song and sing praises.  …
 Let the floods clap their hands;
          let the hills sing together for joy 
at the presence of the LORD, for he is coming
          to judge the earth. 

Isa. 30:18
Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you;
          therefore he will rise up to show mercy to you.
For the LORD is a God of justice;
          blessed are all those who wait for him.

Acts 2:46-47a
Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. 

John 14:17
This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him.  You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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