Daily Devotion – May 11, 2021 – Dr. Pat Taylor Ellison

Psalm 98
98:1 O sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things. His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory.
98:2 The LORD has made known his victory; he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.
98:3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
98:4 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises.
98:5 Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody.
98:6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD.
98:7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who live in it.
98:8 Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing together for joy
98:9 at the presence of the LORD, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.

Sometimes a good story just isn’t enough.

OK, you have a small town librarian who falls for a chronic train-traveling con man and a cast of weird and wonderful townspeople that can be helped or hurt by their interaction. Good story. But add a score by Meredith Willson and you get a truly great musical.

OK, you have a brilliant man with one or two tragic flaws who wrote volumes and volumes of political papers and dies young in a duel he shouldn’t have fought. Good story. But add a score by Lin-Manuel Miranda and you get a truly great musical.

The psalmist here tells of God’s victory and vindication, but it’s not big enough. He challenges the whole earth including everything that fills the sea to sing and clap and joyfully celebrate the greatness of God writing the score for a musical of the greatness of God.

Try to imagine the music of the hills (Julie Andrews could hear it in The Sound of Music) and the music of the sea, and the music of the spheres, even. If you sit outdoors away from traffic, maybe you can actually hear it. The earth praises God all day long. How might we do the same? Sing out loud today, even if it’s in a locked bathroom, and praise God for his love, his creation, and his wonder.

Gracious God, Thank you for loving us. Thank you for being so wonderful that all of creation praises you every day. Help us to hear it and to join in the praise, for you are the Holy One.   Amen.