Psalm Meditation 978
Second Sunday in Lent (St Patrick’s Day)
March 17, 2019

Psalm 100
1 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come into his presence with singing.
3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name.
5 For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations
(NRSV)

Making a joyful noise is a lot easier than singing since it is something that each of us can do. For some it is a full, jumping, dancing celebration with yells and screams of delight. For others it is a smile that takes over their whole body with a small chuckle thrown in for emphasis. We neither feel nor express our joy in the same way. It certainly varies from person to person, as well as from event to event.

The important part is to feel the joy and to express it in a way that works for the one experiencing it. I have heard people say that they do their best to limit their feelings of joy so that it also limits their feelings of grief and sadness. It feels safe, as if we are protecting ourselves from the extremes of emotion, however it is a source of sadness to those who watch us refuse to express our joy and sadness in full measure.

The psalmist calls us to express our full range of joy in the presence of God. And that joy comes in response to the steadfast love of God in every aspect of our lives. No matter who we are, no matter what we do, we are wrapped up in the love that God has for us. That is reason to be filled with joy and to express it to God to the fullest of our ability.

March 11, 2019
LCM