So All the Earth Can Praise God – Psalm 22

A text – Psalm 22:25-31

22:25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will pay before those who fear him.
22:26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the LORD. May your hearts live forever!
22:27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD; all the families of the nations shall worship before him.
22:28 For dominion belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations.
22:29 To him, indeed, shall all who sleep in the earth bow down; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, and I shall live for him.
22:30 Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord,
22:31 and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn, saying that he has done it.

A reflection:

This psalm of praise rings out about the abundance of the Lord, showered upon those who are followers of him, who come to him, who listen to him and pray to him. Their connection is rewarded – they are fed, they belong, they have hope.

How does the Lord feed them? Make them know they belong? Give them hope? Is it magic? Does it just happen because the Lord kind of zaps it into being?

No. The Lord doesn’t usually just zap things into being. The Lord usually calls upon Jesus or Philip or Peter or someone else and sets that called person in the right place and the right time to bring the abundance of the Lord to the one who needs it. And because the Lord is all the time doing these things – connecting those who can bring help to the people who need the help – this Lord is worthy of praise and love.

We have a good Lord who loves all the people of earth, God’s children. This same Lord calls his followers to reach out and be God’s saving hands and feet for others, bearing the fruit of the Kingdom. This is what it is like to live in the Kingdom of God – being vessels or branches of God’s love, through Jesus, to all of the earth. We don’t have to be Batman atop a tall building looking out for bad guys to defeat. We can just spend time with the Lord each morning and then pay attention when the Spirit taps us on the shoulder at some point during the day to make a phone call or be out in the yard or see someone who needs a hand.

We can be part of the Kingdom of God coming near every single day.

A prayer:

Lord God, Thank you for loving us. Thank you for allowing us to know Jesus and his love. Thank you for calling us to be a part of your Kingdon coming near. Help us to rest with you for a time each day and then watch for what you have in mind for us.    Amen.