Psalm 133 1 How very good and pleasant it is     when kindred live together in unity! 2 It is like the precious oil on the head,     running down upon the beard, on the beard of Aaron,     running down over the collar of his robes. 3 It is like the dew of Hermon,     which falls on the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord ordained his blessing,     life forevermore. Reflection: This psalm reflects an obvious concern in ancient Israel, the importance of family values. The family is a crucial institution for every culture. It affects everyone, for better or for [...]

Psalm 100 A Psalm of Thanksgiving 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 for ever, and his faithfulness to all generations. Reflection: Psalm 100 is the biblical standard [...]

Psalm 150: 1 Hallelujah! Praise God in his holy house of worship; Praise him under the open skies; 2 Praise him for his acts of power, Praise him for his magnificent greatness; 3 Praise with a blast of trumpet, Praise by strumming of soft strings; 4 Praise him with castanets and dance, Praise him with banjo and flute; 5 Praise him with cymbals and a big brass drum, Praise him with fiddles and mandolin. 6 Let every living, breathing creature praise God! Hallelujah! Reflection: I am thrilled that we have such an outstanding student ministry here at St. Luke’s. [...]

Psalm 127 God’s Blessings in the Home 1 Unless the Lord builds the house,     those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord guards the city,     the guard keeps watch in vain. 2 It is in vain that you rise up early     and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil;     for he gives sleep to his beloved. 3 Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord,     the fruit of the womb a reward. 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior     are the sons of one’s youth. 5 Happy is the man who has [...]

Psalm 2, NRSV 1 Why do the nations conspire,     and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves,     and the rulers take counsel together,     against the Lord and his anointed, saying, 3 “Let us burst their bonds asunder,     and cast their cords from us.” 4 He who sits in the heavens laughs;     the Lord has them in derision. 5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath,     and terrify them in his fury, saying, 6 “I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill.” 7 I will tell of the decree of [...]

Psalm 132 The Eternal Dwelling of God in Zion 1 O Lord, remember in David’s favor all the hardships he endured; 2 how he swore to the Lord and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob, 3 “I will not enter my house or get into my bed; 4 I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, 5 until I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.” 6 We heard of it in Ephrathah; we found it in the fields of Jaar. 7 “Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at [...]

Psalm 143 1 Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief. 2 Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one living is righteous before you. 3 The enemy pursues me, he crushes me to the ground; he makes me dwell in the darkness like those long dead. 4 So my spirit grows faint within me; my heart within me is dismayed. 5 I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done. 6 I spread out my [...]

Title: An Inside Job By St. Luke’s Pastoral Staff Psalm 88 O Lord, God of my salvation, when, at night, I cry out in your presence, let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry. For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. I am counted among those who go down to the Pit; I am like those who have no help, like those forsaken among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, like those whom you remember no more, for they are cut off from your [...]