Psalm 65 (Listen)

65:1   Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion,
    and to you shall vows be performed.
  O you who hear prayer,
    to you shall all flesh come.
  When iniquities prevail against me,
    you atone for our transgressions.
  Blessed is the one you choose and bring near,
    to dwell in your courts!
  We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
    the holiness of your temple!
  By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness,
    O God of our salvation,
  the hope of all the ends of the earth
    and of the farthest seas;
  the one who by his strength established the mountains,
    being girded with might;
  who stills the roaring of the seas,
    the roaring of their waves,
    the tumult of the peoples,
  so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs.
  You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.
  You visit the earth and water it;
    you greatly enrich it;
  the river of God is full of water;
    you provide their grain,
    for so you have prepared it.
10   You water its furrows abundantly,
    settling its ridges,
  softening it with showers,
    and blessing its growth.
11   You crown the year with your bounty;
    your wagon tracks overflow with abundance.
12   The pastures of the wilderness overflow,
    the hills gird themselves with joy,
13   the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,
    the valleys deck themselves with grain,
    they shout and sing together for joy.




Devotional:

You answer us in righteousness, with awe-inspiring works, God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the distant seas. Those who live far away are awed by your signs; you make east and west shout for joy. (Psalm 65:5 & 8 CSB)

God has filled creation with amazing proclamations of His love. It’s common to long for miracles in life, but have you ever sat in awed reverence at the rising or setting of the sun? Even as we search for God, the evening and morning sing His praises. The next time you feel far from God, go outside and watch the sunset. Watch as God paints the sky with exquisitely ethereal light, and as the sun dips below the horizon, let your heart rise in joyful unison with the song of creation as you remember that God has painted you even more beautifully. Shout for joy with creation — God is with us!

Pray it: Father, I praise you for your wondrous works of creation and salvation, for making all the beautiful things that I see and for atoning for the sins that arise from the rebellious nature of my heart. Amen.

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