Proper 16
Preaching
Aids To The Psalms
Exploring The Message
May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
that your way may be known upon earth,
your saving power among all nations.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, has blessed us.
May God continue to bless us;
let all the ends of the earth revere him.
Alternate Image
The Singer is directing. She directs the adult choir to sing,
"May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to
shine upon us." Then she directs the children's choir to respond,
"May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to
shine upon us." And then she directs the congregation to respond,
"that your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among
all nations."
As she directs the Singer watches faces. The adult choir looks
very proper and inspired as they sing the first phrase, then as
they listen to the children singing, their faces soften and begin
to shine more radiantly. When the congregation responds in force,
the choir members smile broadly. All the
faces become more and more radiant as they share the sounds,
words and feelings of this moment.
The Singer even imagines she sees the smiling face of Aaron,
whose blessing they are sharing. Surely it is God's face she sees
smiling in the faces of her singers.
Reflection
This is an antiphonal Psalm. It is meant for choirs to sing
this blessing to each other. How good it is to sing or say God's
blessings to each other. God's face indeed shines from our own
faces when this occurs. And it occurs for a reason. We easily
forget the end of this sung blessing. The purpose is to share
that blessing with all people on the globe so they too will know
of God's love and passion for people; so they too may sing God's
blessings to each other. When people unite in thanksgiving,
radiance abounds.
and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
that your way may be known upon earth,
your saving power among all nations.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, has blessed us.
May God continue to bless us;
let all the ends of the earth revere him.
Alternate Image
The Singer is directing. She directs the adult choir to sing,
"May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to
shine upon us." Then she directs the children's choir to respond,
"May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to
shine upon us." And then she directs the congregation to respond,
"that your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among
all nations."
As she directs the Singer watches faces. The adult choir looks
very proper and inspired as they sing the first phrase, then as
they listen to the children singing, their faces soften and begin
to shine more radiantly. When the congregation responds in force,
the choir members smile broadly. All the
faces become more and more radiant as they share the sounds,
words and feelings of this moment.
The Singer even imagines she sees the smiling face of Aaron,
whose blessing they are sharing. Surely it is God's face she sees
smiling in the faces of her singers.
Reflection
This is an antiphonal Psalm. It is meant for choirs to sing
this blessing to each other. How good it is to sing or say God's
blessings to each other. God's face indeed shines from our own
faces when this occurs. And it occurs for a reason. We easily
forget the end of this sung blessing. The purpose is to share
that blessing with all people on the globe so they too will know
of God's love and passion for people; so they too may sing God's
blessings to each other. When people unite in thanksgiving,
radiance abounds.
