Rebecca Sheridan

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Psalm 98 

            I love music – as many of you know, both Pastor Rich and I come from musical families where we were surrounded by music even in the womb – jazz, classical, and pop – you name it, we knew the song even before we were born!  But even if you’re not that musical – if you only sing in the shower or in the car when you’re SURE no one can hear you, you know music can touch our hearts in a powerful way.  A song heard over the radio at the grocery store or restaurant can trigger a memory from years ago.  A catchy tune can get in our heads, cheering us up when we’re in a bad mood almost instantly.  And there are some songs that we’ll never make it through without crying.

The assigned psalm for today, Psalm 98, is so perfect for our worship this morning.  The psalmist reminds us that God created the gift of music for all of us to rejoice and give praise – trumpets, horns, harp, and voice.  The psalmist reminds us that God’s gift of music isn’t limited to just humans — even the rivers “clap their hands” and “the hills ring out with joy before the Lord” – everything in all creation is able to praise God through rhythm and sound.

Today, we give thanks for the awesome gift of music that God has given us, and we ask God to help us share that gift with our community and with our world.  Music has the power to speak to our souls in a way that words alone can’t express.  Even if we can’t speak the same language, a song can bring people together.  May God’s word, spoken and sung today, inspire and encourage you as we lift up our voices, rejoice and sing.  Amen.