62C*
A Call to Worship
After Pentecost 23C [Ordinary 30C] or [Proper 25C] 2016
Psalm 65

“We praise, we worship you, O God…all nations bow before your throne..”¹
“...Oh God... we will fulfil our vows to you, for you answer our prayers ...”

“...Loud hallelujahs to your name the angels and all hosts proclaim… O God…”¹
“…Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders...”

“...O holy, holy, holy Lord, the God of hosts, by all adored, through heaven
and earth your creatures see the glory of your majesty… We worship you...”¹
“...O God our saviour. You are the hope of everyone on earth... What joy for
those you choose to bring near, those who live in your holy courts.... From
where the sun rises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy....” Hallelujah! Amen.

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Psalm 65
For the choir director: A song. A psalm of David.

1 What mighty praise, O God, belongs to you in Zion.
We will fulfil our vows to you,
2 for you answer our prayers.
All of us must come to you.
3 Though we are overwhelmed by our sins,
you forgive them all.
4 What joy for those you choose to bring near,
those who live in your holy courts.
What festivities await us inside your holy Temple.

5 You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our saviour.
You are the hope of everyone on earth, even those who sail on distant seas.
6 You formed the mountains by your power
and armed yourself with mighty strength.

7 You quieted the raging oceans with their pounding waves
and silenced the shouting of the nations.
8 Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders.
From where the sun rises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy.

9 You take care of the earth and water it, making it rich and fertile.
The river of God has plenty of water; it provides a bountiful harvest of grain,
for you have ordered it so.
10 You drench the ploughed ground with rain,
melting the clods and levelling the ridges.
You soften the earth with showers and bless its abundant crops.
11 You crown the year with a bountiful harvest;
even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.
12 The grasslands of the wilderness become a lush pasture,
and the hillsides blossom with joy.
13 The meadows are clothed with flocks of sheep,
and the valleys are carpeted with grain.
They all shout and sing for joy!

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Prayers of Praise and Thankfulness
After Pentecost 23C [Ordinary 30C] or [Proper 25C] 2016
Psalm 65

Creating God, we come together as your people to offer our praises and our
thankfulness for your many blessings. We have received so many wonderful
gifts from the hands of God, and we want to sing our praises and offer our
prayers of gratitude for the wonders of God’s generosity and mercy. Like the
psalmist of old: “...though we are overwhelmed by our sins, you forgive them
all. What joy for those you choose to bring near, those who live in your holy
courts...” We give thanks that we have special and sacred places where we
can gather together as your people, to offer God our praises and prayers and
where together we are strengthened and encouraged in our faith pilgrimage.

Refreshing God, even though we know that God renews and rekindles our hope
and vision of a world living under God’s guidance; there are times when we do
become jaded, when we become fatigued from serving our brothers and sisters;
and when we can see no end to the harsh issues that threaten our world and its
countless people, who are anxious about so many things beyond their control.
Refresh us Living God, with your gentle grace and mercy, so that given new hope
and encouragement, we may serve you and our needy neighbours with the love
of God that creates, and recreates within us a sense of purpose and gives us a
new vision of life as our Creator, Redeemer and Liberator has always willed for us.

Re-creating God, the God of all new growth, renewal, restoration and revitalisation—
we come to celebrate the new beginnings you offer to us, especially after we have
sinned and failed in our commitment to our Glorious God, and when we have been
given God’s merciful forgiveness - even as we have made our confessions to you.
“...O God our saviour, you are the hope of everyone on earth...”, and this day we
pray that your hope becomes a living reality for all your people; that we each may
be blessed with joy-filled confidence that our Re-creating God is present and active
here in this world, and that the Holy One is indeed bringing about God’s reign of love. Amen.

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A Personal Meditation
After Pentecost 23C [Ordinary 30C] or [Proper 25C] 2016
Psalm 65

According to the internet there are 12 nations – large and small – who celebrate
in one form or another their nation’s Thanksgiving Day; whilst other forms and styles
of celebration include local “Harvest Thanksgiving” services. Historically, the dates
of these annual events are not always the same, but rather more suited to their local
calendars of events. Many other nations have special celebration days with varying
titles including: Liberation/Independence Day; Foundation/Republic Day; or Unity/
National Day - when their citizens celebrate their changed national circumstances.
Israel has a secular Independence Day, and religious Jews have many Festivals.



“...Thanksgiving (todah) in Israel was a passionate, generous, public response to
YHWH for YHWH’s gift or action that impinged on the life of Israel in positive and
decisive ways... Specifically the todah [thanksgiving] is twinned to and is to be under-
stood as the completion of petition. Thus Israel asks YHWH for relief, when relief is
given, Israel offers to YHWH in response a glad todah...The act of todah is clearly
a concrete, material gesture, that constitutes an act of worship, an act of devotion
and loyalty to YHWH...”² Psalm 65 verses 1-2 is a typical example: “What mighty
praise, O God, belongs to you in Zion. We will fulfil our vows to you, for you answer
our prayers. All of us must come to you...” This act of praise continues with specific
reference to God: “...Praise...belongs to you”; “...fulfil our vows to you;” “... All of us
must come to you...” The psalmist reaffirms and celebrates God is central to all of life!



Verse 5 is central to and an essential message in today's psalm: “...You faithfully answer
our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our saviour. You are the hope of everyone
on earth, even those who sail on distant seas...” The psalmist claims every human
being – past, present and future - is linked to God through “hope” – hope in the God
who creates us; and the hope in God who forgives, redeems and liberates us. When I
first reflected on the psalms last five verses, it reads like a idyllic poem of rural prosperity—
then the more I thought about it, it seemed to me to be more of a new creation story,
a new beginning for all creation – and all that newly created abundance “...sang for joy.”



1 From “Together in Song” #98
“We praise, we worship you, O God”
4th Century anonymous author
Words are in the Public Domain.

2 Text by Professor Walter Brueggemann
from “Worship in Ancient Israel – An Essential Guide”
Chapter 4, pages 53/4
© 2005 Abingdon Press
201 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville TN 37202-0801 USA

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Acknowledgements:
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation,
copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

*Revised Indexing Scheme from 'Consultation on Church Union' (COCU).

I acknowledge and give heartfelt thanks for the theological inspiration available from the scholarship and writings of
Professor Walter Brueggemann; and through the resources from the internet and “The Text this Week” (Textweek).

If the Prayers and/or Meditations are used in shared worship, please provide this acknowledgement:
© 2016 Joan Stott – ‘The Timeless Psalms’ RCL Psalms Year C. Used with permission.

jstott@netspace.net.au
www.thetimelesspsalms.net

Download/view a pdf file of this document here: pentecost23[30]c_2016.pdf