Sing Aloud to God Our Strength

This meditation is based on a passage for July 29, 2010 in the Daily Lectionary Year 2 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993).

Text: Psalm 81

Reflection and Question: This psalm is traditionally associated with the Jewish festival of the booths, a Fall harvest celebration where God’s covenant with Israel is read and reconfirmed by the people. In my neighborhood at that time each year, wooden huts spring up in front yards, ready for family worship and the last picnics as the chill of winter sets in. Joy and thanksgiving are the tone of this holiday and yet the timeless difficulty for God’s people to fulfill our obligations to God continues to remind us of our failings. What blessings do we miss out on because of our sins?