Reaching through the ages with joy
by Joanne Corney
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Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music … shout for joy before the Lord, the King (Psalm 98:4,6b).
Have you ever experienced reading or listening to words and instantaneously feeling the emotion of them? It can be wonderful if the words are full of joy and celebration.
This has been my experience of Psalm 98. I have found gifts in the poet’s imagery. It offers imaginative pathways that, with ease, bring forth images of people shining with jubilation, brimming with joy and subsequently using their voices to shout and sing and their musical talents to play harps, trumpets and ram horns. It is a positively intense scene of individuals expressing themselves musically and each offering combining to create one of giant joy! They are extroverted and energetically create and raise a jubilant song and sound, with hearts using the medium of music to put on the outside what is so big, it’s uncontainable within. They are inspired by their experience and knowledge of God doing marvellous things stemming from his love for them, his faithfulness and righteousness and their confidence in his salvation for them.
I appreciate the chance to imagine this scene and ‘look in’ on it, as it were. Their experience seems to reach forward in time and encourages me. It has reminded me of the joy that can be in knowing and journeying with God – the same God they rejoiced in. They remind me to be encouraged and joyful for the same reasons they were.
So many people have been encouraged through the generations in their joy in God by the words of Psalm 98. It has been a shared experience reaching forward through the ages. What a thought!
Merciful God, thank you for your love and faithfulness and the joy that knowing this brings. Please encourage our hearts in our journey with you. In the name of Christ, Amen.
Joanne Corney is an active member of the LCANZ in Queensland. She has served over many years in voluntary parish pastoral care, ministry and development, and representative roles. During the past seven years, she has worked in the delivery of aged-care chaplaincy for Lutheran Services. Joanne’s areas of service in the church stem from her varied professional roles in healthcare and personal roles in life.
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