Written by Benjamin Rumbaugh, junior MDiv student, and brought to you by the Kelso Museum of Near Eastern Archaeology at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Scripture

Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19

1   I love the LORD, because he has heard
          my voice and my supplications.
2   Because he inclined his ear to me,
          therefore I will call on him as long as I live.

12  What shall I return to the LORD
          for all his bounty to me?
13  I will lift up the cup of salvation
          and call on the name of the LORD,
14  I will pay my vows to the LORD
          in the presence of all his people.
15  Precious in the sight of the LORD
          is the death of his faithful ones.
16  O LORD, I am your servant;
          I am your servant, the child of your serving girl.
          You have loosed my bonds.
17  I will offer to you a thanksgiving sacrifice
          and call on the name of the LORD.
18  I will pay my vows to the LORD
          in the presence of all his people,
19  in the courts of the house of the LORD,
          in your midst, O Jerusalem.
     Praise the LORD!

Devotional

I find so much solace in Psalm 116 as it speaks to the intimacy and deliverance found in the LORD. The opening lines evoke emotions of love, comfort, and empathy as the psalmist is heard by the ear of the LORD. As we awaken from the cold stillness of winter, I picture God listening to our lamentations of hibernation as we prepare for the resurrection of spring, for the resurrection found in Christ. With Easter beckoning, where do we find the empathy that the psalmist beautifully alludes to?

When we do find it, how are we to respond? The psalmist does so through praise and gratitude. Indeed, as I imagine Christ and the disciples sharing one last meal, I have abundant gratitude toward the empathy God feels for us through Christ. Let this meal be a symbol of our intimate connection with Christ, and in its mystery let us react through praise.

Prayer

Creator God, allow us the grace to find assurance in your open ear. You hear our cries and offer deliverance through Christ’s love, through his suffering and everlasting empathy. Allow us the ability to respond to your awesome reality through praise and gratitude—praise for the intimacy of your meal, gratitude for the moment and space it creates with you. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen.
 

Written by Benjamin Rumbaugh, junior MDiv student, and brought to you by the Kelso Museum of Near Eastern Archaeology at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Scripture

Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19

1   I love the LORD, because he has heard
          my voice and my supplications.
2   Because he inclined his ear to me,
          therefore I will call on him as long as I live.

12  What shall I return to the LORD
          for all his bounty to me?
13  I will lift up the cup of salvation
          and call on the name of the LORD,
14  I will pay my vows to the LORD
          in the presence of all his people.
15  Precious in the sight of the LORD
          is the death of his faithful ones.
16  O LORD, I am your servant;
          I am your servant, the child of your serving girl.
          You have loosed my bonds.
17  I will offer to you a thanksgiving sacrifice
          and call on the name of the LORD.
18  I will pay my vows to the LORD
          in the presence of all his people,
19  in the courts of the house of the LORD,
          in your midst, O Jerusalem.
     Praise the LORD!

Devotional

I find so much solace in Psalm 116 as it speaks to the intimacy and deliverance found in the LORD. The opening lines evoke emotions of love, comfort, and empathy as the psalmist is heard by the ear of the LORD. As we awaken from the cold stillness of winter, I picture God listening to our lamentations of hibernation as we prepare for the resurrection of spring, for the resurrection found in Christ. With Easter beckoning, where do we find the empathy that the psalmist beautifully alludes to?

When we do find it, how are we to respond? The psalmist does so through praise and gratitude. Indeed, as I imagine Christ and the disciples sharing one last meal, I have abundant gratitude toward the empathy God feels for us through Christ. Let this meal be a symbol of our intimate connection with Christ, and in its mystery let us react through praise.

Prayer

Creator God, allow us the grace to find assurance in your open ear. You hear our cries and offer deliverance through Christ’s love, through his suffering and everlasting empathy. Allow us the ability to respond to your awesome reality through praise and gratitude—praise for the intimacy of your meal, gratitude for the moment and space it creates with you. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen.