Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Dear heavenly Father, my heart is filled with “joyful noise” and deep gratitude for the brothers and sisters in Jesus you have given me, and in particular, for those in Northern Ireland with whom we’ve lived and laughed, worshipped and wept, prayed and praised, dined on great food and feasted on an even greater gospel. What an utter joy, privilege, and honor these two weeks have been—a palpable foretaste of our coming life in the new heaven and new earth.
2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! 3 For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
Indeed, Lord, you are a great God, whose goodness is immeasurable, whose generosity is incomparable, and whose grace is inexhaustible. I’m convinced of this afresh, being with my beloved Irish brethren. And you are a great King—constantly at work in all things for your glory and our good; raising up and sitting down kings; giving and taking away, according to the purposes of your heart; welcoming us in our weakness, beautifying us in our brokenness. How can we keep from singing your praise?
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. 5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.
The countryside and coastal region of Northern Ireland have fueled childlike wonder and intense longings in my heart, for the Day your knowledge will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Father, we bless you for our big family and your beautiful world. It’s all yours and we are yours, hallelujah, many times over!
6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! 7 For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.
Yes, yes, yes! You alone are worthy of our worship, our bowing down and our rising up, our tears and our shouts, the rest of our days and the whole of our hearts. So very Amen we pray, in the glorious name of Jesus—our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.
