Gay Christian Devotion
Psalm 66 (King James Version)
1Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands:
2Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.
3Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.
4All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.
5Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men.
6He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in him.
7He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.
8O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard:
9Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.
10For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.
11Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins.
12Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.
13I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows,
14Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.
15I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah.
16Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.
17I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.
18If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
19But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
20Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.
Reflection
The NIV Study Bible says Psalm 66 is a call to the entire earth to praise God. Verse six sounds very much like the time God parted the Red Sea, so the children of Isreal could escape the marching armies of the Egyptians.
Many gay people found themselves persued by the marching enemies of the heart and soul. Those enemies include people and churches who exclude gay people from God's grace and the Kingdom. But the enemies of gay hearts and souls are not just outside forces. Some of those forces are inside gay, lesbian and bisexual people. The internal enemies include self-hate, self-condemnation and self-revulsion.
Queer people reach the edge of the deep seas. The sea is deep, because it was formed from the tears of God's queer tribe. The waters of discouragement and hopelessness are deep and frightening, especially, as the external and internal enemies of the heart approach. The Lord produces a miracle. The waters of discouragement and hopelessness part. And God's gay people cross on dry ground, to a spiritual land where enemies of gay and bisexual hearts are powerless. The world watches. God's people watch. All of the heavenly watches. And all praise God and applaud, as God's gay, bisexual and transgendered people find hope and peace in the Kingdom of God.
1Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands:
2Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.
3Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.
4All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.
5Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men.
6He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in him.
7He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.
8O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard:
9Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.
10For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.
11Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins.
12Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.
13I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows,
14Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.
15I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah.
16Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.
17I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.
18If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
19But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
20Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.
Reflection
The NIV Study Bible says Psalm 66 is a call to the entire earth to praise God. Verse six sounds very much like the time God parted the Red Sea, so the children of Isreal could escape the marching armies of the Egyptians.
Many gay people found themselves persued by the marching enemies of the heart and soul. Those enemies include people and churches who exclude gay people from God's grace and the Kingdom. But the enemies of gay hearts and souls are not just outside forces. Some of those forces are inside gay, lesbian and bisexual people. The internal enemies include self-hate, self-condemnation and self-revulsion.
Queer people reach the edge of the deep seas. The sea is deep, because it was formed from the tears of God's queer tribe. The waters of discouragement and hopelessness are deep and frightening, especially, as the external and internal enemies of the heart approach. The Lord produces a miracle. The waters of discouragement and hopelessness part. And God's gay people cross on dry ground, to a spiritual land where enemies of gay and bisexual hearts are powerless. The world watches. God's people watch. All of the heavenly watches. And all praise God and applaud, as God's gay, bisexual and transgendered people find hope and peace in the Kingdom of God.
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