Bless the Lord, O My Soul

A Reflection on the Psalm for May 23rd, 2021:
The Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday

---

Psalm 104

R. Lord, send forth your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.

Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, you are very great. O Lord, how manifold are your works! The earth is full of your creatures. 

R. Lord, send forth your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.

When you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. When you send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the earth. 

R. Lord, send forth your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.

May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works. May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord. 

R. Lord, send forth your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
​

Pause. Pray.

And then read more...

I’m thinking about the times when I have felt my soul blessing the Lord. When I think about blessing the Lord with my soul, the very depths of my being, I think about times when I have been overwhelmed with joy and peace. When it seems like my heart is so full it might burst out of my chest. 

Some of these times happen when I am in nature and seeing the vast beauty of all that God has created. I remember times when I have stood on a hilltop overlooking a beautiful valley and I feel my soul rejoice in the goodness of God — that He would create this beauty for me to behold. I also think of the births of my children and that feeling when I first saw their faces and held them in my arms; to exchange that first glance after months of imagining it. What joy my heart felt at that moment. 

I also think of times when God has allowed me a glimpse of His plan for my life and I see how He is holding me so closely that my very breath depends on His Spirit moving within my lungs. 
These are times when I bless the Lord with my very soul. I don’t really have control over it. It’s like when a child is falling and I reach out to catch them out of pure instinct. I can’t stop my soul from crying out in praise to God. 

Today I want to thank God for these moments of blessing and I ask that He help you remember the times when your soul cried out in praise of Him too. Let our souls bless God together for His greatness over all the earth. Amen.




​Maxine Brown
​

---