Sing!

A Reflection on the Psalm for Sunday, October 22nd, 2023:
Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Psalm 96 

R. Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

O sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvellous works among all the peoples. 

​R. Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be revered above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. 

​R. Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts. 

​R. Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

Worship the Lord in holy splendour; tremble before him, all the earth. Say among the nations, “The Lord is king! He will judge the peoples with equity.” 

​R. Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

I love the colour midnight blue. It is a mysterious, very dark shade of blue. I love it because it evokes perfectly, in my mind, a near-black sky lit up by the clearest moon – and that is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. I recall walking on such a night in wintertime. Rounding the corner at the top of my street, I looked out on the sky that was velvet with midnight and sprinkled with diamonds. The undisturbed ground below it sparkled with snowflakes. Everything was hushed in reverence. I stood in the middle of the road for a long time, contemplating the glory and strength of our Lord who made the heavens and the Earth.

Psalm 96 reminds me of that sacred night. “Sing to the Lord!” means more than uttering words and creating beautiful melodies. It means stepping toward the Divine and reaching forward with a soul moved by greatness.

“Sing to the Lord, all the earth!” The command is universal. It sweeps into every corner of this magnificent world, scooping up every human being in an invitation to celebrate, praise, and glorify. Although in daily life we may feel over-focused on the minutiae of responsibility and deafened by the cacophony of the world, Psalm 96 exhorts us to open our eyes and ears to the majesty of God’s creation, to see His glory in the sunrise, the moonrise, the night sky.

“Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.” The call to bless God’s name is an act of devotion that transcends mere gratitude. It is an acknowledgment that the breath in our lungs and the spark that electrifies our beating hearts are gifts from Him. It is a recognition that our lives are within His divine plan, and that every day we awaken to His promise of abundance.

“Declare his glory among the nations, his marvellous works among all the peoples.” Here, we are called to be witnesses to the wonders of the Lord. In a world of division and unrest, we have a role as ambassadors of peace and reconciliation. We are called to carry the message of God’s love, to sweep into the darkest corners of our world and be beacons of His light. This means living with compassion, extending a hand of friendship to those who are different from us, and being vessels of God’s grace in a broken world. 

How can we glorify God in our daily lives? By living with purpose and intentionality, seeking His presence in every moment, and growing more holy in our thoughts, words, and actions. By loving unconditionally, forgiving freely, and serving selflessly. By allowing the glory of the Lord to be the love that sustains us, the hope that uplifts us, and the grace that redeems us.
Every day is an opportunity to sing a new song to the Lord. May we go forth in this world with hearts ablaze, for His glory knows no end.




Donna Davis

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