The Autumn Tabernacle Choir

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts.

Worship the LORD in holy splendor; tremble before him, all the earth.

Say among the nations, "The LORD is king! The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved. He will judge the peoples with equity."

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar and all that fills it; let the field exult and everything in it. 

Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the LORD, for he is coming, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with his truth.

Psalm 96: 8-13 NRSVue 

Today the Common Lectionary scripture readings offer two psalms for the price of admission, 99, and 96. Of course, most congregations don't include one psalm, let alone two, sadly, a habit of omission I got into as a worship leader before I retired. Don't ask me why because I don't really have a decent reason other than changing liturgical fashion. 

I love the notion of the Creator arriving to a fanfare from Creation itself, not just fickle humans. There are some Christians who are endlessly suspicious of pantheistic thinking. worshipping the Earth like ill-defined pagans, rather than the "true" God. Yet if God brought all things into being, and chose to be with us in the person of Jesus, and blows through our midst as the Spirit/Wind/Breath, do they really have a leg to hop around on? Doesn't it even vaguely occur to them that we are in this frightening environmental crisis because of a "beam me up Scotty" theology that isn't scriptural? 

This is the time of the year here in Ontario when the voice of the choir that is Fall foliage offers a unique rustling song to accompany the changing colours of the leaves. I'm totally on board with this being an encore performance of awe and gratitude to the Creator. Eugene Peterson's The Message scripture paraphrase offers an exuberant interpretation of this psalm: 

7 Bravo, God, Bravo!
Everyone join in the great shout: Encore!
In awe before the beauty, in awe before the might.

 Bring gifts and celebrate,
Bow before the beauty of God,
Then to your knees—everyone worship!

 Get out the message—God Rules!
He put the world on a firm foundation;
He treats everyone fair and square.

 Let’s hear it from Sky,
With Earth joining in,
And a huge round of applause from Sea.

 Let Wilderness turn cartwheels,
Animals, come dance,
Put every tree of the forest in the choir—

 An extravaganza before God as he comes,
As he comes to set everything right on earth,
Set everything right, treat everyone fair.

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Psalm 96: 7-13 The Message