Tim’s Daily Bread Devotional 1.27.22

By January 27, 2022Daily Bread

Good morning!

I hope this day finds you and your family well. I invite you to take a few moments with me to read and reflect upon today’s scripture selection — and to carry these thoughts with you into your day.

Today’s Scripture: Psalm 36:5-9

5 Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
your judgments are like the great deep;
you save humans and animals alike, O Lord.

How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house,
and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.

Tim’s Devotional Reflection for Today

How do you describe God’s nature? Down through the ages, people have used expanded language — poetry, metaphor, and simile.

The book of Psalms in the Hebrew scriptures is really a hymnal, a collection of poems to be sung. There are even directions for the song leaders and musicians in many of the psalms.

Psalm 36, our reading for today, is a song of praise, describing God’s steadfast love, faithfulness, righteousness, judgments, and abundant provision for humans and animals alike.  This hymn of praise reminds me of another one written nearly 800 years ago by St. Francis of Assisi:

  1. All creatures of our God and King, Lift up your voice and with us sing, O praise ye! Alleluia! O brother sun with golden beam, O sister moon with silver gleam!

Refrain: O praise ye! O praise ye! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

  1. 2. O brother wind, air, clouds, and rain, By which all creatures ye sustain, O praise ye! Alleluia! Thou rising morn, in praise rejoice, Ye lights of evening, find a voice!
  2. O sister water, flowing clear, Make music for thy Lord to hear, Alleluia!  Alleluia! O brother fire who lights the night, Providing warmth, enhancing sight.
  3. Dear mother earth, who day by day, Unfoldest blessings on our way, Alleluia!  Alleluia! The flowers and fruits that in thee grow, Let them God’s glory also show!
  4. All ye who are of tender heart, Forgiving others, take your part, O praise ye! Alleluia! Ye who long pain and sorrow bear, Praise God and on Him cast your care!

I invite you read and meditate on these words with me today in celebration and gratitude for God’s steadfast love that is with us always, regardless of our circumstances.

Hymn Suggestion

“Love, Divine, All Loves Excelling”

Love divine, all loves excelling,
joy of heav’n, to earth come down,
fix in us thy humble dwelling,
all thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, thou art all compassion,
pure, unbounded love thou art.
Visit us with thy salvation;
enter ev’ry trembling heart.

Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit
into ev’ry troubled breast.
Let us all in thee inherit,
let us find the promised rest.
Take away the love of sinning;
Alpha and Omega be.
End of faith, as its beginning,
set our hearts at liberty.

Come, Almighty, to deliver,
let us all thy life receive.
Suddenly return, and never,
nevermore they temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray, and praise thee without ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love.

Finish, then, thy new creation;
true and spotless let us be.
Let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee.
Changed from glory into glory,
till in heav’n we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love and praise.

Thank you for sharing this moment of your day with me, with God, and with these reflections on a portion of scripture.  I hope you will carry these with you throughout your day and night.

Grace and Peace,


Dr. Tim Bruster
Senior Pastor