1 Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy!
2 For the LORD, the Most High, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth. Psalm 47:1-2
1 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 2 I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.” Psalm 16:1-2
Companions,
We pray prayers to God for all kinds of groups we are in, our families, friends, Companions and country. Each meeting we ask the Supreme Grand Master of Heaven and Earth to preside over all our councils. As the Psalmist says, we should clap our hands and shout for joy that we have a relationship with the King over all the earth. However; at times the idea of having a personal relationship with the Almighty may seem a little cerebral or intimidating but much of the Psalms and the New Testament encourages us to do just that. We learn from the Bible that we are children of God and we can personally approach Him in prayer anytime. When we realize this in our hearts we will really want to clap our hands and shout for joy; and with true feeling exclaim that first verse of Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want”. There are only six verses in Psalm 23 but look at the pronouns; the He and me in the first three verses and the You and me in the second three. I think we would do well Companions to emulate the Psalmist.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me. Amen.
Jack A. Holloway
I. Associate Grand Chaplain