Rebecca Bokma

Reader 1: We have a story to tell. Reader 2: A story of a people. Reader 1: A story of miracles. Reader 2: A story of wondrous works. Reader 1: A story of deliverance and rejoicing. Reader 2: A story of a nation. Reader 1: A nation that was part of a covenant, a special promise with God. Reader 2: An everlasting covenant: “I will give you the land of Canaan and so much more than that.” Both: Praise the Lord. Reader 1: This is a story about our heavenly father. Reader 2: One we know so well! Reader 1: One that we should always remember, about God’s faithfulness. Reader 2: And God’s love. Reader 1: God, our God, in charge of the whole earth. Both: Praise the Lord. Reader 2: We keep our eyes open for God, looking for signs of God’s wonders. Reader 1: Wonders in creation, and wonders in the story of God’s people. Reader 2: God’s wondrous works. Reader 1: In the beginning God created— Reader 2: God created us in his image; created us to fill the world and it was good! Reader 1: God made us and invited us to spread the story—the story of God’s love. Reader 2: The story of God’s Son— Reader 1: The story of God’s love. Both: Praise the Lord. Reader 2: We were created to spread the story of God’s wonderful acts; covenant and miracles. Reader 1: The covenant that God made with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob— Reader 2: Saying you will inherit a land, a kingdom, a new life. Reader 1: The covenant that covered Joseph, Moses, and Aaron. Reader 2: Miracles that gave God’s people the freedom they so desired. Reader 1: The covenant that saved Joseph from slavery. Reader 2: And the Lord filled Joseph with wisdom. Reader 1: The covenant that gave Israel the promised land, Reader 2: Despite their fear and disobedience. Reader 1: The covenant that led God’s people out of Egypt.  Reader 2: Egypt was glad when they left. Reader 1: They were filled with fear and awe towards the God of the Israelites. Reader 2: The God that saved his people. Reader 1: The Israelites had done nothing to earn their freedom, yet God kept his promise. Reader 2: God said: “Don’t you dare lay a hand on my anointed; don’t hurt a hair on the heads of my prophets!” Reader 1: God guided his people out of Egypt into the desert, yet God kept them safe at night and gave them food during the day. Reader 2: God gave his people water that gushed out from a rock and flowed like a river into the desert. Reader 1: God filled them with the bread of heaven. Both: Praise the Lord. Reader 2: Give thanks to our Lord and call on his name. Reader 1: Tell everyone what God has done. Reader 2: Give thanks; sing praises; tell of God’s glory and rejoice. Reader 1: Let us seek the Lord and rejoice! Reader 2: The Lord is our strength, our song, our salvation. Reader 1: We have received the story of God’s wondrous works.  Reader 2: Sing to him! Reader 1: Sing songs to him! Reader 2: Let us sing to God for as long as we live. Reader 1: O give thanks to the Lord! Call upon his name. Reader 2: Make known God’s deeds among the peoples! Reader 1: Sing to him; sing psalms to him; talk of all God’s wondrous works! Reader 2: Glory in God’s holy name; let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord! Reader 1: Seek the Lord and his strength; seek God’s face evermore! Reader 2: Remember God’s marvelous works which he has done. Reader 1: Let us tell that story. Reader 2: We have a story to tell. Both: Praise the Lord.

Version One All: Praise! Reader 1: The Lord. Reader 2: Praise ye the Lord. Reader 3: Hallelujah. Reader 1: God created us in his image to fill the earth. All: Praise God! Reader 1: In his sanctuary. Reader 2: In his sanctuary. Reader 3: In his holy house of worship. Reader 2: Although we sin, God welcomes us back into his open arms. All: Praise him! Reader 1: In his mighty heavens. Reader 2: In the firmament of his power. Reader 3: Under the open skies. Reader 2: Looking around, we see God in every aspect of creation! All: Praise him! Reader 1: For his acts of power. Reader 2: For his mighty acts. Reader 3: For his acts of power. Reader 1: Every day we see him at work in the world. All: Praise him! Reader 1: For his surpassing greatness. Reader 2: According to his excellent greatness. Reader 3: For his magnificent greatness. Reader 2: How great is our God that he holds the whole world in his hands? All: Praise him! Reader 1: With the sounding of the trumpet. Reader 2: With the sound of the trumpet. Reader 3: With a blast on the trumpet. Reader 3: We have been given voices and gifts to show others God’s love. All: Praise him! Reader 1: With the harp and lyre. Reader 2: With the psaltery and harp. Reader 3: By strumming soft strings. Reader 1: We pray for God’s spirit to come upon us and fill us with love and compassion. All: Praise him! Reader 1: With timbrel and dancing. Reader 2: With the timbrel and dance. Reader 3: With castanets and dance. Reader 2: Let all we do be for the glory of the one true God. All: Praise him! Reader 1: With the strings and pipe. Reader 2: With stringed instruments and organs. Reader 3: With banjo and flute. Reader 3: We remember all that God has done for us. All: Praise him! Reader 1: With the clash of cymbals. Reader 2: Upon the loud cymbals. Reader 3: With cymbals and a big bass drum. Reader 1: We remember that God sent his Son to die in our place. All: Praise him! Reader 1: With resounding cymbals. Reader 2: Upon the high-sounding cymbals. Reader 3: With fiddles and mandolin. Reader 2: We remember how Jesus rose again to save us from our sins. All: Let everything that has breath. Reader 1: Everything. Reader 2: Every. Thing. Reader 3: Every living, breathing thing. All: Praise the Lord! —Psalm 150, adapted from the NIV, KJV, and The Message by Rebecca Bokma Version Two All: Praise! Reader 1: The Lord. Reader 2: The Lord of all. Reader 3: Sing Hallelujah! Reader 1: To the One who is the source and goal of all things. All: Praise God! Reader 1: In the sanctuary. Reader 2: In the holy house of worship. Reader 3: In the great assembly. Reader 2: Where we gather to praise God’s name. All: Praise him! Reader 1: In his mighty heavens. Reader 2: Where his mighty power is on display. Reader 3: Under the open skies. Reader 2: The whole creation shouts God’s praise! All: Praise the Creator! Reader 1: For his mighty acts. Reader 2: That reveals the Creator’s awesome power. Reader 3: And faithful love. Reader 1: Holding all of creation in his powerful hand. All: Praise the Lord! Reader 1: For his surpassing greatness. Reader 2: According to his excellent greatness. Reader 3: Beyond all that we can think or imagine. Reader 2: For God is the one who holds the universe in his hands! All: Praise the Holy One! Reader 1: With a blast on the trumpet. Reader 2: With the beat of the drum. Reader 3: With voices that sing out the wonders of God’s love. Reader 2: The gift of music is the language of our praise. All: Praise him! Reader 1: With the harp and lyre. Reader 2: With strumming soft strings. Reader 3: With the sweet trill of the flute. Reader 1: Prayerfully sighing for Spirit to fill us with God’s love. All: Praise him! Reader 1: With the graceful movement of the dance. Reader 2: Arms raised in worship. Reader 3: Eager, moving feet. Reader 2: Let our bodies give glory to the one true God. All: Praise the Holy One! Reader 1: With guitars and mandolin. Reader 2: With pianos and organs. Reader 3: With banjo and fiddle. Reader 2: Echoing all that God has done for us. All: Praise the Lord! Reader 1: With the clash of cymbals. Reader 2: Loud cymbals. Reader 3: With cymbals and a big bass drum. Reader 1: Praise Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. All: Praise to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit! Reader 3: Let everything that has breath. Reader 1: Everything. Reader 2: Every. Thing. Reader 3: Every living, breathing thing. All: Praise the Lord! —Psalm 150, adapted from the NIV, KJV, and The Message by Rebecca Bokma