I Will Praise You, My God, in the Assembly of Your People

Ramseyb - April 28, 2024

I Will Praise You, My God,
in the Assembly of Your People

If this Psalm 22 looks familiar, it’s because it is the psalm Jesus prayed on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me!” Today’s refrain and verses come at the end of the psalm. These less familiar verses of thanksgiving reflect peace and assurance that will comfort all people who have endured suffering. God comes to the rescue, and the afflicted one cannot refrain from telling everyone of God’s goodness. As a visible sign of gratitude, the psalmist will pay a votive offering in the midst of all who love God. The votive offering will be a meal to which the poor will be invited so that they can share in the psalmist’s happiness. The setting for this psalm seems to be a meal for the poor, the poor of all nations. The scope of praise includes all who have died and all who are yet to be born; the reign of God includes past, present and future generations, the whole world. The knowledge of the saving acts of God will be passed on from one generation to another. As members of the assembly, we are called to continue the praise of God.

I will sing of you in the great assembly,
make good my promise before your faithful.
The poor shall eat all they want.
Seekers of God shall give praise.

“May your hearts live for ever!”
All peoples shall remember and turn, all races will bow to God.
The well-fed crowd kneel before God, all destined to die bow low.

My soul lives for God! My children will serve,
will proclaim God to the future,
announcing to peoples yet unborn, “God saves.”