Proclaim God’s Marvelous Deeds to All the Nations
The psalm selected by the Church is in response to the Old Testament reading. But this Sunday the psalm could also be a response to the Gospel. Psalm 96 is an enthronement song for the Israelite kings, welcoming not only royalty from other nations, but also all of creation. It is the psalm also recommended for the Christmas Mass at Midnight. For this 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, year C, we hear from Isaiah with espousal references and Jesus and Mary attending a wedding feast at Cana. Although the psalm does not speak directly to marriage, the joy with which the psalmist praises God can easily be applied to a spouse. Praying this psalm opens us to an ever-new way of singing God’s praise. Just as God’s grace is new each day, so each day we can sing a new song. The more we proclaim God’s glory, the more we become aware of it. The refrain calls us to witness to God’s actions in our world and our individual life, and sing a new song and bless God’s name.
O Sing to God a new song;
sing to God, all the earth!
Sing and bless God’s name.
We proclaim your salvation day by day,
declare your glory among the nations,
your wonders among all the peoples.
Give to God, you families of peoples,
give to God glory and power!
Give glory to God’s holy name;
bring an offering, and enter God’s courts!
Worship in the temple of the Most High.
O earth, tremble before the Almighty.
[verses taken from People’s Companion to the Breviary © 1997 by the Carmelites of Indianapolis]