PSALM OF HISTORY

PSALM OF HISTORY

Give thanks to God who has always guided us

for God's goodness lasts for ever,

for our God has been close beside us from the very beginning

and God's goodness lasts for ever;

before the universe was begun

for God's goodness lasts for ever,

in the making of our solar system

for God's goodness lasts for ever,

through the complicated processes of evolution

for God's goodness lasts for ever,

and by bringing our earliest ancestors to care for each other in communities

for God's goodness lasts for ever.

In the ancient civilisations of China and the Aztecs

for God's goodness lasts for ever,

to the eastern and Mediterranean cultures and specially the Jews

for God's goodness lasts for ever.

Who chose Abraham and sent him out, not knowing where he was to go

for God's goodness lasts for ever;

who wrestled with Jacob without destroying him, but gave him a blessing

for God's goodness lasts for ever,

who brought Moses to be the leader of the Exodus from Egypt

for God's goodness lasts for ever,

and David the warrior king to build the holy city

for God's goodness lasts for ever.

But raised up the prophets to cry for justice and right belief

for God's goodness lasts for ever,

and finally John the Baptist, pointing to the one who'd been chosen

for God's goodness lasts for ever,

Jesus, among us to teach and to heal

for God's goodness lasts for ever.

For he was loved and hated, crucified, dead and buried

for God's goodness lasts for ever;

he was raised up again for our salvation

for God's goodness lasts for ever,

and now he's king of all nations of the world

for God's goodness lasts for ever.

He lives on to pray for us

for God's goodness lasts for ever,

and in his life, we too can come alive

for God's goodness lasts for ever.

Through saints and preachers and martyrs, God's Spirit was spread abroad

for God's goodness lasts for ever,

Patrick and Columba, Augustine and David

for God's goodness lasts for ever,

in the writings of the saints and the teachings of the doctors

for God's goodness lasts for ever,

through the Reformation, and the conflicts of ideas

for God's goodness lasts for ever,

by those who have taught us and guided us and brought us to where we are

for God's goodness lasts for ever,

through darkness and joy in our own experience

for God's goodness lasts for ever.

Give thanks to God who has always been our strength

for God's goodness lasts for ever.

For our God has been close beside us from the very beginning

and God's goodness lasts for ever.

(See Psalm 105 - telling the story.)