Rejoice exceedingly

Lately I have been enjoying reading the Bible according to a liturgical-style reading plan I found at crivoice.org. It's based on readings from the Book of Common prayer. For one, I like how it chooses 4 different readings from different sections of scripture so I get a well-rounded reading of the Bible each day. The different readings all seem to be thematically joined, so even though it's from different areas of scripture, I feel I can soak up one common theme from God each day. Another reason I enjoy this style is I love that other Christians around the world could be reading on a similar schedule and I feel a part of God's greater church at large.

Today's Psalm was beautiful. Psalm 68:
Let God arise...
As wax melts before a fire, let the wicked perish at the
presense of God.
But let the righteous be glad;
Let them rejoice before God;
Yes, let them rejoice exceedingly.

I think we often think of the presence of God with fear and trembling, and rightly so! But here is an image of those who worship God rejoicing before God. The wicked will melt away, but the righteous, those who have accepted God's unconditional love and come to God humbly aware of our unworthiness before His worthy, those have no need for fear. Let them rejoice exceedingly. For God is

"A father of the fatherless, a
defender of widows,
Is God in His holy habitation.
God set the solitary in families.
He brings out those who are bound
into prosperity."

What a beautiful picture of God. I will rejoice exceedingly before God today.