At a demonstration or a march, call and response cheers get everyone’s spirit’s up. Think: “What do we want?” “Peace.” “When do we want it?” “Now!” Cheerleaders at a football or basketball game are great at getting the crowd going using call and response cheers. This is a way of getting everyone involved and getting a message across.
Many of the psalms, if not all of them, were originally used in worship in the Temple in Jerusalem. The priests and people would offer the Psalms as prayers during the rituals and services. In Psalm 118, the focus psalm for this week, we see a call and response liturgy. It is almost like a cheer.
We can almost hear the priests chant, “Let Israel say – ”
And the congregation responds, “God’s steadfast love endures forever.”
The priest again, “Let the house of Aaron say – “
And the congregations chants back, “God’s steadfast love endures forever!”
The priest again, “Let those who trust God say – “
And the congregation replies, “God’s steadfast love endures forever!”
If we were using this format in church, we might say:
Let the women say –
God’s steadfast love endures forever.
Let the men say –
God’s steadfast love endures forever.
Let the children say –
God’s steadfast love endures forever.
Let the parents say –
Let the working people say –
God’s steadfast love endures forever.
Let the unemployed people say –
God’s steadfast love endures forever.
Let the retired people say –
God’s steadfast love endures forever.
Let the joyful people say –
God’s steadfast love endures forever.
Let the grieving people say –
God’s steadfast love endures forever.
Let the contented people say –
God’s steadfast love endures forever.
Let the angry people say –
God’s steadfast love endures forever.
Let the frustrated people say –
God’s steadfast love endures forever.
Let the lovers of justice say –
God’s steadfast love endures forever.
Let the lovers of peace say –
God’s steadfast love endures forever.
We could go on for the whole service, naming all sorts and conditions of people, and the response could stay the same, over and over again: God’s steadfast love endures forever. God as all-encompassing, never-ending love, never changes. No matter what our circumstances, no matter how we feel about life, no matter what is going on in the world, nothing changes the nature of divine love. It is constant. It is eternal. It is ever present. Now that is something to cheer about!
Prayer
We are grateful for love which infuses our lives in so many forms and ways. Divine love pursues us whatever our life circumstances. Perhaps when things are at their worst, divine love becomes all the more persistent. There is no escaping the power of love. May we look for that love and give thanks in all situations of our lives. Amen.
Lakewood United Church of Christ 