Psalm 96:11-12

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice.
    Let the sea roar, and its fullness!  
Let the field and all that is in it exult!
    Then all the trees of the woods shall sing for joy…. 

This morning, I will wake,

and I will sing.

I will make a joyful noise

and I will bless Your holy name.

I will sing—wait, no—

not this morning.

This morning, I will wake,

and I will listen.

I will sit in the darkness

and listen and wait

for the world to sing,

for the world to find

its voice, to find its hymn,

to unleash its joy and let

it run free and unbound.

I will wait.

I will rise

and I will wait.

This morning, I will wait at the beach.

I will wait for the ocean’s hymn.

I will put my hand

to the ground and let

my fingers sink into the sand.

I will wait for that rumble,

for that buildup as the ocean

waves slam into the shore,

and then retreat—

and pull back.

I will let the water

pool around my feet

and tickle my toes.

Just wait, the ocean speaks.

Just wait.

And then it comes again,

the voice, the song,

riding the white-capped waves.

This is the ocean’s hymn.

This is how it sings Your praise, Lord.

This is how it thunders.

This is how it roars.

This is how it lives its song.

This is how it gives testimony

to Your great strength, Lord.

And then—when it pulls back again,

when the waters still,

when the wind calm and the sun sets,

the ocean still sings,

but this time, this time

its hymn is a lullaby.

And this is how the ocean

gives testimony not just

to Your great strength, Lord,

but also to Your grace

and gentleness and peace.

This is the ocean’s hymn.

Amen.