Sunday 21 June 2026 - Sing to the Lord
6/21/202613 min
Sunday 21 June 2026
Today is Sunday the 21st of June, beginning the 12th week of Ordinary Time. The monks of the Abbey of Keur Moussa sing Psalm 90: You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, say to the Lord, ‘my refuge, my stronghold, my god in whom I trust.’ … Under his wings you will find refuge. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day…. Upon you no evil shall fall…. For you he has commanded his angels, to keep you in all your ways. Today’s reading is from the Prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah 20:10-13 For I hear many whispering: ‘Terror is all around! Denounce him! Let us denounce him!’ All my close friends are watching for me to stumble. ‘Perhaps he can be enticed, and we can prevail against him, and take our revenge on him.’ But the Lord is with me like a dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble, and they will not prevail. They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed. Their eternal dishonour will never be forgotten. O Lord of hosts, you test the righteous, you see the heart and the mind; let me see your retribution upon them, for to you I have committed my cause. Sing to the Lord; praise the Lord! For he has delivered the life of the needy from the hands of evildoers. In the Old Testament reading for today, we encounter Jeremiah the prophet, weary and misunderstood. He hears whispers of betrayal and accusation. “Terror is all around,” he says. How does Jeremiah’s experience speak to you? What voices have followed you this week? Has a sense of fear or feelings of doubt made you feel vulnerable? “But,” Jeremiah says, “the Lord is with me like a dread warrior.” Jeremiah knows that the Lord is with him, and that his persecutors will not have their way. For Jeremiah, God is a God of justice and truth - a God who is always on the side of the needy. Jeremiah understands that God may seem to be testing him, but the Lord’s very presence is a reassurance of God’s care. Take a moment to reflect: where might you feel under pressure? Where are you seeking reassurance? As you listen to the reading again, notice how Jeremiah’s confidence in the Lord grows through prayer. It is perhaps not the ending we - or Jeremiah - expected. Jeremiah 20:10-13 For I hear many whispering: ‘Terror is all around! Denounce him! Let us denounce him!’ All my close friends are watching for me to stumble. ‘Perhaps he can be enticed, and we can prevail against him, and take our revenge on him.’ But the Lord is with me like a dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble, and they will not prevail. They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed. Their eternal dishonour will never be forgotten. O Lord of hosts, you test the righteous, you see the heart and the mind; let me see your retribution upon them, for to you I have committed my cause. Sing to the Lord; praise the Lord! For he has delivered the life of the needy from the hands of evildoers. “Sing to the Lord; praise the Lord.” The Sabbath gives us time for vulnerability, and to remember where God has been present, even in times of uncertainty. As this prayer draws to a close, remain with the image of God standing beside you - always faithful. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be World without end Amen
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSpeaker 1· Host0:00
[bell ringing] Today is Sunday the 21st of June, beginning the 12th week in ordinary time.
Monks of the Abbey of Keur Moussa· Soundbite0:11
[singing] Quand je me tiens sous l'abri du Très-Haut, je me repose à l'ombre du Puissant. Je dis au Seigneur: "Mon refuge, ma forteresse, mon Dieu dans lequel je mets ma confiance." C'est lui qui te sauve des filets du chasseur et de la peste maléfique. Il te couvre et te protège. Tu trouves sous son aile un refuge.
Speaker 1· Host0:53
The monks of the Abbey of Kermusà sing Psalm 90. "You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, say to the Lord, 'My refuge, my stronghold, my God, in whom I trust.' Under his wings you will find refuge. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day. Upon you no evil shall fall.