Bless the Lord, my Soul

Monday musical meditations on God's good news

An opening prayer:

O bless the Lord, my soul!

Let all within me join

And aid my tongue to bless his name

Whose favors are divine.

Oh, bless the Lord, my soul,

Nor let his mercies lie

Forgotten in unthankfulness

And without praises die.

’Tis he forgives my sins;

’Tis he relieves my pain;

’Tis he that heals my sicknesses

And makes me young again.

He fills the poor with good;

He gives the sufferers rest;

The Lord has judgments for the proud

And justice for the opprest.

His wondrous works and ways

He made by Moses known,

But sent the world his truth and grace

By his beloved Son. Amen.

Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
14When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
15One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
17Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

Jesus seems to think that the lepers should have come back to thank God, though he was the one who healed them.
Who does he think he is?
What does his utter humility on the way to the cross mean to you today?

BWV 17 (YouTube, "Whoever offers thanks praises me")
The cantata starts with the last verse of Psalm 50.
"Whoever sacrifices a thank offering honors me, and whoever orders his conduct, I will show him the salvation of God."
Like the Samaritan man who came back to thank Jesus, but even more so ...
May we offer God daily praise and thanks for all his help and healing in our Lord Jesus.