The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD–for he proclaims peace to his people.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and salvation, along the way of his steps.
The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
— Psalm 85
The peace of the Lord be with you. Happy Independence Day! Today we celebrate the freedoms of our country and remember the service of those who worked make our country a living example of those ideals. As a nation, we continue to work toward the ideals of justice for all and equal opportunity for each individual to enjoy security and prosperity.
The psalm today tells us how to achieve these ideals. First and foremost is to be in awe of the greatness of God to acknowledge Him as our supreme leader. Second, to let God’s kindness, truth, peace, and justice commingle so we may be guided by the saving graces of our God. With the combined power of those ingredients we will experience the lasting and eternal peace of our triune God.
So today as we celebrate these freedoms, let us also recommit ourselves to being advocates for our most vulnerable peoples, to being a voice for those who do not seem to be heard, and may we strive to be an instrument of peace for all peoples. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.