This morning I read something wonderful in Psalm 142:7. David writes, “Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.”
I love that the prayer isn’t just about David. His freedom isn’t for him alone. When God frees him, it’s for God and for others. His prayer isn’t “free me so I can be free”; it’s “free me so I can praise you and let others rejoice because of it.”
I also love the picture of community surrounding the one to whom God has displayed a particular work. I want to gather with others around the one in my community who showcases the goodness of God. Instead of jealousy or comparison, I want to gather and rejoice with that person who has been set free.
Finally, I love how David will experience community as part of his freedom. The isolation and loneliness leaves and a community of celebration surrounds him.
We praise; we gather: a simple life pattern for today.