Voice: Doreen
Today is Monday, 5th of January. As another starts, take a moment to be still in His presence.
We pray:
Almighty and everlasting Father,
we thank you that you have brought us safely to the beginning of this day.
Keep us from falling into sin or running into danger;
order us in all our doings;
and guide us to do always what is right in your eyes:
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
We praise the Lord in the words of Psalm 8:
O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
you have established strength because of your foes,
to still the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?
5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,
7 all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as It was in the beginning, is
now, and shall be forever. Amen.
Who Are We That You Are Mindful of Us?
Psalm 8 is a short, beautiful poem of just 70 Hebrew words—and every verse is addressed directly to God. It is worship in pure form, arising from a deep reflection on creation and the human place within it.
In the 3rd century, the monastic Anthony of Abbot referred to nature as a book. “Just look up.” There is a “book” always at his disposal whenever he wanted to read God’s words. Anyone, anywhere, can look up and begin to read this “book.”
The Psalmist did just that—he looked up and found reasons to praise. What did he see?
First, he saw the majesty of God.
Even without modern science, the Psalmist perceived the greatness of the Creator through the grandeur of the heavens. How much more we can marvel today, with all that we know! And yet, even the most brilliant minds confess how little we still understand. One Christian scientist put it well: “The more we know, the more we know what we don’t know.” And what we do know is already breathtaking. Truly, how majestic is our Lord!
Second, he pondered the mystery of mankind. In light of such a vast and intricate universe, the Psalmist asked:
“What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” (v.4)
We ask the same today—though with a modern twist: Why is the universe so fine-tuned for human life?
Scientists have long noted that the universe has just the right conditions for life to exist—so precise that even small changes would render life impossible. One physicist remarked: “The properties of the universe have just the right characteristics to make life possible… there is a Mind behind the laws of nature and the existence of nature itself. And this aligns with everything we know.”
The Psalmist knew none of this, yet he saw that God had crowned humankind with glory and honour. He saw that we were given a royal role—to care for and rule over the rest of creation. That was our God-given dignity. Later Scripture reveals an even greater truth: we are seated with Christ, to reign with Him forever.
So, who are we that God should care? That He should send His only Son to die for us?
You may not feel you are worthy of such attention—let alone God’s love or to have a cosmic purpose. But Psalm 8 invites you to see differently. To let God’s creation and God’s Word define your worth. And above all, to let the gift of His Son affirm your place in His majestic plan.
Will you open your heart today to that truth? In 2026, will you live your life with the perspectives this Psalmist had?
We pray this Collect, inspired by Psalm 8:
Almighty and everlasting God,
whose glory is proclaimed in the heavens
and whose majesty is revealed in the works of your hands:
you have crowned humanity with honour and dignity
and entrusted us with the care of your creation.
Grant us humility to marvel at your greatness,
wisdom to steward what you have placed in our care,
and grace to live as those mindful of your presence,
that our lives may reflect your glory
and our praise rise from grateful hearts;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who was made a little lower than the angels
and is now crowned with glory and honour,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
Be blessed by this song, Hallelujahs by Chris Rice
A purple sky to close the day
I wade the surf where dolphins play
The taste of salt, the dance of waves
And my soul wells up with hallelujahs
A lightning flash, my pounding heart
A breaching whale, a shooting star
Give testimony that you are
And my soul wells up with hallelujahs
Oh praise Him all His mighty works
There is no language where you can’t be heard
Your song goes out to all the Earth
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!
O cratered moon and sparrow’s wings
O thunder’s boom and Saturn’s rings
Unveil our Father as you sing
And my soul wells up with hallelujahs
Oh praise Him all His mighty works
There is no language where you can’t be heard
Your song goes out to all the Earth
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!
The pulse of life within my wrist
A fallen snow, a rising mist
There is no higher praise than this
And my soul wells up
O my soul wells up
Yes my soul wells up with hallelujahs
Link to today’s Morning Office
About This Daily Devotion
This weekday devotion is drawn from the Morning Office and is part of a project initiated by Revd Canon Terry Wong, with contributions from clergy and members across various parishes. Each entry includes selected readings from the appointed Psalm and another Scripture passage, accompanied by a reflection and prayer. An audio option is also available, often ending with a hymn or song. We encourage you to both read and listen.
Our aim is to help Anglicans engage more deeply with our rich liturgical tradition, while meeting the devotional needs of today’s believers. This project began on Ash Wednesday 2025 and is offered on weekdays only.
For feedback, please write to us at info@mpcc.org.sg
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