【双语灵修】我们以赞美之声来回应OUR VOICES RESONATE WITH PRAISE

以赛亚书 54:1-8

“你这不怀孕不生养的，要歌唱！你这未曾经过产难的，要发声歌唱，扬声欢呼！因为没有丈夫的，比有丈夫的儿女更多。”这是耶和华说的。 “要扩张你帐幕之地，张大你居所的幔子，不要限制；要放长你的绳子，坚固你的橛子。 因为你要向左向右开展，你的后裔必得多国为业，又使荒凉的城邑有人居住。 “不要惧怕，因你必不致蒙羞；也不要抱愧，因你必不致受辱。你必忘记幼年的羞愧，不再记念你寡居的羞辱。 因为造你的是你的丈夫，万军之耶和华是他的名；救赎你的是以色列的圣者，他必称为全地之神。 耶和华召你，如召被离弃心中忧伤的妻，就是幼年所娶被弃的妻。”这是你神所说的。 “我离弃你不过片时，却要施大恩将你收回。 我的怒气涨溢，顷刻之间向你掩面，却要以永远的慈爱怜恤你。”这是耶和华你的救赎主说的。

9月4日

我们以赞美之声来回应

“你这不怀孕不生养的……要发声歌唱， 扬声欢呼……” - 赛 54:1

我在一个崇拜气氛保守的基督教传统中长大（现在我仍然是在相同的环境中事奉）。在我的记忆中，有一次我的教会邀请了附近一间堂会的牧师来讲道，这位牧师来自一间惯于表达个人感受的教会，他在讲道时，会众时常会以“阿们！”和“主啊，是的”来回应他所讲的话。在崇拜开始之前，我对他说：“在你讲道时，若会众显得非常安静，你便知道他们是正在专心聆听的了。”他笑着说，他从来没有听过这种说法啊！

释经书的内容通常都是颇为沉闷的，然而我拥有的那本却是例外。书中的作者以兴奋的文笔来解释《以赛亚书》54-55章。作者特别指出《以赛亚书》54章1节。在这节经文中，神呼召祂的百姓来欢呼歌唱，因为他们知道自己已蒙救赎：“要发声歌唱，扬声欢呼。”解经的人以生动的字句来意译这句话为：“愿欢乐的歌声从你心里爆发出来！”

按照某些传统，基于我们对敬畏和礼仪规范的看法，类似上面的意译可能令我们觉得不甚合宜，我们可能会对热切表达对神的爱有所顾忌。然而，在《以赛亚书》的篇幅中，我们看见受造物本身都无拘无束地赞美它的创造主。受造物以赞美彼此和应，大山发声歌唱，树木也都拍掌，诸天在述说神的荣耀。因着耶稣，我们都是罪得赦免，蒙神修复的子民，这就是感动我们来欢呼赞美的原因！

祷告

耶稣啊，我们若没有热切地敬拜你，求你赦免。求你教导我们，怎样去表达发自我们内心的感激，来感谢你为我们所作的一切。阿们。

Isaiah 54:1-8

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4

OUR VOICES RESONATE WITH PRAISE

“Sing, barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy. . . .” —Isaiah 54:1

I grew up (and still serve) in a Christian tradition that tends to be reserved in worship. I remember inviting a pastor from a neighboring church to speak in our congregation. He came from a more expressive background, in which people often said “Amen!” and “Yes, Lord,” to statements he made while he was preaching. Before the worship service I said to him, “When you’re preaching, and the congregation gets really quiet, that’s when you know they are really listening.” He laughed and said he had never heard that before!

Bible commentaries are often fairly dry, yet I own one in which the author writes about Isaiah 54-55 with lots of enthusiasm. The writer highlights Isaiah 54:1, where God calls his people to sing with the joy of knowing they have been saved: “Burst into song, shout for joy.” The commentator rephrases that text vividly with these words: “Let joyful songs explode out of you!”

In some traditions, our sense of reverence and decorum can make us feel uncomfortable with statements like that. We can become shy about expressing our love for God with great enthusiasm. Yet throughout Isaiah we see that creation itself is not restrained in praising its Maker. Creation resounds with praise. The mountains sing, the trees clap their hands, and the heavens declare God’s glory. Because of Jesus, we are a forgiven, restored people, and that moves us to joyful praise!

Jesus, forgive us if we have been unenthusiastic in worship. Teach us to express heartfelt gratitude for all that you have done for us. Amen.