Psalm 116
This Psalm begins I love the LORD for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.
Because he turned his ear to me I will call upon him as long as I live
Now to me it sounds a bit like the Psalmist badgering a charity donor here! However let's carry on!
The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by distress and sorrow.
Then I called on the name of the LORD: "LORD, Save me!"
I'm going to let you in on a secret here - sometimes I feel a bit like that, my mind turns on transience and mortality - when I think about it rationally I turn to God who has given us so many wonderful things to enjoy in life and remember, as in my last post that God is the God of the living, and to quote another great hero from the Christian faith "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" St Paul letter to the Philippians
Suddenly the tense of the Psalm changes from the first person -
The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.
The LORD protects the unwary.
Does this mean that I can go wandering alone in the rougher areas of Bradford (pick a city of your choice, Bradford is local to me.) in the middle of the night as God will protect the unwary?
There may be a thin line between "unwary" and "idiot".......
I know of Christians who go out to the night clubs and pubs in the early hours as street pastors - they try and protect some of the (self induced) vulnerable people and share that there is more to life than needing help counting your feet (or whatever they think they are doing) But they take precautions and are wary of their surrounding
Then back to the first person -
When I was brought low, he saved me.
Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has been good to you
God's goodness here has a response from the Psalm writer -
What shall I return to the LORD for all his goodness to me?
I will lift the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.
I will fulfil my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful servants.
I was going to skip over this verse, but actually I want to say something.
In November and December of 2015 my grandparents died. Both had followed the Christian faith most (if not all) their lives. They met a church, married at church and their church minister took their funerals. Both their lives spent in service of God were precious but here I find that God treasures the moment they passed into glory. I type this with a tear in my eye and a lump in my throat amazed by this fact - Precious in the sight of God is not only my life, but my death!
Truly I am your servant, LORD; I server you just as my mother did (and my grandmother and grandfather if it comes to that!)
I will fulfil my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.
In the courts of the house of the LORD - In your midst, Jerusalem.
Praise the LORD
This Psalm begins I love the LORD for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.
Because he turned his ear to me I will call upon him as long as I live
Now to me it sounds a bit like the Psalmist badgering a charity donor here! However let's carry on!
The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by distress and sorrow.
Then I called on the name of the LORD: "LORD, Save me!"
I'm going to let you in on a secret here - sometimes I feel a bit like that, my mind turns on transience and mortality - when I think about it rationally I turn to God who has given us so many wonderful things to enjoy in life and remember, as in my last post that God is the God of the living, and to quote another great hero from the Christian faith "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" St Paul letter to the Philippians
Suddenly the tense of the Psalm changes from the first person -
The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.
The LORD protects the unwary.
Does this mean that I can go wandering alone in the rougher areas of Bradford (pick a city of your choice, Bradford is local to me.) in the middle of the night as God will protect the unwary?
There may be a thin line between "unwary" and "idiot".......
I know of Christians who go out to the night clubs and pubs in the early hours as street pastors - they try and protect some of the (self induced) vulnerable people and share that there is more to life than needing help counting your feet (or whatever they think they are doing) But they take precautions and are wary of their surrounding
Then back to the first person -
When I was brought low, he saved me.
Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has been good to you
God's goodness here has a response from the Psalm writer -
What shall I return to the LORD for all his goodness to me?
I will lift the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.
I will fulfil my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful servants.
I was going to skip over this verse, but actually I want to say something.
In November and December of 2015 my grandparents died. Both had followed the Christian faith most (if not all) their lives. They met a church, married at church and their church minister took their funerals. Both their lives spent in service of God were precious but here I find that God treasures the moment they passed into glory. I type this with a tear in my eye and a lump in my throat amazed by this fact - Precious in the sight of God is not only my life, but my death!
Truly I am your servant, LORD; I server you just as my mother did (and my grandmother and grandfather if it comes to that!)
I will fulfil my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.
In the courts of the house of the LORD - In your midst, Jerusalem.
Praise the LORD
No comments:
Post a Comment