Psalm Meditation 501
Third Sunday after Epiphany
January 24, 2010

Psalm 145
1 I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever.
2 Every day I will bless you, and praise your name forever and ever.
3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable.
4 One generation shall laud your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.
5 On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
6 The might of your awesome deeds shall be proclaimed, and I will declare your greatness.
7 They shall celebrate the fame of your abundant goodness, and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.
8 The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 The LORD is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made.
10 All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD, and all your faithful shall bless you.
11 They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom, and tell of your power,
12 to make known to all people your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. The LORD is faithful in all his words, and gracious in all his deeds.
14 The LORD upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season.
16 You open your hand, satisfying the desire of every living thing.
17 The LORD is just in all his ways, and kind in all his doings.
18 The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desire of all who fear him; he also hears their cry, and saves them.
20 The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.
21 My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD, and all flesh will bless his holy name forever and ever.
(NRSV)

The culture of the world in the biblical era was one based in honor and shame. To do good things brought honor to ones relatives past present and future. To do evil heaped shame on one’s heritage and legacy. It is so good to know that we have grown past that. We never judge a person by the actions of their parents or siblings. We never look down our noses at someone who snubbed us when we were little nothings and want to be our friends now that we have made something of ourselves. We never give someone the benefit of the doubt because they come from good people. We still live honor and shame based lives. Some folks live more deeply in honor and shame than others, however we still live by the favors we give and receive and die by the good things we fail to do.

We like to believe that God lives with an honor and shame code as well. We want God to honor us for all the good things and to punish all those miserable wretches who do evil to us and those we love. We want to know that everything is someone’s fault and if there is no person to blame it is only because we do not see with the clear eye of God. We know that God is “gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” when it comes to us and that , “all the wicked he will destroy” when it comes to all of them. God lives out of divine radical free will. God is not bound by our categories of honor and shame of us and them. God is bound by steadfast love.

Yes, God is gracious and loving. Yes, God does destroy the wicked. As long as we are willing to see that God loves each one of us and destroys what is wicked with each of us we find a clearer picture of God. And we find a God who looks forward with us to a day in which, “all flesh will bless his holy name forever and ever.”


© January 18, 2010