Psalm Meditation 786
Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time
July 12, 2015

Psalm 33
1 Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous. Praise befits the upright.
2 Praise the LORD with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings.
3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
4 For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.
5 He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.
6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of his mouth.
7 He gathered the waters of the sea as in a bottle; he put the deeps in storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.
10 The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
11 The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
12 Happy is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage.
13 The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all humankind.
14 From where he sits enthroned he watches all the inhabitants of the earth—
15 he who fashions the hearts of them all, and observes all their deeds.
16 A king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
17 The war horse is a vain hope for victory, and by its great might it cannot save.
18 Truly the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,
19 to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and shield.
21 Our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.
22 Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.
(NRSV)

How would our lives be different if instead of thinking, ‘I should do…’ we did those things as we thought of them? And if we did those things that led to a helpful, positive outcome for those around us? My guess is that many of our days would end with a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment. We would be tired from having done so many great and small things and exhilarated by the sense of having served others by the activities of the day.

Imagine how different our lives would be if God did not act in steadfast love and righteousness in our lives. We would never know if or when God might show us the love we need. We would have no idea what it means to be righteous because we would have no example from God. Our concept of justice would be based on something other than a sense of fairness for each and all of us.

We are probably not going to be able to bring ourselves to do all the good things that come to mind for the sake of others through the day. We can take great comfort in these words, “For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.” Precisely because we can’t do it ourselves it is good to know that God acts in faithful righteousness and love toward us and all people.

July 6, 2015
LCM lcrsmanifold@att.net
http://psalmmeditations.blogspot.com/