Clergy/Leaders’ Mail-list No. 2-104 Sunday 26 May 2002

Reading: Psalm 112 – SHAKE NOT THE RIGHTEOUS

(From ‘Encounter with God’ Bible Reading Notes)

‘I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed’.(1) Hallelujah!

Because it so closely echoes the language and themes of Psalm 1, it is just possible that this psalm marks the conclusion of an early edition of the psalter. In any event, it is an acrostic poem, meaning that each successive clause begins with the ensuing letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It is a poetic way of indicating, as we might say in English, that the psalm sums up the ‘A to Z’ of righteousness and the life of faith. And just as each sentence of the original contains a precise number of words, so the psalm presents a tidy and ordered view of human destiny under God’s control.

According to the psalmist, those who follow God’s way are righteous and generous, never afraid of or defeated by evil; they are wealthy and secure, blessed with many descendants, and remembered forever with honour

But if nothing else, Jesus’ own experience might cause us to question this view of things. Ironically – tragically – it was those most committed to serving God who fatally opposed him, and far from receiving the reward of his faithfulness, Jesus was betrayed to an unjust, untimely death. And what can we say of our own experience? Who can claim the psalmist’s ideal for themselves or their church?

Yet for all this, the psalm still rings true. For the time being, we see things only ‘in part’ as a ‘poor reflection’ of what is yet to come.(2) We do not see everything subject to God’s reign, ‘but we do see Jesus … now crowned with glory and honour because he suffered death’. (3) The psalmist celebrates everything that we long for; precisely because of Jesus, we know that in him it will come to pass.(4)

In the face of everything that troubles you, consider his promise: ‘Behold, I make all things new’.(5)

(1) Rom 8:18 (2) 1 Cor 13:9,12 (3) Heb 2:8,9 (4) Rev 11:15 (5) Rev 21:5

– Rev Dr Michael Knowles

Copyright Scripture Union, 2002

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