Clergy/Leaders’ Mail-list No. 2-236 Sunday 01 Dec 2002

Reading: Psalm 136 – LET US GLADLY WITH ONE MIND

As you enter God’s presence today, let praise be an aid to prayer.

This psalm, known as ‘the great psalm of praise’, was composed for responsive singing – the congregation responding with the refrain, ‘His love endures for ever’. The word for ‘love’ here is the Hebrew hesed, usually poorly translated in English, but which richly encapsulates the unconditional, grace-laden nature of God’s ‘covenant’ love and his intimate relationship with his people. God invites us to make this response a recurring refrain in our confusing world, where we are too quickly distracted by both big and insignificant happenings around and within us. This repeated phrase is like a spiritual punctuation mark that may draw us back to God.

The key verses (vs 1-3) are based on thanksgiving; it is the best language of prayer!(Rom 1:7-10; 1 Cor 1:4-9) How far are our lives characterised by thanksgiving? Do we short-change others – and above all God – by our failure in this most basic Christian expression? Is there sufficient spiritual capital in our lives to motivate thanksgiving and praise, or have we become discouraged because seldom do we hear or receive it from others? How often do we express our thankfulness tangibly – a small personal gift, a thoughtful note written after the event?

The wonderful thing about this psalm is that it ends (vs 23-25) with a potent reminder of God’s love for us. He rescues and provides for us, whatever our condition. There will be moments when God may seem remote and totally unaware of our situation. But look again at verse 23 in the light of the psalmist’s catalogue of God: revealed as creator (vs 4-9), redeemer (vs 10-16), and conqueror (vs 17-22). Our remarkably short and selective memories need his divine ‘jogging’; his memory is all-encompassing!

‘Heaven will be all praise. If you cannot praise God, you will never be there.’ (Robert Murray M’Cheyne, 1813-43, Sermons, Banner of Truth) Are you ready for heaven?

– David Blair

Copyright Scripture Union, 2002

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