Clergy/Leaders’ Mail-list No. 3-028 Sunday 09 Feb 2003

Reading: Psalm 146 – THE FIGHT OF PRAISE

What experiences have you had of disappointment through misplaced trust?

The book of Psalms ends with its own ‘Hallelujah Chorus’ – five psalms each topped and tailed with ‘Hallelujah’ or ‘Praise the Lord!’ These psalms are anonymous with few historical or personal allusions; their focus is on the mighty acts of God.

The psalmist begins strongly: ‘I will (almost, I intend to) praise the Lord all my life.’ Why is he so determinedly purposeful? Because there are two problems. The first is the tendency of all human beings (whether princes or ordinary folk) to disappoint (vs 3,4). The second is that for a person with their eyes open there are many reasons for not praising the Creator – for example, the world is disfigured by oppression, hunger, imprisonment, blindness. The psalmist names nine conditions, any one of which, when faced and felt, might inspire protest rather than praise.

It is reassuring to remember that in The Brothers Karamazov, Dostoevsky writes, ‘My Hosannah has burst forth through a great furnace of doubt’ This psalm celebrates the joy to be found in praising God as the One who creates everything (v 6) and reigns for ever (v 10) because of his transforming actions (vs 7-9). The psalm leaves open the question how these changes may be brought about and what the praiser’s responsibility may be in this matter.

Praise has a long and troubled history: it is a hard-won verdict; it rises above but does not exclude laments and shouts of anger. But when all is said and done, praise will be our final duty and everlasting joy.

‘Hope, though woes be doubled; hope and be undismayed; Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid … God sitteth on the throne and guideth all things well’. (Paul Gerhardt, 1607 – 1676)

– Howard Peskett

Copyright Scripture Union, 2003

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