Clergy/Leaders’ Mail-list No. 3-071 Sunday 13 Apr 2003

Psalms on Sundays Reading: Psalm 5 – MAKING SENSE OF OUR LIVES

Think: what aspect of God’s character are you most sure of at the moment?

Whatever your level of understanding, there is always something more to be grasped of God. In this psalm the first quality of God which comes to the fore is his justice (vs 4,8,10,12).(Compare Ps 4:1; 7:6) Now it is true that the Christian sense of God’s justice is profoundly changed by our grateful recognition that Jesus has satisfied his Father’s demands for righteousness.(Rom 8:3) Even so, the discourse of God’s justice needs to be made more central in our thinking and worship.

God’s justice is not just to be feared. The psalmist recognises that it is crucial to hopeful prayer. Verses 4-6 could so easily be caricatured in our culture’s dislike of religious certainty; actually they are the very reverse of arrogant (v 5). To those who struggle with the continued existence of evil in God’s universe they remind us that God is no sadist; that the lies and destruction that are commonplace in global conflict and local resentments alike are an abhorrence to God. This needs to be carried into our public prayer, perhaps today, and also into politics and law courts. The justice we pray for, and the justice we can work for are part of a continuum, not inhabitants of separate spheres.

This psalm presents a theology of prayer that is bound up with the notion of God’s presence. Entering God’s presence is no casual matter, but involves getting right with God and our neighbours.(Exod 19:22; Matt 5:23,24) So, we start praying through God’s mercy first of all (v 7). We are fit to be in God’s house by his grace, not our performance, and if our attitude needs to be reverent and humble, then that is no more than a recognition of that privilege.

What is the best way to compose yourself for prayer, especially prayer for justice.

– Roger Pooley

Copyright Scripture Union, 2003, Encounter with God

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