Psalm 129

Reading for September 7, 2012            Psalm 129

Our initial response to Psalm 129 may be one of confusion. As the followers of Jesus, we have been taught to forgive our enemies. We’ve been taught to pray for our enemies. The thought of pronouncing a curse on our enemies seems foreign to our Christian training. However, before we quickly dismiss the psalm as lacking relevance to our era, we should take a closer look at the psalm.

First, while it is true we have been taught a different attitude toward those who harm us; nevertheless, pronouncing curses is a very common occurrence in our culture. We can be pretty quick to pronounce a curse on ourselves when we hit our finger with a hammer, break a glass or do something we think is stupid. When another person angers us, we may be quick to suggest a final, eternal destination for that person.

Next, let us recall that for the Old Testament people of God, blessings and curses were a normal way of life. God’s call to Abram was founded on this principle: “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt” (Genesis 12:3a). When God’s people gathered together after the Exodus, God’s instructions to them were based on the principles of Blessings for Obedience and Curses for Disobedience. (See Deuteronomy 28)

Finally, our culture teaches us to see things in shades of gray, instead of black and white, to think in terms of “both / and” instead of “either / or.” Even so, there are most definitely absolutes for the followers of Jesus. A person is either in Christ, or in the world, saved for all eternity with Christ, or lost in a Christ-less eternity. I think it was St. Augustine who said we have two choices. We can live under God’s grace, or live under God’s wrath. The scripture certainly supports his thoughts: “But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness” (Romans 2:8); “But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:21).

For me, as I live securely in the grasp of Jesus, I choose to bless those for whom the love of God is still a stranger, in the hope that they too may call on the name of the Lord.

“The Lord bless you;

    we bless you in the Lord’s name.”

Psalm 129:8b

Sē’lah

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What word or phrase in today’s reading of the Psalms

 attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

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Reading for September 8, 2012            Psalm 130