Archive for the ‘Psalm 69’ Category
I covered 150 psalms in 82 posts.
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Posted February 25, 2023 by neatnik2009 in Psalm 1, Psalm 10, Psalm 100, Psalm 101, Psalm 102, Psalm 103, Psalm 104, Psalm 105, Psalm 106, Psalm 107, Psalm 108, Psalm 109, Psalm 11, Psalm 110, Psalm 111, Psalm 112, Psalm 113, Psalm 114, Psalm 115, Psalm 116, Psalm 117, Psalm 118, Psalm 119, Psalm 12, Psalm 120, Psalm 121, Psalm 122, Psalm 123, Psalm 124, Psalm 125, Psalm 126, Psalm 127, Psalm 128, Psalm 129, Psalm 13, Psalm 130, Psalm 131, Psalm 132, Psalm 133, Psalm 134, Psalm 135, Psalm 136, Psalm 137, Psalm 138, Psalm 139, Psalm 14, Psalm 140, Psalm 141, Psalm 142, Psalm 143, Psalm 144, Psalm 145, Psalm 146, Psalm 147, Psalm 148, Psalm 149, Psalm 15, Psalm 150, Psalm 16, Psalm 17, Psalm 18, Psalm 19, Psalm 2, Psalm 20, Psalm 21, Psalm 22, Psalm 23, Psalm 24, Psalm 25, Psalm 26, Psalm 27, Psalm 28, Psalm 29, Psalm 3, Psalm 30, Psalm 31, Psalm 32, Psalm 33, Psalm 34, Psalm 35, Psalm 36, Psalm 37, Psalm 38, Psalm 39, Psalm 4, Psalm 40, Psalm 41, Psalm 42, Psalm 43, Psalm 44, Psalm 45, Psalm 46, Psalm 47, Psalm 48, Psalm 49, Psalm 5, Psalm 50, Psalm 51, Psalm 52, Psalm 53, Psalm 54, Psalm 55, Psalm 56, Psalm 57, Psalm 58, Psalm 59, Psalm 6, Psalm 60, Psalm 61, Psalm 62, Psalm 63, Psalm 64, Psalm 65, Psalm 66, Psalm 67, Psalm 68, Psalm 69, Psalm 7, Psalm 70, Psalm 71, Psalm 72, Psalm 73, Psalm 74, Psalm 75, Psalm 76, Psalm 77, Psalm 78, Psalm 79, Psalm 8, Psalm 80, Psalm 81, Psalm 82, Psalm 83, Psalm 84, Psalm 85, Psalm 86, Psalm 87, Psalm 88, Psalm 89, Psalm 9, Psalm 90, Psalm 91, Psalm 92, Psalm 93, Psalm 94, Psalm 95, Psalm 96, Psalm 97, Psalm 98, Psalm 99
READING THE BOOK OF PSALMS
PART L
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Psalm 69
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Psalm 69 uses the metaphor of drowning in the hatred of other people, including relatives. The psalm may be either an individual lament from the context of reproach or a lament for the destruction of the First Temple in 587/586 B.C.E. The Jewish Study Bible, Second Edition (2014) argues that the themes of exile and mourning pervade Psalm 69. So, perhaps the singular voice in the psalm is the personification of the people of Judah. Support for this interpretation comes from the confidence at the end that
God will deliver Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah.
I break my train of thought to make a note of something I would ignore otherwise. If I do not get off-topic, someone may criticize me for the omission. Yes, I recognize the traditional Christian interpretation related to Jesus, in the context of Holy Week and the Passion narrative–bearing reproach for others, having to drink vinegar, et cetera. Yet I also insist that the psalmist had something quite different in mind. So, now I return to my main topic.
Retaining hope in God in grim circumstances can be difficult for both individuals and groups. The historical record of Jews alone contains many dark times and a plethora of oppression. Judaism continues to grapple with the Holocaust, understandably. Despite the difficulty of hanging onto hope in God in the midst of legitimate lament, retaining that hope is essential.
A story from the Holocaust indicates such hope during dark times:
A Nazi guard in a concentration camp mocked a Jew, assigned to clean the disgusting toilets. The guard asked:
Where is your God now?
The Jew replied:
Here, beside me in the muck.
The lives of the faithful are not all prosperity, kittens, and success. Trials and tribulations are par for the course, as many psalms understand. God remains present constantly. If we cannot “see” God, we need to look in the right place, where God is near.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JANUARY 24, 2023 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF THE ORDINATION OF FLORENCE LI-TIM-OI, FIRST FEMALE PRIEST IN THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION
THE FEAST OF BOB KEESHAN, CAPTAIN KANGAROO
THE FEAST OF LINDSAY BARTHOLOMEW LONGACRE, U.S. METHODIST MINISTER, BIBLICAL SCHOLAR, AND HYMN TUNE COMPOSER
THE FEAST OF SAINT MARIE POUSSEPIN, FOUNDER OF THE DOMINICAN SISTERS OF CHARITY OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE VIRGIN
THE FEAST OF THE MARTYRS OF PODLASIE, 1874
THE FEAST OF SAINT SURANUS OF SORA, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT AND MARTYR, 580
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Above: Jeremiah
Image in the Public Domain
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According to the Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship (ILCW) Lectionary (1973), as contained in the Lutheran Book of Worship (1978) and Lutheran Worship (1982)
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Jeremiah 20:7-13
Psalm 69:1-20 (LBW) or Psalm 91 (LW)
Romans 5:12-15
Matthew 10:24-33
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O God our defender,
storms rage about us and cause us to be afraid.
Rescue your people from despair,
deliver your sons and daughters from fear,
and preserve us all from unbelief;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 25
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O Lord, whose gracious presence never fails to guide
and govern those whom you have nurtured
in your steadfast love and worship,
make us ever revere and adore your holy name;
through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Worship (1982), 66
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Following God is frequently a guarantee that one will experience rejection, often from devout people. The Golden Rule exists in most of the world’s religions. Yet, O reader, practice the Golden Rule and notice how much criticism you receive from some adherents to some of these religions, including your own.
Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction.
Faith has the power to transform people. Religion often reinforces positive and negative tendencies people have. God or a deity frequently functions as a justification for what one wants to do anyway. People often create God in their image.
Jeremiah did not create God in his image. The Weeping Prophet struggled with God, complaining while obeying. The authors of the assigned texts from the Hebrew Bible wrote of divine protection. Divine protection kept Jeremiah alive yet did not prevent his involuntary exile in Egypt. And Jesus died horribly via crucifixion.
Martyrs populate Christian calendars of saints. This is consistent with various sayings of Jesus from the canonical Gospels. Commandments to deny oneself, take up one’s cross, and follow Jesus dovetail with Matthew 10:24:
No disciple is above his teacher, no slave above his master.
—The New American Bible–Revised Edition (2011)
Yet, in sovereignty, God makes unjust suffering work for a positive end. Persecutions and martyrdoms water the church. Redemption comes via the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Often, social injustice prompts a backlash in favor of social justice. The New Testament depicts the violent, oppressive Roman Empire as an involuntary tool of God. God works with what is available.
As much as I enjoy forces of evil functioning involuntarily as agents of God, I assert that being a voluntary agent of God is superior. I try to be one of these voluntary agents of God. To the extent I succeed, I do so by grace. May you, O reader, succeed by grace, in that effort, too.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MAY 4, 2022 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT CEFERINO JIMENEZ MALLA, SPANISH ROMANI MARTYR, 1936
THE FEAST OF ANGUS DUN, EPISCOPAL BISHOP OF WASHINGTON, AND ECUMENIST
THE FEAST OF SAINT BASIL MARTYSZ, POLISH ORTHODOX PRIEST AND MARTYR, 1945
THE FEAST OF SAINT JEAN-MARTIN MOYË, ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST, MISSIONARY IN CHINA, AND FOUNDER OF THE SISTERS OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE AND THE CHRISTIAN VIRGINS
THE FEAST OF SAINTS JOHN HOUGHTON, ROBERT LAWRENCE, AUGUSTINE WEBSTER, HUMPHREY MIDDLEMORE, WILLIAM EXMEW, AND SEBASTIAN NEWDIGATE, ROMAN CATHOLIC MARTYRS, 1535
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Adapted from this post
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Above: Icon of the Crucifixion, by Andrei Rublev
Image in the Public Domain
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For Good Friday, Year 2
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Lectionary from A Book of Worship for Free Churches (The General Council of the Congregational Christian Churches in the United States, 1948)
Collect from The Book of Worship (Evangelical and Reformed Church, 1947)
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Almighty God, we beseech thee graciously to behold this thy family,
for which our Lord Jesus Christ was contented to be betrayed,
and given up into the hands of wicked men, and to suffer death upon the cross;
who now liveth and reigneth wtih thee and the Holy Spirit,
ever One God, world without end. Amen.
—The Book of Worship (1947), 161-162
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Micah 6:1-8
Psalm 69:1-21
2 Corinthians 5:14-21
Matthew 27:33-50
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He has told you, O man, what is good
And for what the LORD requires of you:
Only to love goodness,
And to walk modestly with your God.
–Micah 6:8-9a, TANAKH: The Holy Scriptures (1985)
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The Book of Micah dates to the reigns of Kings Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah of Judah (759-698/687 B.C.E.). The final version, however, comes from a time after the Fall of Jerusalem (587/586 B.C.E.). Therefore, hindsight informs the text as much as the then-present tense does. The Book of Micah proclaims divine judgment and mercy (in balance), as well as the moral imperative of mutuality in society. To violate mutuality is to trample the vulnerable, which is to offend God.
Jesus died for more than one reason, including scapegoating by authority figures. His unjust execution (a major point in the Gospel of Luke) constituted a violation of Micah 6:8-9a. Societies, governments, and institutions00even relatively benign ones–have continued to victimize people. Every time a court has convicted someone wrongly, an innocent person has died via capital punishment, a government has turned a blind eye to lynching, et cetera, has been an occasion of violating Micah 6:8-9a.
Our (however one defines “our”) name has yet to achieve wisdom. We are guilty collectively. Each of us is guilty individually, for each person belongs to the whole. The Book of Common Prayer (1979) contains a prayer for forgiveness for
sins committed on our behalf.
Original sin taints human societies and institutions. Even the best intentioned of us cannot avoid contributing to the furtherance of evil from which we benefit.
A note in The Jewish Study Bible offers some useful information about one line:
And to walk modestly with your God.
No English translation properly conveys the meaning of the Hebrew word usually rendered as “humbly” or “modestly.” Other translations include “wisely,” “completely,” and “carefully.” I gravitate toward “completely.” Walking completely with God as a high calling, both individually and collectively. It is also realistic, by grace. Do we want to respond faithfully via our free will, itself a result of grace?
On Good Friday and all other days, may we ask ourselves how many more people will die because we–individually and collectively–refuse to respond faithfully.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JANUARY 9, 2021 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT PEPIN OF LANDEN, SAINT ITTA OF METZ, THEIR RELATIONS, SAINTS AMAND, AUSTREGISILUS, AND SULPICIUS II BOURGES, FAITHFUL CHRISTIANS ACROSS GENERATIONAL LINES
THE FEAST OF EMILY GREENE BALCH, U.S. QUAKER SOCIOLOGIST, ECONOMIST, AND PEACE ACTIVIST
THE FEAST OF JULIA CHESTER EMERY, UPHOLDER OF MISSIONS
THE FEAST OF SAINT PHILIP II OF MOSCOW, METROPOLITAN OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA, AND MARTYR, 1569
THE FEAST OF WILLIAM JONES, ANGLICAN PRIEST AND MUSICIAN
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Above: Engagement and Wedding Rings, 1922
Image in the Public Domain
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Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,
that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of life,
which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
—The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236
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Numbers 6:22-27 or 2 Kings 4:1-7
Psalm 69:1-3, 7-18
Hebrews 9:1-14; 10:19-31
Mark 10:1-15
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Four of the five readings occur in the context of adversity. Two of these mention women and children.
Women and children were often the most vulnerable people in the Bible. This was especially true if the women were widows and the children were minors and/or orphans. The test/trap question about divorce in Mark 10:1-12 brought divorced women into the mix.
One of the greatest contributions of Richard Horsley to Biblical scholarship is focusing on practical considerations in the teachings of Jesus. In this case, consider the economic hardships of Jewish peasants in Roman-occupied Palestine. Horsley’s work on Christ’s thoughts about divorce in that cultural context informs my thinking.
Divorce was a leading cause of dire poverty among women, most of whom were already poor. Without the protection of marriage, their options were bad. Most widows knew that situation, too, unless they had a male relative (perhaps an adult son) to protect them. The family unit provided security.
The juxtaposition of the teaching on divorce and the statement about children and humility is not accidental. It tells another way the divine order differs from human societies.
Divorce remains a leading cause of poverty in the female population. Divorce is necessary or preferable sometimes, as in cases of domestic violence, alcoholism, attempted murder, et cetera. Nevertheless, it and marriage are matters to take seriously, for the good of all involved and for the good of society.
If more people practiced the Golden Rule more often, the world would be a better place and fewer people would suffer physical and/or emotional damage. May we deal graciously with each other as we pray that God will do the same to us.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JULY 26, 2019 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINTS ANNE AND JOACHIM, PARENTS OF SAINT MARY OF NAZARETH
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Adapted from this post:
https://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2019/07/26/devotion-for-proper-24-year-b-humes/
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Scan by Kenneth Randolph Taylor
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The psalter of the Septuagint contains 151 psalms.
I have written based on all of them, in numerical order. I have retained the Hebrew numbering system, not that of the Septuagint.
Although I have no theological reticence to venture into textual territory that, according the United Methodism of my youth, is apocryphal, I do have limits. They reside in the realm of Orthodoxy, with its range of scriptural canons. Beyond that one finds the Pseudipigrapha. Psalm 151 concludes the Book of Psalms in The Orthodox Study Bible (2008); so be it.
The Hebrew psalter concludes with Psalm 150. In other psalters, however, the count is higher. In certain editions of the Septuagint, for example, Psalm 151 is an appendix to the Book of Psalms. In other editions of the Septuagint, however, Psalm 151 is an integrated part of the psalter. There is also the matter of the Syraic psalter, which goes as high as Psalm 155. I have no immediate plans to ponder Psalms 152-155, however. Neither do I plan to read and write about Psalms 156-160 any time soon, if ever.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
AUGUST 23, 2017 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINTS MARTIN DE PORRES AND JUAN MACIAS, HUMANITARIANS AND DOMINICAN LAY BROTHERS; SAINT ROSE OF LIMA, HUMANITARIAN AND DOMINICAN SISTER; AND SAINT TURIBIUS OF MOGROVEJO, ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP OF LIMA
THE FEAST OF WILLIAM JOHN COPELAND, ANGLICAN PRIEST AND HYMN TRANSLATOR
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Book One: Psalms 1-41
Book Two: Psalms 42-72
Book Three: Psalms 73-89
Book Four: Psalms 90-106
Book Five: Psalms 107-150
Also in the Greek: Psalm 151
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Posted August 23, 2017 by neatnik2009 in Psalm 1, Psalm 10, Psalm 100, Psalm 101, Psalm 102, Psalm 103, Psalm 104, Psalm 105, Psalm 106, Psalm 107, Psalm 108, Psalm 109, Psalm 11, Psalm 110, Psalm 111, Psalm 112, Psalm 113, Psalm 114, Psalm 115, Psalm 116, Psalm 117, Psalm 118, Psalm 119, Psalm 12, Psalm 120, Psalm 121, Psalm 122, Psalm 123, Psalm 124, Psalm 125, Psalm 126, Psalm 127, Psalm 128, Psalm 129, Psalm 13, Psalm 130, Psalm 131, Psalm 132, Psalm 133, Psalm 134, Psalm 135, Psalm 136, Psalm 137, Psalm 138, Psalm 139, Psalm 14, Psalm 140, Psalm 141, Psalm 142, Psalm 143, Psalm 144, Psalm 145, Psalm 146, Psalm 147, Psalm 148, Psalm 149, Psalm 15, Psalm 150, Psalm 151, Psalm 16, Psalm 17, Psalm 18, Psalm 19, Psalm 2, Psalm 20, Psalm 21, Psalm 22, Psalm 23, Psalm 24, Psalm 25, Psalm 26, Psalm 27, Psalm 28, Psalm 29, Psalm 3, Psalm 30, Psalm 31, Psalm 32, Psalm 33, Psalm 34, Psalm 35, Psalm 36, Psalm 37, Psalm 38, Psalm 39, Psalm 4, Psalm 40, Psalm 41, Psalm 42, Psalm 43, Psalm 44, Psalm 45, Psalm 46, Psalm 47, Psalm 48, Psalm 49, Psalm 5, Psalm 50, Psalm 51, Psalm 52, Psalm 53, Psalm 54, Psalm 55, Psalm 56, Psalm 57, Psalm 58, Psalm 59, Psalm 6, Psalm 60, Psalm 61, Psalm 62, Psalm 63, Psalm 64, Psalm 65, Psalm 66, Psalm 67, Psalm 68, Psalm 69, Psalm 7, Psalm 70, Psalm 71, Psalm 72, Psalm 73, Psalm 74, Psalm 75, Psalm 76, Psalm 77, Psalm 78, Psalm 79, Psalm 8, Psalm 80, Psalm 81, Psalm 82, Psalm 83, Psalm 84, Psalm 85, Psalm 86, Psalm 87, Psalm 88, Psalm 89, Psalm 9, Psalm 90, Psalm 91, Psalm 92, Psalm 93, Psalm 94, Psalm 95, Psalm 96, Psalm 97, Psalm 98, Psalm 99
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POST XXVI OF LX
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The Book of Common Prayer (1979) includes a plan for reading the Book of Psalms in morning and evening installments for 30 days. I am therefore blogging through the Psalms in 60 posts.
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Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,
that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life,
which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
—The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 226
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In Psalm 70, nearly identical to the end of Psalm 40, the Psalmist asks God for deliverance from and revenge upon foes who threaten his life.
The theme of lament also exists in Psalm 69, apparently by a faithful Jew living in exile after the destruction of the Temple at Jerusalem. The exile has many enemies–strangers, relatives, and former friends. He is figuratively drowning in their scorn. He also seeks deliverance from and vengeance upon his enemies.
As I reread Psalm 69 again the first time in preparation for this post, I focused on the timeless sense of enduring rejection (for the sake of righteousness) from those one knows best. I have read and heard many accounts of people over time who, upon leaving one religion, sect, or denomination for another, have had to cope with rejection by their relatives and former friends who have not converted. Frequently the alienation from one’s former circle has been permanent.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he’ll take and shield thee,
thou wilt find a solace there.
–Joseph M. Screven, circa 1855
My only disagreement with that fragment of “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” is that a friend does not despise and forsake another friend. No, friends take care of and look out for each other; one does not reject and become an enemy of another while remaining a friend. In Judaism God is like what God does. Likewise, we are like what we do.
May we never forget that, when we experience trauma and cry out to God in that context, we might feel alone yet are not, if we walk with God. May we also know that, although the desire for revenge is natural, it is unhealthy. It is, actually, self-destructive and spiritually poisonous. I do take comfort, however, that one can express even the most unpleasant feelings to God safely.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
AUGUST 12, 2017 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF THADDEUS STEVENS, U.S. ABOLITIONIST, CONGRESSMAN, AND WITNESS FOR CIVIL RIGHTS
THE FEAST OF SARAH FLOWER ADAMS, ENGLISH UNITARIAN HYMN WRITER; AND HER SISTER, ELIZA FLOWER, ENGLISH UNITARIAN COMPOSER
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Above: A Crucifix
Photograph by Kenneth Randolph Taylor
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The Collect:
Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,
that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of life,
which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
—The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236
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The Assigned Readings:
Exodus 11:1-6; 12:29-36
Psalm 69:19-21
1 Corinthians 11:17-22, 27-34
John 15:18-25
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The Corinthian congregation was fractious during and after the time of St. Paul the Apostle. A generation after St. Paul, for example, St. Clement of Rome wrote his letter, called 1 Clement, to that church, which had recently deposed all of its presbyters. Reinstate them, he instructed. The issue at hand in 1 Corinthians 11 was the potluck meal, an early version of the Holy Eucharist. The poorer members of the congregation depended on that meal, which some of the more fortunate members were abusing by eating ahead of time and/or taking the occasion of the potluck meal to become intoxicated. These individuals were not contributing their fair share of the menu.
Jesus, unlike them, gave of himself selflessly and sacrificially. He understood well that following God might make one unpopular to the point of persecution and even execution. To make a mockery of the Holy Eucharist was (and is) to take Jesus lightly.
The author of the canonical Gospels were clear that Jesus was innocent of the charge (insurrection) upon which Roman imperial officials crucified him. Also innocent were the firstborn Egyptian sons in Exodus; they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Maundy Thursday is an especially appropriate time, guided by these readings, to ponder the suffering of the innocent, whether at the hand of the state, selfish individuals, or any other actors. It is also a fine time to consider how our religious tradition continues to ascribe much of this suffering of the innocent to God. What are we accusing God of being like anyway?
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JUNE 10, 2017 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF THE INAUGURATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (U.S.A.), 1983
THE FEAST OF THE INAUGURATION OF THE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA, 1925
THE FEAST OF SAINT LANDERICUS OF PARIS, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP
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Adapted from this post:
https://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2017/06/10/devotion-for-maundy-thursday-ackerman/
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Above: Jethro and Moses, by James Tissot
Image in the Public Domain
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Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,
that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of life,
which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
—The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236
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Exodus 18:13-24
Psalm 69:30-36
1 Timothy 3:1-13
Matthew 1:1-17
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The Gospel of Jesus Christ is one of inclusion–inclusion of all the faithful regardless of gender, ethnicity, national origin, et cetera. In Matthew 1, for example, the author mentions four women (although we know there were more females than that involved in all that begetting), one of whom was a foreigner and three of whom had dubious sexual reputations. Even the aliens and the objects of gossip have vital roles to play in the unfolding of divine purposes. Furthermore, nobody can do everything (as Moses learned), but the division of labor and the faithful attendance to duty can enable the faith community to function as well as possible.
The author of Psalm 69 hates his enemies (who hate him) and asks God to smite them. We tend to omit such angry portions of the Psalms, do we not? They frequently make us squirm in our seats as we identify with those passages and feel less than holy as a result. We prefer to read the other passages–such as the assigned portion of Psalm 69–as we ignore the anger and frustration elsewhere in the same poem.
We cannot become the new creations in Christ we ought to be and fulfill our divine vocations as long as we embrace the desire for revenge. I write from experience. We need to acknowledge that anger and vengeance then give it over to God. We must detach from them if we are to grow fully in Christ, who prayed for the forgiveness of those who crucified him and consented to that execution.
This Sunday falls in the vicinity of New Year’s Day. Therefore I offer a proposed resolution: may we abandon revenge and the desire for it in the new year.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
APRIL 30, 2017 COMMON ERA
THE THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER, YEAR A
THE FEAST OF JAMES MONTGOMERY, HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF JOHN ROSS MACDUFF AND GEORGE MATHESON, SCOTTISH PRESBYTERIAN MINISTERS AND AUTHORS
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Adapted from this post:
https://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2017/04/30/devotion-for-the-first-sunday-after-christmas-ackerman/
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Above: Salome with the Head of John the Baptist, by Caravaggio
Image in the Public Domain
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Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,
that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of life,
which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
—The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236
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Leviticus 16:1-34
Psalm 69
Matthew 14:1-12
Hebrews 9:1-28
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O God, you know my folly;
the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.
–Psalm 69:5, The New Revised Standard Version (1989)
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The contents of Leviticus 16 might seem odd to a Gentile, especially one who is a Christian. Part of a note from The Jewish Study Bible–Second Edition (2014) explains it well:
The preceding chs have established that sins and bodily impurities contaminate the Tabernacle. Regular atonement for unintentional sin and the routine eradication of impurity eliminate as much of both types of defilement as possible. Yet, since not all unintentional wrongs are discovered and not everyone is diligent about atonement, a certain amount of defilement remains. In particular, deliberate crimes, which contaminate the inner sanctum where the divine Presence is said to dwell, are not expurgated by the regular atonement rituals. This ch thus provides the instructions for purging the inner sanctum along with the rest of the Tabernacle once a year, so that defilement does not accumulate. It logically follows the laws of purification (chs 12-15), as they conclude with the statement that only by preventing the spread of impurity can the Israelites ensure God’s continual presence among them (15:31). The annual purification ritual, briefly alluded to in Ex. 30:10, is to be performed on the tenth day of the seventh month (v. 29). Elsewhere (23:27, 28; 25:9) this day is referred to as “yom hakippurim”–often translated as “Day of Atonement.”
–Page 231
When we turn to the Letter to the Hebrews we read an extended contrast between the annual rites for Yom Kippur and the one-time sacrifice of Jesus. We also read a multi-chapter contrast between human priests and Jesus, who is simultaneously the priest and the victim.
How much more will the blood of Christ, who offered himself, blameless as he was, to God through the eternal Spirit, purify our conscience from dead actions so that we can worship the living God.
–Hebrews 9:14, The New Jerusalem Bible (1985)
St. John the Baptist, of whose death we read in Matthew 14:1-12, was the forerunner of Jesus. Not only did John point to Jesus and baptize him, but he also preceded him in violent death. The shedding of the blood of St. John the Baptist on the orders of Herod Antipas was a political and face-saving act. Antipas had, after all, imprisoned John for political reasons. The alleged crime of St. John the Baptist was to challenge authority with his words, which was one reason for the crucifixion of Jesus also.
Part of the grace evident in martyrdom (such as that of St. John the Baptist) and of the crucifixion of Jesus was that those perfidious deeds glorified not those who ordered and perpetrated them but God. We honor St. John the Baptist, not Herod Antipas, and thank God for John’s faithful witness. We honor Jesus of Nazareth and give thanks–for his resurrection; we do not sing the praises of the decision-making of Pontius Pilate on that fateful day. Another part of the grace of the crucifixion of Jesus is that, although it was indeed a perfidious act, it constituted a portion of the process of atonement for sins–once and for all.
Certain powerful people, who found Jesus to be not only inconvenient but dangerous, thought they had gotten rid of him. They could not have been more mistaken. They had the power to kill him, but God resurrected him, thereby defeating their evil purposes. God also used their perfidy to affect something positive for countless generations to come. That was certainly a fine demonstration of the Sovereignty of God.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
SEPTEMBER 4, 2016 COMMON ERA
PROPER 18: THE SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST, YEAR C
THE FEAST OF ALL CHRISTIAN PEACEMAKERS AND PEACE ACTIVISTS
THE FEAST OF PAUL JONES, EPISCOPAL BISHOP OF UTAH AND PEACE ACTIVIST; AND HIS COLLEAGUE, JOHN NEVIN SAYRE, EPISCOPAL PRIEST AND PEACE ACTIVIST
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Adapted from this post:
https://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2016/09/04/devotion-for-the-first-sunday-after-the-epiphany-year-d/
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BLOGA THEOLOGICA 
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