Psalm 31:9 (8) You did not hand me over to the enemy;
you set my feet where I can move freely.
10 (9) Show me favor, Adonai, for I am in trouble.
My eyes grow dim with anger,
my soul and body as well.
11 (10) For my life is worn out with sorrow
and my years with sighing;
my strength gives out under my guilt,
and my bones are wasting away.
12 (11) I am scorned by all my adversaries,
and even more by my neighbors;
even to acquaintances
I am an object of fear —
when they see me in the street,
they turn away from me.
13 (12) Like a dead man, I have passed from their minds;
I have become like a broken pot.
14 (13) All I hear is whispering,
terror is all around me;
they plot together against me,
scheming to take my life.
15 (14) But I, I trust in you, Adonai;
I say, “You are my God.”
16 (15) My times are in your hand;
rescue me from my enemies’ power,
from those who persecute me.
17 (16) Make your face shine on your servant;
in your grace, save me. (Complete Jewish Bible)
in your grace, save me. (Complete Jewish Bible)
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The words of Psalm 31 could be projected into Jesus' life experience and so they have often been. In so doing, we can sense the level of shame and scorn that accompanied
the events of his last days. But the psalmist wrote as one who clings to God and seeks to be faithful, not simply as a projection onto some future Messiah. What does it mean to be faithful in our own time and place, when the privileged position of the church is receding into the past? How long will it be before our memories of the
glory days "pass out of mind like one who is dead?" The story of faithfulness does not end with Jesus. He asks us to carry on. We are often sent forth from worship, blessed with the words mirrored in verse 16: "May the Lord's face shine on you and be gracious to you." What would it look like to believe this will happen?
God, as we prepare for Holy Week, help us to trust that you will bring life out of death for us, and also for the church. Our memories of the past are not our god, you are. We are in your hands. Amen.
Catherine Malotky '86
Grant and Project Manager for the Center for Stewardship Leaders, Luther Seminary
Psalm 31:9 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye wastes away from grief, my soul and body also.10 For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my misery, and my bones waste away.
11 I am the scorn of all my adversaries, a horror to my neighbors, an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me.
12 I have passed out of mind like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel.
13 For I hear the whispering of many-- terror all around!-- as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life.
14 But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, "You are my God."
15 My times are in your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.
16 Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your steadfast love. by Luther Seminary (Complete Jewish Bible)
The words of Psalm 31 could be projected into Jesus' life experience and so they have often been. In so doing, we can sense the level of shame and scorn that accompanied
the events of his last days. But the psalmist wrote as one who clings to God and seeks to be faithful, not simply as a projection onto some future Messiah. What does it mean to be faithful in our own time and place, when the privileged position of the church is receding into the past? How long will it be before our memories of the
glory days "pass out of mind like one who is dead?" The story of faithfulness does not end with Jesus. He asks us to carry on. We are often sent forth from worship, blessed with the words mirrored in verse 16: "May the Lord's face shine on you and be gracious to you." What would it look like to believe this will happen?
God, as we prepare for Holy Week, help us to trust that you will bring life out of death for us, and also for the church. Our memories of the past are not our god, you are. We are in your hands. Amen.
Catherine Malotky '86
Grant and Project Manager for the Center for Stewardship Leaders, Luther Seminary
Psalm 31:9 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye wastes away from grief, my soul and body also.10 For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my misery, and my bones waste away.
11 I am the scorn of all my adversaries, a horror to my neighbors, an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me.
12 I have passed out of mind like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel.
13 For I hear the whispering of many-- terror all around!-- as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life.
14 But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, "You are my God."
15 My times are in your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.
16 Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your steadfast love. by Luther Seminary (Complete Jewish Bible)
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