July 28 - Psalm 145

Psalm 145.8-9, 14-21

The Lord is gracious and merciful,
   slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
The Lord is good to all,
   and his compassion is over all that he has made.

The Lord is faithful in all his words,
   and gracious in all his deeds.
The Lord upholds all who are falling,
   and raises up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you,
   and you give them their food in due season.
You open your hand,
   satisfying the desire of every living thing.
The Lord is just in all his ways,
   and kind in all his doings.
The Lord is near to all who call on him,
   to all who call on him in truth.
He fulfils the desire of all who fear him;
   he also hears their cry, and saves them.
The Lord watches over all who love him,
   but all the wicked he will destroy.

My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
   and all flesh will bless his holy name for ever and ever.

I have a hard time reading that first verse without wanting to sing it.  It’s part of our worship liturgy – sung just before the gospel reading during the season of Lent. 

It is also a verse that pretty summarizes the Hebrew Scriptures – or what we call the Old Testament.  The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.  This is a verse that is also found in Exodus, when Moses receives the tablets of stone from God, we hear these same words (Exodus 34.6-7).

Psalm 145 as a whole has a special place in Judaism.  It is a summary of their entire faith.  And it shapes many of their prayers.  This psalm appears in Jewish prayer books more so than any other psalm. 

It can be easy for us to glide over this psalm rather quickly.  And yet I think it is one we should take note of.  I think of Jesus, sitting on the lap of his mother as she prayed this psalm.  I think the words of this psalm probably helped to shape him as he grew up. 

Just a couple things to note here.  One, notice the universality of the psalm.  “The Lord upholds all who are falling…all who are bowed down…the eyes of all….you satisfy the desire of every living creature…near to all who call on him…all who fear him….all who love him.

A mistake we can easily make is that the blessings of God are only for us.  Or me.  Or certain people.  God chooses a people – in our case God chooses the church – so that we can be a blessing to others. 

So today I invite you to think about how God is at work in the life of the church, making a difference in this world. What is God up to through the church to bless others?

 Let’s pray: Loving God, you are faithful in your promises and tender in your compassion.  Listen to your hymn of joy, and continue to satisfy the needs of every living thing, that all your creatures may bless your name, O God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, both now and forever.  Amen.