Open-ended, Life-centred,
Gospel-Focussed Explorations of Australian Prayer Book Psalms.
Psalm 138...PENTECOST PLUS 15 (A)
.... (For the
Gospel, please scroll)
INTRODUCTION: 1]The
alternative PSS
set for after
Pentecost are used here. 2]
Psalms
are poetry for singing;
personal, depending not on rhyme, but on developing an idea,
contrasting it, etc. They date from pre-1000 BC (David)
to mid 400s
BC. Being of their day, we may
find attitudes in some PSS abhorrent.
3] 'gods' in v.1 puzzles scholars. Is it a throw back to
polytheistic days; a put down of idols neighbouring peoples worship; a
jibe at leaders who think they're 'gods'?
WARMING UP: How do we
feel about the competition God has from other 'gods' these days?
TREASURES OLD & NEW:
Identify God at work in anything this week?
ENTERING INTO THE STORY:
1-2 When we thank God, how much
is it from our whole heart, & how much from this corner or that of
it? Are we happy to sing God's praises in front of people who worship
any of today's would-be gods, or do we defer to them? If we do the
latter, why do we do that, & what does God think of such deference
& those who give it? Is it easier to 'bow down before' our
'temples' (churches) than to bow down to & give genuine thanks to
the One they represent? How faithful is God in our
experience? What 'loving-kindness' are we currently experiencing? How
supreme is
God actually? Over all things? Or just a few? Such as...?
3-6 Can we
identify a time when we called to God & He 'gave us answer'? Recently? When
did we last experience 'new strength within our soul'? Is 'strength' a
quality we normally associate with 'soul'? Does 'strength' bring 'soul'
down to earth a bit, rather than leaving it hanging up there somewhere?
How could we benefit from having our souls strengthened a bit?
Is it realistic that we expect today's world rulers to 'praise God...
sing of the ways of the Lord that the glory of the Lord is great'? Only
when there's an election in the wind & they want the vote of
lobbyists often from the extremes of Christianity? Are we too cynical
that our leaders might ever genuinely 'hearing the words of God's
mouth'? Does that mean they're too much like us?! Should more
'Catholic' churches be more willing to lobby politically rather than
leaving that to those at the extremes? Or isn't there a 'mainline' any
more? Do we need to do more work getting our theology right before we
can get our religion right too? How do
we get our theology right?
What does it mean that God is 'exalted'? Does God really 'comprehend
the proud' - or anyone else - 'from afar'? How far away is God? Who
moved?
7-8 Does
'walking in the midst of danger' sound rather like 'walking through the
valley of the shadow of death'? Can we be confident that the shepherd
of PS23 can jump to PS138 & save us when we're in danger?
What is God's purpose
for me / us? Does God need my help to complete that purpose, or will
God do that with or without me? Are we as confident as the PSt that
God's loving-kindness endures for ever? How confident are we that God
would never forsake 'the work of His own hands'? Do we need this more
up- close-&-friendly touch to balance the more detached but
compelling scientific evidence about the way humanity & everything
else was actually created?
PLUS: Does the Gospel (MT
16:13-20) help us recognize a ruler true to God?
