Honest Prayer, Psalm Style

Friday of the 7^th Week of Eastertide

Psalm 103 (click for sung version)

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

and all that is within me,

bless his holy name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

and do not forget all his benefits—

who forgives all your iniquity,

who heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the Pit,

who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

who satisfies you with good as long as you live

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Here’s my problem with this Psalm:

I hear all the blessing but

I don’t hear the Psalmist’s genuine cry 
that prompted the text to begin with...but it is there!

I don’t hear the admission that blessing is really hard

And that anger is much easier.

This is an honest confession.

It is written because it needed to be.

We need to be reminded.

So…I admit…I tend to forget.

I figure you/Lord, must keep score just like I do…

The Lord is merciful and gracious,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

He will not always accuse,

nor will he keep his anger forever.

He does not deal with us according to our sins,

nor repay us according to our iniquities.

For as the heavens are high above the earth,

so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;

as far as the east is from the west,

so far he removes our transgressions from us.

As a father has compassion for his children,

so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him.

For he knows how we were made;

he remembers that we are dust.

As for mortals, their days are like grass;

they flourish like a flower of the field;

for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,

and its place knows it no more.

But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting

on those who fear him,

and his righteousness to children’s children,

to those who keep his covenant

and remember to do his commandments.

The goodness of God is juxtaposed to the human impulse…

something the Psalmist knows SO well!

-quick to anger

-always accusing

-holding on to anger

-thinking in terms of “what they deserve”

So, the Church keeps reading this Psalm

In order to remember

Just how kind and merciful is God!

How steadfastly God calls to me  

Over and over again.