Sunday, November 03, 2013

Blessed Are the Meek: An Echo of the Psalms

Many times I have bemoaned the way or lectionary alters the Psalms through deletions of certain subject matter. There is more than a little danger when we place limits on the Word of God. One easily identified danger is the development of the notion that the Old Testament and the New have little in common.

Last week I was reading the Psalms (all of em) as part of my ongoing Bible study, and this certainly helpd me today during our worship service.

Usually when we hear, "Blessed Are the Meek" we think of the beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12) as we heard today in church, but we should not forget that Jesus is also quoting from the Psalms.
"But the meek shall inherit the earth,
And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." Psalm 37:11
Did Jesus use the commonly known psalms in his teachings as a way to connect with the people of His day?

How can His words still connect us to the Psalter when most church goers are exposed to a small, expurgated version of a limited number of Psalms once a week?

3 comments:

  1. Pewster, Bishop Tarrant of South Dakota preached today and I could hardly wait to get here and tell you that he faulted the Revised Common Lectionary for all of its passage clipping - then he pulled out his Bible to summarize and read omitted verses of Daniel in today's All Saints' lessons.

    So, while you should certainly maintain your safe place under the pew or in a cave, you need not worry that you are alone in the world.

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  2. Sounds like the beginning of a movement!

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  3. pewster,
    Meek= Power under restraint

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