The Revised Common Lectionary Strikes Again

The Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) took its scissors to one of the options for this Sunday's psalm, number 146 Lauda, anima mea. The usual explanation given by revisionist priests is that the psalms have to be shortened because they are too long. That pig won't fly in this case because there are only nine verses in Psalm 149. The editors of the RCL removed the first three verses. Here is what pewsitters heard,

4 Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help! *

whose hope is in the Lord their God;

5 Who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them; *

who keeps his promise for ever;

6 Who gives justice to those who are oppressed, *

and food to those who hunger.

7 The Lord sets the prisoners free;

the Lord opens the eyes of the blind; *

the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;

8 The Lord loves the righteous;

the Lord cares for the stranger; *

he sustains the orphan and widow,

but frustrates the way of the wicked.

9 The Lord shall reign for ever, *

your God, O Zion, throughout all generations.

Hallelujah!

Very positive words there.

So why were verses 1-3 left out? Read what people did not hear,

1 Hallelujah!

Praise the Lord, O my soul! *

I will praise the Lord as long as I live;

I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

2 Put not your trust in rulers, nor in any child of earth, *

for there is no help in them.

3 When they breathe their last, they return to earth, *

and in that day their thoughts perish.

Verses 2 and 3 are what are known as imprecatory verses (those that "invoke judgment, calamity or curses upon one's enemies or those perceived as the enemies of God"), and the RCL typically cuts them out. 

One has to wonder if the RCL doesn't want trust in Church leadership or their leadership being called into question.

I have often speculated as to the why regarding these lectionary deletions, and one of my conclusions has beem that the editors of the RCL do not want the sheep to hear anything that runs counter to the revisionist narrative. That narrative is based on a God that does not judge, and one in which His judgement might result in unpleasant consequences. Such a narrative, if followed to its theological conclusion, has no need for a Savior. I think that would qualify as a heresy.

And that would make the editors of the RCL .......

Yep, you guessed it.