Читать книгу Reflections on the Psalms - Steven Croft - Страница 23

Help me, Lord, for no one godly is left;the faithful have vanished from the whole human race.

‘Like silver refined in the furnace’ (v.6)

The mood of this psalm is one of intense isolation and alienation. The way of God is seen to be the way of truth; the light of God shows things up for what they are. Yet this truth is so often distorted or masked, especially by persuasive rhetoric, or telling people what they want to hear (vv.2,4).

Again and again in the Old Testament the true prophets are presented as people who name things that nobody wants to acknowledge (see, for example, 1 Kings 22). In a similar way, the New Testament writers warn repeatedly against the power of empty rhetoric (Matthew 6.7; 1 Corinthians 2.1-5) and slanderous words (2 Corinthians 12.20; Ephesians 4.31; Colossians 3.8; James 3.1-8).

Yet, says the psalmist, God’s words are precious, purified in the fire (v.6) so that they illuminate with truth. In this he is prescient, for ultimately the eternal Word would come into the world as the light that shines in the darkness (John 1.1,5).

And what is the nature of its illumination? It throws things into a different sort of relief, and reveals what is wrong. This turns out to be the oppression and exploitation of those at the bottom of the pile (v.5), whose groans and calls for help are in danger of being drowned out by more comfortable cultural narratives. If we are to live in this light, we must trust God to watch over us (v.7) and then we must speak out in his name.

Reflection by Joanna Collicutt

Refrain:

You, O Lord, will watch over us.

Prayer:

Lord, when faith is faint

and speech veils our intentions,

restore us by your word of power and purity,

both now and for ever.