These Sunday Psalms are very refreshing! I’ve always loved 121, largely because of the song “I lift my eyes to the quiet hills.” And I’ve just had a funeral family ask for it in their service order, “because it was his favourite” – I approve of that!
In fear and trembling though, I’m going to presume to disagree with Tom. I think his help does come from the hills, because it’s a song of ascents. It’s meant to be sung while travelling up towards Jerusalem, the place where God has made his earthly dwelling. “We’re going up into the hills to worship God, and that’s where we’ll find help.”
However, Tom’s last comments about suffering are so appropriate in the current news climate, with Japanese deaths and nuclear meltdown, Libyan civil warfare, Egypt, Tunisia, Bahrain, Pakistan, Israel; and Tom even mentions roadside bombs, which reminds us that Afghanistan continues. Help, Lord!
I really enjoyed reading this Psalm this morning especially in the light of yesterday's reading. Tom Wright points out that Jesus would have used the Psalms as his hymn book and so I can imagine him walking down from the Mount of Transfiguration singing this at the top of his voice!
ReplyDeleteTom and Jesus both!
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