Canon Rob's Reflections

Two weeks ago, we spent some time reflecting upon Psalm 80 which began with a note of confidence but then became a plea for help at a time of trouble. Today the mood is very different. Prayers have been answered and, for the author at least, there is cause for rejoicing. Perhaps having emerged from a time of suffering and loss, confidence has been restored and, as the title above suggests, heartfelt thanks is being offered to God. “It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to your name, O Most High.” [Verse 1.] In the Common Worship version, the refrain is: “I will give thanks to you, Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all your marvellous works.” In some of my commentaries today’s psalm, set for Morning Prayer, is referred to as a ‘sabbath hymn’ and one of them includes the following: “According to Jewish tradition and symbolic expression this psalm was sung by Adam on the first sabbath of creation.” [‘Understanding the Psalms’ by Bishop George Appleton.] A nice, but fanciful idea! Some verses clearly show that the people of God are still struggling. Verse 7, for example, refers to ‘the wicked’ and ‘the workers of iniquity.’ Two verses later, the psalmist writes of the Lord’s enemies. But, according to verse 9, those enemies ‘will perish, and all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.’ Through his faith, the author is able to look beyond the present and trust that God is in control and we can look forward with great hope. All shall be well! This attitude is a long way from turning a blind eye to reality. Rather, it is facing the struggles and fears of the time with eyes wide open because through faith in God, the author is able to see beyond what the people are currently experiencing. Can we learn an important lesson from this in today’s world where there is much conflict and we are being warned about the need to spend more money on defence because of potential increased threats to our security? Are we able, with the author of today’s psalm, “To tell of [God’s] love early in the morning and of [his] faithfulness in the night-time?” [Verse 2.] The psalmist can “sing aloud at the work of [God’s] hands” [verse 4] because His works are “glorious” and His “thoughts are very deep.” [See verse 5.] The enemy are not yet defeated, but, through faith, hope remains. There is a saying, dating back to the 16th Century, about not seeing “the wood for the trees.” It’s about being bogged down in present details and worries making it impossible to see the bigger picture. For people of faith, including the ancient Jews at the time when this psalm was written, the “bigger picture” is trusting that God will make things right. In verse 8 we read that the workers of iniquity will “be destroyed for ever.” On the other hand, the Lord “will be exalted for evermore.”


The enemies may have the upper hand, but that will not last for ever. “My eyes will look down on my foes; my ears shall hear the ruin of evildoers who rise up against me.” [Verse 11.] This may be very hard for us to comprehend but as God says in Isaiah 55 verse 8, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.” The message behind today’s psalm is that, even if we can’t see a way out of conflict and warfare, nor make sense of it, God can, and will, bring good out of evil. Remember the Cross! Great hope is expressed in verses 12 and 13: “The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree” and those “planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.”


I take much comfort from verse 14 too. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord “shall bear fruit in old age; they shall be vigorous and in full leaf.” Could it be that the author of the psalm is elderly and has experienced at least something of this! If so, it is all for a purpose, one which we – even when elderly – can participate in. It is that they [and we] “may show that the Lord is true; he is my rock,…”[Verse 15]