Difference between revisions of "Sermon for July 28th, 2019"

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Psalm 70 has been described as a desperate prayer for help in an urgent situation.   
 
Psalm 70 has been described as a desperate prayer for help in an urgent situation.   
  
I'm reminded of the story of two friends who went hunting together.  They were out in the woods, miles away from civilization, when one of them suddenly falls to the ground, for no apparent reason.  He doesn't seem to be breathing, and his eyes are rolled to the back of his head.  In a panic, his friend quickly gets out his cell phone and dials 911.  When the emergency dispatcher answers, the man frantically yells into the phone, "Help! I think my friend is dead! What can I do?"  The dispatcher, in a calm and soothing voice, says, "Sir, please calm down.  I can help.  First, we need to verify that your friend is actually dead."  There is silence at the other end of the line, and then the dispatcher hears a loud gunshot.  The hunter comes back on the line and says, "Ok, now what?"   
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I'm reminded of the story of two friends who went hunting together.  They were out in the woods, miles away from civilization, when one of them suddenly falls to the ground, for no apparent reason.  He doesn't seem to be breathing, and his eyes are rolled to the back of his head.  In a panic, his friend quickly gets out his cell phone and dials 911.  When the emergency dispatcher answers, the man frantically yells into the phone, "Help! I think my friend is dead! What can I do?"  The dispatcher, in a calm and soothing voice, says, "Sir, please calm down.  I can help.  First, we need to verify that your friend is actually dead."  There is silence at the other end of the line, and then the dispatcher hears a loud gunshot.  The hunter comes back on the line and says, "Ok, he's dead. Now what?"   
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Psalm 70, at just five verses, is one of the shortest Psalms in the Bible, but it is packed full with a lot of emotion. In many ways, it is a model prayer for desperate circumstances.
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It begins with three inscriptions--first, the usual "to the leader" or to the choir director, followed by "Of David" indicating that it is either a Psalm written by David, or in the style of David's psalms. 
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The third inscription is the most interesting one:  The NRSV translates it as "for the memorial offering."  The NIV translates it as simply "a petition" and the Wycliffe Bible translates the Hebrew very literally as "To have mind."  I think the idea is that this is a Psalm of memory, remembrance, a reminder psalm. 
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Like ancient worshipers before us, when we sit calmly here in our pews on a Sunday morning, we are not, typically, in the midst of urgent, desperate circumstances.  But we can all probably remember times when he have been. Psalms like this one help us to reflect back on those events, those desperate prayers, and how things ultimately unfolded in our time of need. 
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Sometimes when we do that, in retrospect, from a distance, we can see how God's presence and care for us was working through the situation, through people and events, all in ways we couldn't have possibly recognized or understood at the time.  This is, I believe, a valuable spiritual practice...hence, Psalm 70, a Psalm of remembrance, a memorial offering.
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*Inscription
 
*Inscription
 
*Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies
 
*Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

Revision as of 15:57, 25 July 2019

Psalm 70:1-5

To the leader. Of David, for the memorial offering.
1 Be pleased, O God, to deliver me.
    O Lord, make haste to help me!
2 Let those be put to shame and confusion
    who seek my life.
Let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
    who desire to hurt me.
3 Let those who say, “Aha, Aha!”
    turn back because of their shame.

4 Let all who seek you
    rejoice and be glad in you.
Let those who love your salvation
    say evermore, “God is great!”
5 But I am poor and needy;
    hasten to me, O God!
You are my help and my deliverer;
    O Lord, do not delay!

Psummer of Psalms II: Psalm 70

Psalm 70 has been described as a desperate prayer for help in an urgent situation.

I'm reminded of the story of two friends who went hunting together. They were out in the woods, miles away from civilization, when one of them suddenly falls to the ground, for no apparent reason. He doesn't seem to be breathing, and his eyes are rolled to the back of his head. In a panic, his friend quickly gets out his cell phone and dials 911. When the emergency dispatcher answers, the man frantically yells into the phone, "Help! I think my friend is dead! What can I do?" The dispatcher, in a calm and soothing voice, says, "Sir, please calm down. I can help. First, we need to verify that your friend is actually dead." There is silence at the other end of the line, and then the dispatcher hears a loud gunshot. The hunter comes back on the line and says, "Ok, he's dead. Now what?"

Psalm 70, at just five verses, is one of the shortest Psalms in the Bible, but it is packed full with a lot of emotion. In many ways, it is a model prayer for desperate circumstances.

It begins with three inscriptions--first, the usual "to the leader" or to the choir director, followed by "Of David" indicating that it is either a Psalm written by David, or in the style of David's psalms.

The third inscription is the most interesting one: The NRSV translates it as "for the memorial offering." The NIV translates it as simply "a petition" and the Wycliffe Bible translates the Hebrew very literally as "To have mind." I think the idea is that this is a Psalm of memory, remembrance, a reminder psalm.

Like ancient worshipers before us, when we sit calmly here in our pews on a Sunday morning, we are not, typically, in the midst of urgent, desperate circumstances. But we can all probably remember times when he have been. Psalms like this one help us to reflect back on those events, those desperate prayers, and how things ultimately unfolded in our time of need.

Sometimes when we do that, in retrospect, from a distance, we can see how God's presence and care for us was working through the situation, through people and events, all in ways we couldn't have possibly recognized or understood at the time. This is, I believe, a valuable spiritual practice...hence, Psalm 70, a Psalm of remembrance, a memorial offering.


  • Inscription
  • Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies