Psalm for Sunday, May 27, 2018

Reflections

Psalm 33:  4-5, 6, 9, 18-19, 20, 22   (Read)

“The eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear Him."

We have been chosen by God to be his people.  
God is all powerful, “By the word of the Lord the
heavens were made.  For He spoke, and it came 
to be.”

This Sunday's 1st reading reminds us we are 
to keep his commandments. (Deuteronomy 4:40)
And we do this because we hold Him in awe.

Like a Good Shepherd He protects us from harm.
He puts up a hedge around us and provides us 
with armor in our battle against death and the evil one.
He feeds us when we go through periods of spiritual 
hunger.  He nourishes us and gives us our daily bread.

“Our soul waits for the Lord, who is our help and 
our shield.”  It is said that even people who have 
no faith have a longing in their hearts for God.
There is something missing in their lives.
For us who are believers, we are dependent on 
the Lord.  We openly seek his help and his 
protection.  He is our shield in the spiritual battle 
that we all have to fight.

We would be dead in our sins without the Lord's 
protection, defeated by the evil one without the 
Lord's armor.  And when our hearts are starved 
for God's presence, when our bones are dry,
He nourishes us and breathes life into our dry 
bones.  “Lord we have put our hope in you.”

“Our soul waits for the Lord.”  We are delivered 
from death, kept alive in times of spiritual famine.
We can expect to receive his grace.  And for this, 
we praise the Lord.  As the psalmist says,
we know He will fill the earth with kindness
and that his kindness will be upon us.

“We have put our hope in the Lord.”  
Jesus, in turn, puts his hope in us,
commanding us to go out and make disciples 
of all nations. (Matthew 28:19)
As God's children we must be obedient
and carry out his commission.

We have been given to Jesus so that we may 
proclaim the good news of salvation.
In this way we carry out the Lord’s works
and celebrate what the Psalm says,
“The Lord loves justice and right.”

Amen


Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our Psalm Response this week is, 'Blessed the people the Lord 
has chosen to be his own.'  Do you believe that you have been chosen 
by God to be one of His children?   Explain.

2.  Our psalmist speaks of preserving us in spite of 'famine.'  Have you 
gone through periods of spiritual hunger?   How has your faith enabled you 
to regain your strength and obtain nourishment?