Reflections
Psalm 16: 5, 8, 9-10, 11 (Read)
"O Lord, you will show me the path to life.”
This psalm of David speaks to us
about a belief in an everlasting life
with God. “Lord, my allotted
portion and my cup, you have made
my destiny secure.”
The psalmist takes refuge in the Lord --
“With the Lord at my right hand,
I shall never be shaken.... My body,
too, abides in confidence.”
The distress that the prophet Daniel
speaks about in Sunday's first
reading (Daniel 12:1) is overcome by
the assurance in the Psalm that the
Lord will not abandon his people (us).
“For you will not abandon my soul
to the netherworld, nor let your
faithful servant see the pit.”
In addition, we can understand the last
verses of the Psalm as a prophecy of the
glorious day when we will see God’s Son
seated at the right hand of the Father.
“You will show me the path to life,
abounding joy in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.”
St Peter also uses the Psalm as a
prophecy that Jesus would be raised up
and would sit at the right hand of the
Father. (Acts 2:25-28) For us these
are encouraging words, with a promise
that we too can look forward to being
lifted up and spending the rest of our
days in the presence of the Lord.
The Lord promises, if we are his faithful
servants, that we will not have to see
the pit. He will not abandon us. As David
says, this is enough to make our hearts
glad and our souls rejoice.
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our psalmist says that he will not be shaken or disturbed
so long as the Lord is with him at his right hand. Speak of how
the Lord enables you to be strong, so that your faith cannot be shaken.
2. The Psalm says that the Lord will show us the path to life.
Explain why this verse gives you confidence that you, as a
believer, can look forward to an everlasting life with God.
"O Lord, you will show me the path to life.”This psalm of David speaks to us
about a belief in an everlasting life
with God. “Lord, my allotted
portion and my cup, you have made
my destiny secure.”
The psalmist takes refuge in the Lord --
“With the Lord at my right hand,
I shall never be shaken.... My body,
too, abides in confidence.”
The distress that the prophet Daniel
speaks about in Sunday's first
reading (Daniel 12:1) is overcome by
the assurance in the Psalm that the
Lord will not abandon his people (us).
“For you will not abandon my soul
to the netherworld, nor let your
faithful servant see the pit.”
In addition, we can understand the last
verses of the Psalm as a prophecy of the
glorious day when we will see God’s Son
seated at the right hand of the Father.
“You will show me the path to life,
abounding joy in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.”
St Peter also uses the Psalm as a
prophecy that Jesus would be raised up
and would sit at the right hand of the
Father. (Acts 2:25-28) For us these
are encouraging words, with a promise
that we too can look forward to being
lifted up and spending the rest of our
days in the presence of the Lord.
The Lord promises, if we are his faithful
servants, that we will not have to see
the pit. He will not abandon us. As David
says, this is enough to make our hearts
glad and our souls rejoice.
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our psalmist says that he will not be shaken or disturbed
so long as the Lord is with him at his right hand. Speak of how
the Lord enables you to be strong, so that your faith cannot be shaken.
2. The Psalm says that the Lord will show us the path to life.
Explain why this verse gives you confidence that you, as a
believer, can look forward to an everlasting life with God.
For a while now, I have been intrigued by the image of "the right hand" when it comes to our relationship with God. (No offense, lefties :-)). V. 8 of the Psalm reads, "I keep the Lord always before me; because he is at my right, I shall not be moved." And in the second reading today, Hebrews 10:12: "But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God..."
ReplyDeleteA popular verse referencing "the right hand" comes from Isaiah 41:13, "For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.'"
We see "the right hand" in relation to where Jesus sits next to the Father, but also how we are positioned next to our saving help, the Lord. Whenever I fall, I imagine myself as a little girl, lifting up my right hand to Jesus to help me. To carry me. To caress me. And to encourage me to try again.
Taking all of this week's readings into a holistic perspective, I am receiving the message to persevere in the faith. We need not fear the troubling times, but rather, place our hope in the security of God. I do not refer to hope as mere "wishful thinking" but an active trust in a living God -- one who was, who is, and who is yet to come.
I raise my "right hand" to him several times a day and he is always there.