Reflections
“With the Lord at my right hand, I shall never be shaken.”
In this psalm David expresses his joy and enthusiasm
for a life lived in the presence of God. For us too,
God is the source of our joy. So long as we choose
God and follow his Word, we too will be offered
that allotted cup of blessings that David refers to,
“Lord, my allotted portion and my cup,
you have made my destiny secure.”
St Peter cites the Psalm's verses in today’s 1st reading,
and Peter affirms that David's verses speak of the
resurrection of Christ. (Acts 2: 25-28, 31)
A key reference for Peter is Verse 10 of the Psalm,
“You will not suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption,”
Death is destroyed; our faith in everlasting life with our
resurrected Lord is confirmed. As David says, “I set the
Lord ever before me; abounding joy in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.”
For us too these are encouraging words. 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.
When the Lord is with us, do not our hearts burn within us,
as the two disciples declare on the road to Emmaus in today's
Gospel? (Luke 24:32)
Our burdens are made light; His yoke is easy, and that gladdens
the heart and strengthens the body. We raise a song of praise
to our risen Savior!
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. The Psalm 's verses affirm that we who are His faithful ones will remain in the presence of our Lord forever. Speak of how you are encouraged by the Psalm's promises.
2. Our psalmist inspires us to set the Lord ever before us and if we do so, "My soul rejoices, my body too abides in confidence." How do you go about putting the Lord first in your life despite all the worldly distractions that surround us?
There are moments in life when everything feels uncertain—when plans shift, relationships strain, or the future seems clouded. In those moments, the words “With the Lord at my right hand, I shall never be shaken” feel less like poetry and more like a lifeline. This psalm reminds me that stability is not found in circumstances but in presence—God’s presence. Even when I feel unsteady, I am invited to trust that I am not alone, that there is something constant holding me in place.
ReplyDeleteWhat strikes me most is the idea of God as “my allotted portion and my cup.” It challenges the way I often measure fulfillment. I tend to look for satisfaction in achievements, recognition, or control over outcomes. Yet David speaks of something deeper—a quiet assurance that what God provides is enough, that my life is already held within a greater purpose. When I reflect on that, it softens my anxiety. It reminds me that I don’t have to grasp at everything or fear losing what I have. There is a kind of freedom in trusting that my “destiny is secure” in God’s hands.
The promise that God will not abandon us—even in death—brings a different kind of hope. It’s not just about the end of life, but about all the smaller “deaths” we experience: disappointments, failures, losses. The assurance that none of these are final, that God is still present and still working, gives me courage to keep going. It echoes the idea of resurrection—not only as a future reality, but as something that begins now, in every moment where hope rises again after despair.
When I try to “set the Lord ever before me,” I realize how easily my attention is pulled elsewhere. Distractions are constant—noise, responsibilities, worries about things that may never happen. Putting God first is less about grand gestures and more about small, deliberate choices: pausing to pray, being mindful of how I treat others, returning to gratitude instead of complaint. It’s a daily reorientation, sometimes even moment by moment. And when I do this, even imperfectly, I notice a shift. My heart feels lighter, less burdened by the need to control everything.
There’s also a quiet joy in this psalm that I find deeply comforting. It’s not a loud or fleeting happiness, but something steady—“abounding joy in your presence.” I’ve experienced glimpses of that: in silence, in prayer, in simple moments where I feel grounded and at peace. It’s as if, for a moment, everything aligns and I remember what truly matters.
Ultimately, this psalm encourages me to trust more deeply and to live more intentionally. If the Lord is truly at my right hand, then I don’t need to be shaken by fear, doubt, or uncertainty. I can move forward with confidence—not because I have everything figured out, but because I know I am guided, sustained, and never abandoned.
And that is enough to make my heart glad and my soul rejoice. “With the Lord at my right hand, I shall never be shaken.”