Psalm 96

Psalm 96.10-13 offers a word of hope for all the world, confused and crazy and mean as it can be.

The Psalmist says: "The world is firmly established; it'll never be moved." 

The rest of the Psalm offers up striking images of judgment ... not the hammer and fire kind, but restoration and kindness and peace.

The Psalmist clearly sees the world for what it is, and it isn't always good (vss. 1-9), but rather than shouting out wrath, the Psalmist offers up hope. And in the hope offered, judgment is clear, not as a threat of destruction, but a pathway for how it's going to work out. 

The Psalmist doesn't succumb to the spiritual temptation of faith: threats of punishment to the "enemy" ... "god will get ya', and it ain't gonna be pretty. Ha!"

Noting like that in Psalm 96.

Only confidence in God's restorative justice and judgment - not a separating of the peoples from one another (there's more than enough of that already), but a joining together of all creation with humankind - the image of the Garden realized.

The Psalmist has a kindly spirit about her.

Other writers of the Text have differing temperaments, and there's time and place for them, too. Take names and kick butt.

But this Lectionary piece caught my attention. The world will end in flowers and fields and goodness, and with peace between Cain and Abel.

Such is the judgment of God!

Judging Others

"By their fruits you shall know them" ... Matthew 7.16 ... are there no standards for Christian Life, for Christian Ethics? If someone says, "I'm a Christian," does that exempt them from scrutiny? BTW, Jesus said this in the "Sermon on the Mount" and in a passage where he warns against "false prophets who come in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves."

Yes, I know, "Judge not" ... Jesus said that too, Mathew 7.1 ... so it's helpful to read the entire chapter ... the "judge not" is "the judgment of exclusion" ... a judgment that says, "You do not belong and can't enter because you're not good enough,or righteousness enough." Of such judgmental people, Jesus uses the word "hypocrite" - i.e. they fail to see their own foibles and weaknesses, but rather harshly exclude those whom they deem "unworthy" of God's love.

Jesus makes some very profound judgments ... against those who are quick to exclude, who are quick to pander to the powers-that-be, who parade around their religion before others in public places.

Jesus judges, and with his words and insights, so must we ... but not a judgment that excludes, but a judgment that exposes - exposes hypocrisy and falsehood and bigotry and hatred and spiritual one-upsmanship (something that really bugged Jesus, and Paul, too).

If I say that I love my wife and then turn my back upon her needs and hurts, one would rightly have to question my claim of love.

Just saying ...