The theme that God seeks sinners is
found in each of the three lessons for this coming week. In the Gospel (Matthew
9:9-13) Jesus calls a special sinner, a publican named Matthew, and goes out to
dinner with sinners and tax collectors, the scum of society in Jesus day. Hosea
in the Old Testament reading, (Hosea 5:15-6:6) calls for us to return to God
who desperately seeks us to return. In both these lessons the reason for God’s
search for sinners is “I desire mercy and
not sacrifice.” The Epistle lesson (Romans
4:13-25) explains how we can get right with God – through faith in Christ
who made us acceptable to God. Next Sunday we deal with the truth that God
longs for His people to be one with Him.
Psalm 50:7-10
- This is the Psalm portion from which the Introit for next Sunday is taken.
The antiphon is taken from verse 1, “The
Mighty One,” God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of
the sun to its setting.
The title of this psalm (A Psalm of
Asaph) tells us that it is the first of Asaph’s psalms in the order of the Psalter.
Asaph was the great singer and musician of David and Solomon’s era (1
Chronicles 15:17-19, 16:5-7, 16:7, 25:6). 1 Chronicles 25:1 and 2 Chronicles
29:30 add that Asaph was a prophet in his musical compositions.
The Mighty One, God the LORD: Asaph the psalmist began by referring to God in terms of
utmost majesty, using several of the words or names in Scripture to refer to
the God who is really there.
The idea is that God has come to
Jerusalem to judge the world, and the entire earth – from the rising of the sun
to its going down– is gathered for that purpose.
Our God
shall come, and shall not keep silent; a fire shall devour before Him: Using
reminders of God coming to Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:16-19), Asaph built
anticipation for the righteous judgment of God about to be performed. This time
God comes to Zion, not Sinai.
In this powerful psalm the imagined
scene is a theophany, God appearing in fire and tempest at Mount Zion to summon
the entire world to His judgment seat. But if all eyes are on Him, His eyes are
on Israel.[2]
[1] God so loved the world copyright © Ed Riojas, Higher Things
[2] https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/psalm-50
[3] Collect for Psalm 50, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For and By the Church, Vol. I © 1994 The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY
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