Psalm115:2-4, 8, 17-18 antiphon, Psalm
115:11—In the Introit for Sunday, we pray, You who fear the Lord, trust
in the Lord! He is their help and their shield. We trust in God because He
holds Himself to His Word. We trust in Him because He has proven Himself to be
faithful; faithful to His Word, faithful to His promises, faithful to His
people.
Psalm 115 – The Lord our Help and Our
Shield
Psalm 115 is
a continuation of the collection of the Egyptian Hallel psalms (Psalms 113-118)
sung by the Jews during their Passover celebrations. It therefore makes up part
of the hymns which would have been sung by Jesus and His disciples on the night
He was betrayed and arrested, the night before His crucifixion (Matthew 26:30
and Mark 14:26). It is especially meaningful to consider this psalm in the
heart and on the lips of Jesus during those great moments.
Regarding
the structure of this psalm, the opinion of the majority of scholars is that
the psalm is liturgical, intended to be sung by alternating groups of
worshipers: the priests, the high priest, the people, and so on.[2]
The goodness
and greatness of God are brought out in the lessons for next Sunday. According
to the Gospel (Luke 20:27-40) we serve an eternal God - A God of the living.
God is eternal life and all who live in Him have this life. His glory is seen
in His conquest of death. In the Old Testament lesson (Exodus 3:1-15) Moses
encounters the living Lord through the burning bush. The bush is on fire yet is
not consumed. Moses is commanded to take off his sandals for he is standing on
holy ground. In the Epistle (2 Thessalonians 2:1-8, 13-17) God is a faithful
God a God of steadfast love. The days are getting shorter. The end of the
church year is approaching. We are in the midst of harvest. The eternal and
faithful Lord has prepared for Himself a harvest of souls. Will you be numbered
with His saints? Our good and gracious God has a destiny for you. He is the God
of glory.[3]
Collect for Psalm 115: Lord God, creator and ruler of the universe,
you have entrusted the care of the earth to its people. Grant that your
children, surrounded by signs of your presence, may live continually in Christ,
praising you through him and with him, now and forever, Amen.[4]
Collect for Reformation: Almighty God, Who, through the preaching of Thy servants, the blessed Reformers, hast caused the light of the Gospel to shine forth; Grant, we beseech Thee, that, knowing its saving power, we may faithfully guard and defend it against all enemies, and joyfully proclaim it, to the salvation of souls and the glory of Thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Amen-[5]
[1] Image of
the cross, © Ed Riojas Higher Things
[3]
Lectionary Summary LCMS Commission on worship
[4] Collect
for Psalm 115, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For and By the Church, Vol. II
© 1995 The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY
[5]Ibid, Collect for Reformation
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