Psalm134; antiphon, Psalm 33:8—In
the Introit for Sunday, we pray confidently Heaven and earth will pass
away, but my words will not pass away. The word of the Lord lasts forever.
Nothing can snatch us out of the Savior’s hand. The promises of God from of old
are all fulfilled in the life, and ministry of Jesus Christ the King of Kings
and Lord of Lords.
Psalm 134 –
The Lord Bless You from Zion
This is the
last of the series of fifteen psalms with the title A Song of Ascents. It is a
call to the priests and Levites of the temple to continue their service of
praise, with the answer of a blessing back to the people.
The Psalm
suggests that the scene was of pilgrims departing Jerusalem in the darkness of
early morning, calling out to the priests and Levites who stood watch at the
temple. The pilgrims then receive the blessing spoken back to them.
The antiphon
Let all the earth fear the LORD. This
is the logical response to recognizing a God who is perfect in both character
and power. People should set themselves in a state of humble awe before Him.
He who made
all things, preserves all things, and can in a moment destroy all things, is
the proper object of our ‘fear’; and that we fear him so little, is a most
convincing proof of the corruption and blindness of our hearts. [2]
Collect for Psalm 134: Lord, where two or three gather in your
name, you promised to be with them and share their fellowship. Look down upon
your family gathered your name, and graciously pour out your blessing upon us;
for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. [3]
The King of the Kingdom
The church
year comes to a close on a triumphant note. Christ the King. It is a festival,
not an ordinary day, and the liturgical color changes to white, a color
denoting festivity, joy, and peace. The church year comes to a close not with a
whimper but with a shout. Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” would be appropriate.
The year ends not in defeat but in triumph. The Old Testament Malachi 3:13-18
the Lord promises to have pity and compassion upon His people. The Epistle
Colossians 1:13-30 identifies the king as the Son of God Jesus Christ our
Savior. The Lord is crucified for us in the Gospel and His kingdom is opened to
a penitent thief.
Christ the
King is the Last Sunday of the Church year. It is fitting that the Gospel gives
the account of the end of Jesus’ life. He died as a king. Ironically His
enemies ridiculed Him as the King of the Jews and as the reason for His
crucifixion Pilate wrote, “King of the Jews!” We must see the whole life of
Christ as a king. He was born a king and all through His life we can see his
royal life and work, with the authority and power of the king of kings.
Collect for Monday of the week of Pentecost
22: Praised be you, God and Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ. There is no power for good which does not come from your
covenant, and no promise to hope in that your love has not offered. Strengthen
our faith to accept your covenant and give us the love to carry out your
command. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen [4] -14 November, 2022
[2] https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/psalm-33/
[3] Collect for Psalm 134, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For and By the Church, Vol. II © 1995, The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY
[4] Ibid, Collect for Monday of the week of Pentecost 22
No comments:
Post a Comment