Psalm 20
The Daily Office
This is a psalm originally composed for King David, or one of his successors. As the Son of David, Jesus is the heir of the promises made to David in 2nd Samuel, ch. 7, of a kingdom that would endure for all time. If God truly keeps his promises, then it seems that the keeping of those promises comes in ways that we would not expect.
This psalm is a blessing on the King before he does battle against his enemies: "We will shout for joy at your victory and triumph in the Name of our God" (v.5). And yet, ultimately it is not the King's victory: "Now I know that the LORD gives victory to his Anointed," or in Greek, christos (v.6). Indeed, the King is merely a pawn of God's chessboard: "Some out their trust in chariots and some in horses, but we will call upon the Name of the Lord our God" (v.7).
Especially at this Christmastide, we need to meditate on the awesome thing that God has done by becoming a helpless child. God didn't come down with a display of power awesome enough to shut everybody up. He came into the same process of growth and development, false turns and detours, in which we all partake. That is human life, a flower that must unfold its full purposes over a long time. As we wait for that unfolding, we know that the baby waits with us.
No comments:
Post a Comment