Today’s Psalm (92) is designated “A song for the Sabbath Day”.
On the day of rest God’s people “sing for joy at the works of [God’s] hands” (4b). Without missing a beat the singers delight in the destruction of evildoers and the defeat of enemies (5-11). Given Christ’s command to “love our enemies” (Mt 5.44) we aren’t sure how to sing these words.
The Psalmist, deeply aware that the creation God had pronounced “very good” (Gen 1:31) is wounded by sin and evil, longed for things to be put right. So do we. We’re outraged by the impunity with which our leaders enjoy the fruit of corruption. Horrific acts of rape and child abuse make us echo the words “surely your enemies …will perish” (Ps 92:8).
When Jesus pronounced “The Kingdom has come near” (Mk 1:15) people expected evil enemies to be vanquished. But Jesus’s weapon of choice was decidedly unimpressive. The Kingdom of God has invaded, like a mustard seed (4.30ff)[1]. “Ultimately evil is overcome not by violence but by love – in fact that is the only force in the universe strong enough to defeat evil – it was true then and it is true now.”[2]
God Bless,
Sean
[1] The Mustard shrub was considered a weed with the tendency to quietly take over a garden – like cherry tomatoes do today.
[2] Tomlin, Graham. Looking Through the Cross: The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent Book 2014.