Rich the Brooklyn Quaker's post about Psalm 52 reminded me of a couple of my favorites, 61 and 62. In re-reading 62, I noticed the following passages of seeming relevance today, starting with verse 4 (New English version):
How long will you assail with your threats,
all beating against your prey
as if he were a leaning wall, a toppling fence?
They aim to topple him from his height.
They take delight in lying;
they bless him with their lips,
but curse him in their hearts.
For God alone I wait alone silently;
my hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock of deliverance,
my strong tower, so that I am unshaken.
On God my safety and my honour depend,
God who is my rock of refuge and my shelter.
Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts before him;
God is our shelter.
...
One thing God has spoken,
two things I have learnt:
'Power belongs to God'
and 'Unfailing love is yours, Lord';
you reward everyone according to what he has done.
- - - - - -
And then to keep us mindful of our calling, lest we Quakers be tempted to smugness or superiority or self-righteousness or even hatred, 1 John 2:9-11 has this to say:
Whoever says, 'I am in the light,' but hates his fellow-Christian, is still in darkness. He who loves his fellow-Christian dwells in light: there is no cause of stumbling in him.
Sigh, it's never easy, is it? True godliness don't turn men (or women) out of the world, but into it, to paraphrase William Penn.
No comments:
Post a Comment