Today's Scripture Reading (July 17, 2025): Psalm 106
Albert Einstein argued that we should 'never do anything against conscience even if the
state demands it." It is good advice. Regardless of what the state might require
of us, we must have the ability to follow our conscience, and the only caveat
to that advice is that our conscience cannot intend to harm others. It might be
that caveat that causes us the most trouble. We often place ourselves and our
beliefs at the center of the way things should be. And so, if our conscience
harms someone, well, that is because they are clearly in the wrong. It is the
way that contemporary politics seem to work, and I admit I long for a time when
our politicians understood that the people on the other side of the aisle were
not evil or even our enemy, but simply people who believe differently. I may
have a particular set of beliefs regarding fiscal policy or even our moral
imperatives. You might disagree with me. And there is nothing wrong with that.
I should be given the right to follow my conscience and voice my beliefs, just
as you have the right to follow your conscience and speak your beliefs. But
that doesn't make either of us evil; we simply disagree. I hope we can discuss
our differences as well as the beliefs that we share without reacting as if one
of us is evil.
As David opens this Psalm, the
English translation can sound like he is making a demand of his readers. The
King is ordering those under him to "Praise
the Lord" and "Give thanks to the Lord." Then David seems to give the reason that backs his demand. We are
to praise and give thanks to God because he is good, and his love endures
forever.
However, that is probably not the intent of the Psalm. Instead of
a King demanding a particular response from his people, in Hebrew, the intent
seems to be that he is pleading for the people to give thanks. Despite what
might have been happening in the nation and in the lives of the people, any
negatives in their lives did not discount the fact that God was still good and
still loved the people. The King James Version of the Bible adds an "O"
in front of the request for thanks. "Praise
ye the Lord.
O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever"
(Psalm 106:1). The added "O" allows us to read this phrase a plea to
the consciences of the people that they would recognize the need for thanks
despite the circumstances of the people's lives, rather than a demand for a particular
response to God.
It is a plea that David extends to us. Despite the events
unfolding on the world stage and the numerous challenging moments we are
collectively experiencing in our contemporary era, we can give thanks to God
because He is still good, and His love endures forever. And there is nothing in
God's goodness that wishes to harm us. People might let us down, but God never
will.
Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 1 Chronicles 17
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