I once accidentally encouraged a congregation to read the psalm 'responsibly', instead of the usual, 'responsively'! It may not have been such a bad mistake!

In worship, we often speak the psalms without lovingly praying them. "If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal." (1 Corr. 13:1) The Psalms confess, lament, celebrate, give thanks, plead, beg, sing, and herald all the joys and sorrows of the human condition. Many people list the Book of Psalms as their favorite book of the Bible.

Psalms also comfort by teaching... "We can never ransom ourselves, or deliver to God the price of our life; for the ransom of our life is so great that we should never have enough to pay it, in order to live forever and ever, and never see the grave. For we see that the wise die also; like the dull and stupid they perish and leave their wealth to those who come after them. Their graves shall be their homes forever, their dwelling-places from generation to generation, though they call the lands after their own names. Even though honored, they cannot live forever; they are like the beasts that perish. Such is the way of those who foolishly trust in themselves, and the end of those who delight in their own words. Like a flock of sheep they are destined to die; death is their shepherd; they go down straightway to the grave. Their form shall waste away, and the land of the dead shall be their home. But God will ransom my life; he will snatch me from the grasp of death." (Psalm 49: 6-15)

Gerry Goebel notes that" ....ours is the cry of a hostage. We are held in ransom by Satan and we cannot hope to pay the price. We are imprisoned by the powers of darkness. No matter how major our sin or how minor, how many or how few; the wages of sin is death. A hostage cannot raise funds for his own release. At best, he can rely on his friends and family to pay his ransom. Yet, in our situation, what if all those we know are also held hostage to sin? What hope is left for us? Our hope is in the one who pays our ransom."

Mark 10: 45 states, "For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many." Thanks be to God.

Thank you God for redeeming us, setting us free, liberating us from sin, death, and the devil. We are not just "freed from" - but - "freed for." Help us to experience and share true life in You. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen

Contributed by Vicar Mary
Published Sunday January 9, 2005
Week 7 of Liturgical Year A