Psalm 100

I will sing to thee of mercy and judgement, O Lord: I will sing and find understanding on a blameless path; when wilt thou come to me?

I have walked in the innocence of my heart: in the midst of my house.

I have set no lawless thing before mine eyes: I have hated those who work wickedness.

A crooked heart has not cleaved to me: the wicked man who turned from me I have not acknowledged.

Whosoever secretly slanders his neighbour, him have I driven away: I have not eaten with him who has a proud look and a greedy heart.

Mine eyes are upon the faithful of the land, that they may sit down with me: he who walks in a blameless path has ministered to me.

The arrogant has not dwelt within my house: the teller of lies has not prospered in my sight.

Each morning I would slay all sinners in the land: that I might root out all evil doers from the city of the Lord.  (Psalm 100/101) 

I read this psalm once again this morning, and got quite a lot out of it, so it seems appropriate to write something.  It's a long time since I wrote a blog entry here, mainly because I have become much more sensitive about expressing my own opinions, but also because I just have not had much to say.

When we look at a piece of Old Testament Scripture like this psalm, it's easy to look at it as a historical comment, and forget that the Fathers have told us that it is written specifically for us.  Given the number of people that it was written for then, it is a mystery how it is written for me, this morning, and yet it seems to be.

• I do sing, almost all the time, of God's mercy and judgement, I am waiting for a sign that my prayers are answered.
• I am trying to defeat sin and become again innocent.
• One of my major sin areas is mainly triggered by sights, and I am actively trying to prevent myself from 'seeing' them.
• I am the wicked man, but I am trying to get him to go away.
• I am looking to the Fathers, to the Scriptures, and to Christian friends as examples.
• Another area of sin is Vainglory, constant thinking of how I will appear to the world.  This is arrogance and pride.  It must not prosper.
• And I love the last line.  Every morning is a new start, and a new opportunity to try to get it right, a new opportunity to to root out the evil in my heart, and ask God to get rid of it.

Little Psalm, lots of good messages.  It was written for me, for me to read today.

Love in Christ.