March 2010

Stories Seldom Heard Archive

Stories Seldom Heard

127^th Edition

Psalm 37

Welcome to Stories Seldom Heard and a special welcome to the parishioners at St Joseph Parish, Astoria and St Ignatius Martyr Parish, Long Beach, New York.  During this Lenten season we have focused on praying with the psalms.  These ancient prayers help us articulate our own feelings and desires, joys and sorrows, fears and hopes.

Psalm 37 is usually identified as a Wisdom Psalm.   It is also an acrostic psalm which means that the first line of every stanza begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.  It would be comparable to an English poem where the first word in the first line began with “a.”  The next line’s first word would begin with “b”, the third line’s first word would began with “c,” etc.  Much of the beauty and intricacies of Hebrew poetry are missed in translation.  However, having said this Psalm 37 is a good example of showing one of the techniques for which Hebrew poetry is known.  The psalmist uses many contrasting statements in order to underline the message that she/he wants to convey. 

In this psalm the poet repeatedly names the actions of the wicked and the results of their evil deeds.  Then immediately the psalmist tells us about what good people do, their motives and how God blesses them.   In the first stanza the poet tells us not to worry about the wicked because “Quick as the grass they wither, fading like the green in the field.”  Then, staying with earth images the poet contrasts the fleeting life of the wicked with the long life of those who trust in God and do good.  They (the good) will “make their home in the land and live in peace.”  What a blessing: to live in peace.   Whether we were living over 2,000 years ago or in our modern society today, no one would underestimate the blessing of living during peaceful times in a secure home.  For this, like our ancestors, we pray each day of our lives.

Since this psalm was written for the previously exiled Israelites the land meant everything to them.  It was not only a place to live, raise their families, plant crops and provide an adequate area for cattle and sheep to graze, but also it eventually became identified with the very presence of God.  In fact, one of their biggest fears when the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed and they were taken from Jerusalem to Babylon as captives was that God would no longer dwell with them.  The Israelites’ concept of where God could dwell had become so connected with the temple in Jerusalem and the land that God promised that it took them many years to grow into a new understanding.  God’s presence is not limited to any one place: temple or land.  God dwells with them wherever they are. 

This is one of the major “learnings” of their captivity.  God’s promise is bigger and more profound than any plot of land. The Promised Land was only used as a symbolic way of talking about something much larger.  God promises that God will always be with them. God promises to be faithful, compassionate and forgiving.  God’s covenant and faithfulness has nothing to do with where they live and everything to do with Who God is.  God is Love and because of that, God’s love and faithfulness extends to all humans. 

Often in this psalm and others, God’s law is referred to as one law, one commandment.  This is also what we hear in Jesus’ teachings.  When Jesus is asked what the greatest commandment is, he answers that question by joining the love of God and love of neighbor together.  “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself”   (Lk 10:27).

The challenge for the Israelites and for us is to understand the connection between love of God and love of neighbor.  The requirement is a basic tenet of other major religious groups.  Every religious tradition has its own sacred texts.  They not only encourage prayer, fasting and silence, but also remind their disciples that consistent care and concern for their neighbor is imperative. I am sure as you read the following statements from twelve ancient religious traditions you will hear amazing similarities.  Even though we all have to acknowledge our failings, faithful discipleship includes the just treatment of others.  In fact, the title of the following selection is “Becoming a Caring Community.”  I found this statement on the Interfaith Voices of Peace and Justice web site. (1)

Baha’i

“Desire not for anyone the things that ye would not desire for yourself.”  Baba Ullah

Buddhism

“Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.”   Udana-Varga,  5:18

Christianity

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”    Matthew  7:12

Confucianism

“Do not unto others what you would not have them do unto you.”   Analects 15:23

Hinduism  

“Never do to others what would pain thyself.”  Panchatantra  III.104

Islam   “Do unto all men as you would they should do unto you, and reject for others what you reject for your self.”  Mishkat-el Masabih

Jainism  

“In happiness and suffering, in joy and grief, we should regard all creatures as we regard our own self.”  Lord Mahavira, 6^th century B.C.E.

Judaism  

“What is hateful to you, do not to your fellowmen.  That is the entire Law….”  Talmud, Shabbat  314

Native American  

“Respect for all life is the foundation.”   The Great Law of Peace

Sikhism

"Treat others as thou wouldst be treated thyself.”  Adi Granth

Taoism

“Regard your neighbor’s gain as your own gain and neighbor’s loss as your loss.”  T’ai Shang Kan Ying P’ien

Zoroastrianism

“That nature alone is good which refrains from doing unto another whatsoever is not good for itself.”  Dadistan-I-Dinik,  94:5

The similarities and our responsibilities are sobering!  I wonder what the world would look like if each of us tried to live our tradition more fully.

In light of what our religious practice demands Psalm 37 offers us some practical wisdom.  In an uncomplicated way it describes both the actions of the wicked and the ways of those who “Commit their lives to God” (verse 5).  The faithful person directs her/his attention to values that last.  Throughout Psalm 37 the virtuous, the friends of God “will have the land for their own” – a symbolic term that implies stability, a good life for one’s family and enough food to be “generous and openhanded” to others.  The psalm evokes confidence and a sense of calmness, but at the same time it tends to make everything a little too simplistic and clear cut.  It sounds as though the good person will have nothing to worry about because everything will go well for her/him.  However, we have lived long enough to know that these lines are not to be taken literally.  No matter how good we are, life happens.  Also we know that often the line between the wicked and good person is blurred.  All of us have found ourselves in need of forgiveness.  Some days we are better at doing good works and being faithful to our commitments than other days. 

Yet, at the same time on many levels the psalm rings true.  The good person knows what is of real value.  She/he knows that life, possessions and fame are passing and with that knowledge tries to put her/his decisions in the context of what is right and just according to God’s law.  This Wisdom psalm takes the long view of life and experience.  We hear it in verse 25 when the psalmist says, “Now I am old” (or as we might say, “as I am getting older”).  The psalmist follows this statement with a reflection about God’s faithfulness.  “I never saw a virtuous person deserted,…” It is the psalmist’s way of saying that even when everything doesn’t turn out the way we, good people, had hoped, we, in trust, hand over what is out of our control to God.  We know that we don’t have all the answers and our good intentions often fall short.

The psalmist is convinced of God’s faithfulness and wants to stir up in us the same deep trust.  If we feel weary or in need of strength this is a good psalm to pray.  We don’t have to read the whole psalm each day, but maybe there is a line or two that speaks to us in a special way.  Why not share that line and our thoughts with another person: a spouse, child or friend.  We can also use that line as a mantra, repeating it throughout the day.  Taking a long-range view of life also helps us put our daily decisions into perspective. God’s faithfulness stretches beyond borders, beyond any land or sea.  God’s faithfulness is what brought the galaxies and all living things into being.  Nothing can block God’s unconditional love and faithfulness.  No wonder this is known as a Wisdom Psalm!

1.  Interfaith Voices of Peace and Justice, P.O. Box 270214, St. Louis, MO.  63127, 314-892-1192, 1-888-454-8296, fax: 314-892-1255.  E mail: revweb@worldnet.att.net.  Website: www.origin.org/ifv.htm

Special thanks to Mary Ellen Green, Maria Hetherton and Jeanne Keating who have helped in editing this article.

"Stories Seldom Heard" is a monthly article written by Sister Patricia Bruno, O.P.  Sister is a Dominican Sister of San Rafael, California.  This service is offered to the Christian community to enrich one's personal and spiritual life.  The articles can be used for individual or group reflection.  If you would like to support this ministry, please send tax deductible contributions to Dominican Sisters of San Rafael, c/o Sister Patricia Bruno, O.P., 1520 Grand Avenue, San Rafael, CA,   94901   Thank you.

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