47A*
A Call to Worship
Pentecost 5A [Ordinary 15A] or [Proper 10A] 2014
Psalm 119: 105-112

Source of Life, with delight we gather to worship the Lord who teaches us about life.
The decrees of the Lord light up all of life and guide us into the path of true living.

Source of Hope, with joy we gather to celebrate the Lord who teaches us about hope.
The decrees of the Lord instruct us in the way to life in all its fullness of joy and hope.

Source of Steadfast Love, we gather to give and receive love from the Lord who teaches
us to learn more about life, hope, trust and love - so that we may grow in God’s grace.
The decrees of the Lord reveal to us the true beauty of living in communion with the Lord
our God, and to walk each day along the pathway of obedience and loyalty to our God. Amen.

Psalm 119: 105-112

105 Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.
106 I've promised it once, and I'll promise again: I will obey your wonderful laws.
107 I have suffered much, O LORD; restore my life again, just as you promised.
108 LORD, accept my grateful thanks and teach me your laws.
109 My life constantly hangs in the balance, but I will not stop obeying your law.
110 The wicked have set their traps for me along your path,
but I will not turn from your commandments.
111 Your decrees are my treasure; they are truly my heart's delight.
112 I am determined to keep your principles, even forever, to the very end.

Prayers of Trust and Petition
Pentecost 5A [Ordinary 15A] or [Proper 10A] 2014
Psalm 119: 105-112

Source of Life, in trust and a deep sense of thankfulness, we gather to worship
the Lord who teaches us about life; and whose decrees instruct and guide us into
the path of true living, which in turn gifts us with God’s own “life”. We give thanks
for the people who have taught us to find delight in worshipping and following God’s
ways; and we pray that we also may be a good example to those who follow after
us. Help each of us to keep the light of God’s truth and mercy always before us, to
guide and bless us on our daily pilgrimage. Help us also not to be complacent about
our faith in God and in God’s mercy and love; but to have a vigorous and lively faith,
hope and trust in the God of the ages, that is lived out in our commitment to God.

Source of Hope, with joy we gather to celebrate the Lord who teaches us about hope
and trust. Despite the many issues affecting the psalmist’s life and his personal well
being, his message was still about “life”, trust and hope that can be found in the Lord.
Help us, O God, to have the same sense of trust and hope in you, even as you teach
us that through obedience to you, “life” in you and your Word offers us the fullness of joy.

Source of Steadfast Love, we gather to give and receive love from the Lord God who
teaches us to know all there is about life, hope, trust and love - so that we may grow
in God’s grace. Help us to understand that whenever it was that we committed our life
and living to God; that it is a daily, even moment by moment commitment that we need
to make to God, if we are to travel in God’s way of life; and to live in true communion
with God and in the community in which God has placed us. May the light of your Holy
Word guide us as we commit ourselves to walk the pathway of obedience and loyalty. Amen.

A Personal Meditation
Pentecost 5A [Ordinary 15A] or [Proper 10A] 2014
Psalm 119: 105-112

The first two verses of Psalm 119 sets the tone for this exposition on faithfulness
to God’s commandments, and the outcome of that obedience. “Happy are people
of integrity, who follow the law of the Lord. Happy are those who obey his decrees
and search for him with all their hearts....”1 This long psalm encourages, requests,
and even demands that God’s own people faithfully fulfil the requirements of the
Law given by God to Moses. The goal of the commandments were to help people
to learn to love and worship only God; and to grow together in a caring community—
where worship and loyalty to God, and justice and peace are everyone’s way of life.

Creative pause: How would you interpret the aims of the Ten Commandments?


Although there are several meanings to the word “Torah”, essentially, it is the first
five books of the Old Testament or Jewish Scriptures, and translates into “teaching”,
“learning” or “instructions”. As Professor Walter Brueggemann wrote in his little book
“Praying the Psalms”: “...Jewish preoccupation with the Torah is hard-nosed realism
about the given norms of our life, about the ethical context of our faith, about the public
character of true religion. The Torah at the centre reminds us that the primal mode of
faithfulness and knowing God is obedience. These Jewish prayers are affirming and
joyous, celebrative of the realisation that the Torah is not only command but assurance,
not only rule but a bulwark...”2 The security and protection found in reliance on God, and
God’s Word, encourages the “happiness” and contentment of faithfully following God’s
Law. This security and contentment arising from personal obedience, offers the faithful
follower hope not because the Law was kept, but because God gives those people “life”!

Creative pause: Living the “Torah” life in obedience to God.


“…Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path….” There are many hymns
created around these words, but I believe the important message of this text is that it is
only as the oil in the lamp is used, that the light effectively lightens our path. Use the oil
for its primary purpose otherwise the lamp is useless! Use, live and believe in the Torah—
or it is not fulfilling its primary purpose. The Psalmist proclaimed: “...Your decrees are
my treasure; they are truly my heart's delight. I am determined to keep your principles,
even forever, to the very end….” Unfortunately, this loyalty and commitment is not always
lived out, however determined I may be, my oil lamp of God’s Word sits there in its own
darkness, and my life has lost its “spark” because of my of disobedience and disloyalty!

Creative pause: Is God’s word your treasure and heart’s delight?


1 Psalm 119: 1-2 (NLT)

2 Walter Brueggemann
Text by Professor Walter Brueggemann
From “Praying the Psalms” [chapter3 / page 50]
© 2007 Cascade Books a Division of Wipf & Stock Publishers

Acknowledgements:
Unless stated otherwise, all Bible readings and extracts used in these weekly Prayers and
Meditations are from the ‘New Living Translation’, © 1996. Copyright. All rights reserved.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189 USA.

*Revised Indexing Scheme from 'Consultation on Church Union' (COCU).

I acknowledge and give heartfelt thanks for the theological inspiration available from the writings of Professor
Walter Brueggemann; and through the resources from the internet and “The Text this Week” (Textweek).

If the Prayers and/or Meditations are used in shared worship, please provide this acknowledgement:
© 2014 Joan Stott – ‘The Timeless Psalms’ RCL Psalms Year A. Used with permission.

jstott@netspace.net.au
www.thetimelesspsalms.net

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