Psalm 85:8-13 (NRSV)
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Verse 8Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
Verse 9Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.
Verse 10Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
Verse 11Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky.
Verse 12The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.
Verse 13Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps.
Devotion
In about 700 A.D., during the darkest of Europe’s Dark Ages, St. Bede “the Venerable” preached a sermon on Psalm 85. He wondered how love, truth righteousness and peace can possibly be combined in a person’s life. How can we be reconciled to love and peace with God when we fall short of faithfulness and righteousness before God? His answer: Jesus has restored us.
If God were only just without mercy, we would be lost. If God were only merciful without justice, this world would be engulfed in chaos. It’s the same with us. If we are just without mercy, we would be stern and unforgiving. If we are merciful without justice, then we become sentimental.
But in God “love and faithfulness will meet, righteousness and peace will kiss each other.” How do we know that? The psalmist tells us, and centuries later Jesus will embody those apparent contradictions in himself.
Prayer
In the midst of confusing choices in life, O God, help us always to look to Jesus for how we should live. Amen.