St. Aidan's Anglican Church
  • Home
  • Worship Online
  • The Preachers Blog
  • Bible in a Year
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • The Re-Gathering
  • RSVP for a Service
  • Youth
  • Cords
  • Prayer Requests
  • Request Pastoral Care
  • Give
  • Grocery Pick Up
  • Statement of Faith
  • Video Archive
    • 2023 Videos
    • Real Lives
    • 2022 Videos
    • 2021 Videos
    • 2020 Videos
  • Sermon Audio Archive
    • 2020 Sermons
    • 2019 Sermons
    • 2019 Sermon Series >
      • Gospel Centered Eternities November 2019
      • The Real Joy of Easter - Holy Week 2019
    • 2018 Sermons
    • 2018 Sermon Series >
      • Gospel Centred Church Spring 2018
      • A Gospel Shaped Church Fall 2018
    • 2017 Sermon Series >
      • The Servant King Christmas 2016
      • The Saviour King Lent 2017
      • The Victorious King Holy Week 2017
      • The Living King Easter 2017
      • The Brother King Fall 2017
      • Worship the King Advent 2017
    • 2016 Sermon Series >
      • Real Obedience Lent 2016
      • Unity of the Church
      • The Servant King Christmas 2016
    • 2015 Sermon Series >
      • Real Gifts 2015
      • Real Mission 2015
      • Mission Discerned
    • 2014 Sermon Series >
      • Real Church 2014
      • Real Lives 2014
    • 2013 Sermon Series >
      • Real God 2013
    • Sermon Archive From 2014 - 2017
  • Christianity 101
  • The Psalms Blog
  • Bible in a Year
  • The Re-Gathering

the  Preachers  blog

Blogs are posted every Wednesday

"Blessed Is Everyone" by Lynne McCarthy

11/9/2022

 
Psalm 128

Observe  
This Psalm begins with a beatitude:  Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways (1). It exults in the faithfulness of the godly who follow Him, and the results are apparent: fruitfulness of the land, joy-giving spouse, children bursting with energy and promise, sitting around the table – the ideal happy family. The home is meant as an image of this God-gifting: fruitful, joyful, prosperous, and generous (5b).

As each family is blessed with abundance by Yahweh, so is Jerusalem. Longevity is tied closely to peace. The psalm ends with prayer for the peace of Israel, God’s larger community.

Interpret  Continuing the Songs of Ascent, this “wisdom” Psalm expands some themes in the previous Psalm, showing material and familial blessedness in the context of ancient Israel. Family, microcosm of the entire community of Israel, flourishes.

The beatitude recalls Psalm 1:1, where the person refuses to walk in the way of the wicked but careful study of God’s Word brings abundant growth. In Psalm 128, walking with the Lord means prosperity and progeny for the wellbeing of the community. God looks down from Zion with blessings for Jerusalem, its faithful citizens living long enough to enjoy their grandchildren.

This Psalm is chanted at weddings in the Orthodox Church, its picture of ideal married life reflecting the joy and generosity of the Lord.

Apply  The ideal family isn’t a June Cleaver perfect wife, hubby in suit and tie (and fedora of course) back from work to a pristine house, a home-cooked meal and more or less respectful children.  So how does this Psalm fit in to our culture of self-centred, materialistic, do and be whatever you want norms? 

As families in ancient Israel realized that they were part of the larger community of God where peace was the desired norm, could we not look at a Christlike church family as a desired norm?  Each of us has a part to play, youngest to eldest. Family may not become an isolated idol; singles (an aberration in many cultures) may not live their lives independent of others; the elderly may not be warehoused and ignored. 

Not easy because we’re so acculturated, but our Lord can move us outside our squeezed boxy lives into His expansive goodness, cultivated in the family unit (and church), spilling over to where it is most needed.

Ask  How may I be truly a contributing member of Your family Lord, in our less-than-ideal world?

Pray  Lord, we thank you for the babies, toddlers, children among us, so full of life and energy and innocence; we thank you for the youth, subject to so many temptations but You rejoice over them; we thank you for young adults starting a new life in careers or studies; we thank you for young families, teaching their children to love You; we thank you for older adults, fulfilling what You have asked of them while facing their challenges; we thank you for those called to singleness, serving Your community in their unique way; we thank you for our elders, whose stories and lives we must respect.  Lord, by Your grace we are becoming one in You. Keep each one of us faithful to You as we cultivate Your love for one another.

Sing Ps 128
Sons of Korah - Olive Plants
​
The Music Ministry - Blest are those who love you (Marty Haugen)

Comments are closed.
    Picture
    Picture

    Preachers Blog

    In 2023, each week's blog is a follow-up reflection written by the preceding Sunday’s preacher to dig deeper into the sermon topic and explore engaging discussion questions.

    ​Thank you for joining us as we journeyed through the Bible in a Year in 2021 and the Psalms in 2022.  All past blogs remain available if you wish to catch up with any days missed.

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

    Who is Jesus?
At St Aidan's, it's our desire to know our Real God,
to grow as a Real Church and
​ to live Real Lives for Him.

Picture
St Aidan’s Anglican Church
274 Campbell Street | Winnipeg, MB R3N 1B5
Phone: 204.489.3390 Email: staidans.churchoffice@gmail.com
  • Home
  • Worship Online
  • The Preachers Blog
  • Bible in a Year
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • The Re-Gathering
  • RSVP for a Service
  • Youth
  • Cords
  • Prayer Requests
  • Request Pastoral Care
  • Give
  • Grocery Pick Up
  • Statement of Faith
  • Video Archive
    • 2023 Videos
    • Real Lives
    • 2022 Videos
    • 2021 Videos
    • 2020 Videos
  • Sermon Audio Archive
    • 2020 Sermons
    • 2019 Sermons
    • 2019 Sermon Series >
      • Gospel Centered Eternities November 2019
      • The Real Joy of Easter - Holy Week 2019
    • 2018 Sermons
    • 2018 Sermon Series >
      • Gospel Centred Church Spring 2018
      • A Gospel Shaped Church Fall 2018
    • 2017 Sermon Series >
      • The Servant King Christmas 2016
      • The Saviour King Lent 2017
      • The Victorious King Holy Week 2017
      • The Living King Easter 2017
      • The Brother King Fall 2017
      • Worship the King Advent 2017
    • 2016 Sermon Series >
      • Real Obedience Lent 2016
      • Unity of the Church
      • The Servant King Christmas 2016
    • 2015 Sermon Series >
      • Real Gifts 2015
      • Real Mission 2015
      • Mission Discerned
    • 2014 Sermon Series >
      • Real Church 2014
      • Real Lives 2014
    • 2013 Sermon Series >
      • Real God 2013
    • Sermon Archive From 2014 - 2017
  • Christianity 101
  • The Psalms Blog
  • Bible in a Year
  • The Re-Gathering