Psalm 145 with a commentary by Dr Noel Donnelly
for Sunday 32B
Our liturgy today uses the final 5 verses of this ten-versed psalm. The whole psalm stresses God’s fidelity. And this God is not some vague inactive presence somewhere in the clouds; this God Yahweh is named five times as the one who acts.
Our selected verses this week emphasise God’s fidelity especially to the oppressed, the blind and hungry and those imprisoned in any way. In these ways it echoes the first reading from 1 Kings17:10-16 where the Gentile widow of Sidon shares her last jar of meal with the Jewish prophet Elijah.
The psalm is echoed in the Gospel where a widow occurs again; this time it is the poor widow noticed by Jesus as she makes a small but generous offering of all that she possesses.
It is interesting that it is a solo voice that sings the first two verses, “My soul, give praise to the Lord; I will praise the Lord all my days, make music to the Lord while I live!” Then after the community has sung verses 3 to 9, the solo voice, the cantor, sings the final verses 8c, 9c and 10.
The Book of Psalms has of course 150 psalms. As the final Psalm 150 approaches, this Psalm 145 is the first in a series where each one begins and ends with an “Alleluia!” It is a “Hallel” psalm, as sung at any Passover Meal, at the Last Supper, and we sing it now as we move into our Eucharistic liturgy.
As the long journey through the psalm book nears its completion, perhaps we may try to stop and appreciate where we really are, valuing the here and now, recalling the theme of Jean-Pierre de Caussade’s reflection, “The Sacrament of the Present Moment ”, repeating the psalmist’s opening prayer, “My soul, give praise to the Lord; I will praise the Lord all my days, make music to my God while I live!”
With is focus on blindness, hunger and dumbness I can perhaps also reflect, to whose needs am I blind? Where are my Food Banks for the hungry? Where should I not be dumb, but speak out for justice in my church or neighbourhood, and then act upon the needs that arise, in particular, not vague, occasions?
The Psalm ends with a positive encouraging shout: “The Lord will reign for ever! Sion’s God from age to age! Alleluia!!!”
Psalm 145 is much more than an item in the liturgy of course!
