Do you know the words to the One Hundred Fifty First Psalm?
Of course, there is no 151st Psalm, and yet there are words to it, did you know that? We all know that, during World War II, in those lands conquered by the Nazi regime, the Jewish people were rounded up and sent to concentration camps. Some populations made an effort to hide Jews, but they were only minimally successful. In one country, Holland, there was a thriving underground that attempted to hide Jews and smuggle them to safety. The German units charged with rounding up the Jews knew of this effort, and so would try to put undercover agents in to the underground. It is said that in the so-called “Safe Houses” a test used to ensure a Nazi spy wasn’t in their presence was to ask people seeking assistance to pray the “151st Psalm”. The appropriate response, I understand, was to pray the following:
Praise the LORD.[a]
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
praise him with timbrel and dancing,
praise him with the strings and pipe,
praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.
Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the LORD,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
For those of you who are knowledgeable in scripture recognize the first half of this is the 150th Psalm and the 2nd is the 1st Psalm. Interesting story isn’t it? Yesterday I wrote, briefly, about Prayer, Study, Action. This was a story that embodies all three, don’t you think? What a beautiful prayer! Think about this… first we praise God… in ALL things we should PRAISE God first… and then words of encouragement to a people oppressed, a people hunted, and in fear for their lives. What powerful action, to put ones own life in jeapardy on behalf of those oppressed, hunted, fearful people.
One of my favorite verses in the bible (I have lots) is Psalm 51. There’s no trick here, Psalm 51 is a “Conversion” psalm. I first heard this verse nearly 30 years ago, while living in Newport News, VA.
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Cast me NOT away from your presence
and take NOT your Holy Spirit from me.
This Lenten season, as I seek to take on a spiritual discipline of Prayer, Study, & Action, this verse will be close to mind at all times. For who of us, no matter how close our walk with our God, is exempt from the need to pray “Create a NEW and PURE heart in me, and RENEW my SPIRIT, my God”?
Go ahead, friends, go read ALL of Psalm 51, and let it speak to your heart. If you don’t own a bible, you can read it right here:
On The Road II 