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PSALM 128 & 129 - Blessing vs Curse 9+10 Mar 2020

On the way to Jerusalem there are songs of blessing and songs of curse. The prayer for blessing is that the faithfull may have an inheritance in Zion. The prayer for curse is for those who hate Zion.

Bless your Enemies

Jesus says: "Bless your enemies; Do not hate." As often, the bible has more than one thing to say about a subject, in this case: "enemy." Most of the people that hurt me are actually good willing: family, friends, neighbours, community members. I benefit from a restored relationship with those people. It is more wise to love them than to hate them. A different group are those enemies who like, and have the power, to destroy me and the ones I love. Those enemies should not be ignored. If I treat them kind, they may kill me. It is like the response of Saul to David. Nevertheless, David did not curse Saul because Saul was anointed by Samuel, on command of God.

How to discern?

1. Be slow and very slow to curse.
2. Ask the Holy Spirit and listen carefully and patiently.
3. Perhaps connect the curse to specific actions which intend to destroy meaningful life.

Curse on this World

Most likely, those who seek to destroy this world are under curse. If I do not care for my world, I may be under a curse. When I am honest: I hardly care for the well being of the earth, my country, my neighbourhood and my church (the people called together by God: perhaps Zion). I know that my lifestyle damages the earth. I displease God. I pray for wisdom for are more god-fearing life style. Please my God, call together a people who desires to care together with me.

Psalm 128

1 [Song of Ascents]
How blessed are all who fear Yahweh,
who walk in his ways!
Your own labours will yield you a living,
happy and prosperous will you be.
3 Your a fruitful vine in the inner places of your house.
Your children round your table like shoots of an olive tree.
4 Such are the blessings that fall on those who fear Yahweh.
5 May Yahweh bless you from Zion!
May you see Jerusalem prosper all the days of your life,
6 and live to see your children's children!
Peace to Israel!

Psalm 129

1 [Song of Ascents]
Often as men have attacked me since I was young
-- let Israel repeat it-
2 often as men have attacked me since I was young,
they have never overcome me.
3 On my back ploughmen have set to work,
making long furrows,
4 but Yahweh the upright has shattered the yoke of the wicked.
5 Let all who hate Zion be thrown back in confusion,
6 let them be like grass on a roof,
dried up before it is cut,
7 never to fill the reaper's arm
nor the binder's lap.
8 And no passer-by will say,
'The blessing of Yahweh be on you!
We bless you in the name of Yahweh.'

Excerpt from THE NEW JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1985 by
Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division
of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.

two sprockets

Blessing and Curse

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