A Week of Psalms in New York - Psalm 30 at the World Trade Centre

Psalm 30 is the song of thanksgiving of someone who has survived a terrible crisis, the nature of which is ambiguous but clearly perilous; the psalmist states that their foes were rejoicing over them, that they were in the "Pit".

A Week of Psalms in New York - Psalm 52 at the Rockefeller Centre

The Rockefeller Centre - Picture by Inga Sarda-Sorensen

Unlike most other psalms, here the psalmist begins by addressing those who do not follow God - people who "boast...of mischief done against the godly." Those who "love evil more than good." The psalmist warns them that such a deceitful way of life is not life at all - but an existence that is self-deceiving and ultimately self-defeating. Such people are "uprooted" whilst those who are faithful to God will, like the evergreen olive tree, live in the courts of the Lord forever.

A Week of Psalms in New York - Psalm 82 at the United Nations

The United Nations General Assembly, New York

This psalm tells us that we “are gods, children of the Most High.” Jesus used the words of this Psalm to rebut the accusations of blasphemy made against him by the Jewish leadership. If we are all children of the most high, how can it be blasphemous to say Jesus is the Son of God?

A Week of Psalms in New York - Psalm 32 at the Met

Auguste Rodin 'Adam' (Cast 1910) - The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The psalmist speaks to us of the joy of God’s forgiveness. We are reminded that forgiving is not about forgetting - absolution of our sins is not a way of escaping the consequences of our actions - our sin is embraced or “covered” by the “steadfast love [that] surrounds those who trust in the Lord” - like the father’s embrace of his prodigal son in the famous parable (Luke 15:11–32). Sometimes we all desire such a hug!

Start:Stop-Father, forgive

Craigie Aitchison - Pink Crucifixion 2004 - Methodist Modern Art Collection

Thank you for joining us for Start:Stop. This reflection will last around ten minutes and you are welcome to come and go as your schedule dictates. We begin with two verses from scripture, which can be found on page 95 of the New Testament section of the pew bibles.