51C*
A Call to Worship
After Pentecost 12C [Ordinary 19C] or [Proper 14C] 2016
Psalm 50: 1-8, 22-23

We come to be near to God, in response to God’s calling to us to worship.
We come into God’s radiant presence to be enlightened by God’s holy love.

We come to pray together, as God said: “...Bring my faithful people to me...”
We come to receive another gift and blessing from our communicating God.

We come to listen and to hear God’s words to us, as God has summoned us
from the world’s edges; and because God has called us to God’s-own-Self.
We come to worship the Lord, the Mighty One, the God of the universe, who
has come to gift us with new Life in our holy relationship of liberation in God. Amen.

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Psalm 50: 1-8, 22-23
A psalm of Asaph.

1 The Lord, the Mighty One, is God, and he has spoken;
he has summoned all humanity from where the sun rises to where it sets.
2 From Mount Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God shines in glorious radiance.

3 Our God approaches, and he is not silent.
Fire devours everything in his way, and a great storm rages around him.
4 He calls on the heavens above and earth below
to witness the judgment of his people.
5 “Bring my faithful people to me—
those who made a covenant with me by giving sacrifices.”
6 Then let the heavens proclaim his justice,
for God himself will be the judge.                 Interlude

7 “O my people, listen as I speak.
Here are my charges against you, O Israel: I am God, your God!
8 I have no complaint about your sacrifices
or the burnt offerings you constantly offer.

22 Repent, all of you who forget me, or I will tear you apart,
and no one will help you.
23 But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honours me.
If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God.”

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Prayers of Thankfulness and Trust
After Pentecost 12C [Ordinary 19C] or [Proper 14C] 2016
Psalm 50: 1-8, 22-23

Calling God, we gather together with thankful hearts and minds, and with a deep
sense of trust in the God who gifts us with glimpses of God’s holy glory, shown
through God’s constant and consistent love and mercy towards all of creation.
We gather to celebrate the enlightenment we receive through God’s radiant and
shining presence, made clear to us when in trust we bow before God in worship
and prayer; in songs of praise and shared fellowship. We gather, so that in trust
and humility, we can approach God’s presence in awed wonder and reverence—
building each other up in faith, trust and love, so we may more truly serve our God.

Accepting God, we come in response to God’s call: “...Bring my faithful people to
me...” - the people who have committed themselves to loving and serving God; and
placing our gifts on the altar of God’s revealed presence and powers. We give our
thanks that God is not silent, but comes amongst to communicate to us all that we
are able to know and understand about who and what is our Gracious, Loving God.

Sharing God, who has called us from the boundaries of our world to reveal to us
that God is always God - the Holy One who accepts our thankfulness and trust, our
worship and praises as our sacrificial gifts that we offer in reverence to the Lord, the
Mighty One, the God of the universe. God continues to come amongst us to gift us
with new Life through our holy relationship of liberation in God; and so today we come
to worship, and in reverence to listen and hear what God has to tell and show us, and
we pray that we may be receptive to that inspiring message - and to live and love by it. Amen.

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A Personal Meditation
After Pentecost 12C [Ordinary 19C] or [Proper 14C] 2016
Psalm 50: 1-8, 22-23

A ‘gift’ often has challenging implications! We say that people are ‘gifted’ when in a
particular natural talent, a person shows flair or a special aptitude in a specific way;
or they demonstrate an ability, expertise or a technical capacity in an exacting field
of endeavour; or they display significant potential and dexterity of touch and brilliance,
in quite an artistically skilful manner in music. Another way of looking at a ‘gift’ is when
we give a present or donation to a person or organisation in recognition of a special
event; or because the donor chooses to be generous. However, sometimes gift-giving
can create some unexpected reactions! Some people are unable to accept gifts without
feeling that they must also give a gift in return for the original gift – which can easily
undo the intent of giving a gift simply out of appreciation for the rendering of a service—
or because the donor feels very blessed and wants to share that feeling - or generosity.



Professor Walter Brueggemann describes the covenant that God initiated towards the
people of Israel as a ‘gift’ to enrich their life and living; and to give them a special sense
of wholeness of life through that ‘gift’, because they were in a special relationship with
God. In that ‘gift’ giving, there was no negotiations entered into between God the donor
and the people of Israel as the recipients - because there could be no equal bargaining—
as God was God; and the people of Israel were God’s creation! God’s covenant was
a ‘gift’ given in love to those specific people. The people of Israel’s worship and sacrifices
were ‘gifts’ to God, that grew out of God’s own giving to them; but those offerings and
sacrifices were never intended to manipulate or influence God’s attitude or treatment of
the people of Israel. In fact, those worship and sacrifices were often valued by the human
part of the covenant partnership relationship because they knew themselves to be very
blessed by God. Psalm 50 is often described as a “covenant renewal festival” in which the
original ‘gift’ by God was celebrated. “The LORD, the Mighty One, is God, and he has
spoken; he has summoned all humanity from where the sun rises to where it sets... Our
God approaches, and he is not silent...” and there were also atmospheric reminders of
God’s holy presence on Mount Sinai when God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses.



Psalm 50 is another psalm in the second book of the Psalms that introduced specific dire
prophetic warnings to the people of Israel. The psalmist sang of God’s past actions and
who: “...calls on the heavens above and earth below to witness the judgment of his people...”
This “judgement” was a reminder to them that God’s covenant ‘gift’ brought expectations
relating not only to their sincerity and frequency of the worship of God, but also to their
own behaviour and ethics. Through the voices of the priests and leaders, the people of
Israel heard God’s words: “...O my people, listen as I speak. Here are my charges against
you, O Israel: I am God, your God! I have no complaint about your sacrifices or the burnt
offerings you constantly offer... But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honours me...”
Again God’s ‘hesed’ was demonstrated through that ancient commitment to the people of
Israel, offering them God’s unfailing love, loyalty, faithfulness, mercy and grace when they
confessed to their sin; and their lack of full attention to worshipping God wholly and truly.

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Acknowledgements:
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation,
copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

*Revised Indexing Scheme from 'Consultation on Church Union' (COCU).

I acknowledge and give heartfelt thanks for the theological inspiration available from the scholarship and writings of
Professor Walter Brueggemann; and through the resources from the internet and “The Text this Week” (Textweek).

If the Prayers and/or Meditations are used in shared worship, please provide this acknowledgement:
© 2016 Joan Stott – ‘The Timeless Psalms’ RCL Psalms Year C. Used with permission.

jstott@netspace.net.au
www.thetimelesspsalms.net

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