Saturday of the Twelfth Week After Pentecost

Reflections

September 6, 2025

Today's Reading: Introit for Pentecost 13 - Psalm 119:28-32; antiphon: Psalm 119:27

Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 4:8-22, 32-37; Ephesians 5:15-33

“I cling to your testimonies, O Lord; let me not be put to shame!” (Psalm 119:31)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Psalm 119 is the big one. This long psalm is the longest chapter in Scripture at a whopping 176 verses. Arranged in sections based on the Hebrew alphabet, there are recurring themes that run through it. Like a friend who can talk about a single subject and everything that touches upon it for hours, so Psalm 119 keeps coming back to the same topics. The Law. Sin. Salvation. Hope. Sorrow. The desire to do good works. It’s like the psalmist put a short album on continuous repeat.

So it is in this section. It begins with sorrow and a fervent prayer to learn God’s law. Though the writer has announced that he has set God’s way of faithfulness before him, yet he still fears being put to shame and needs God to work on his heart before he can live according to God’s Commandments. You get the sense that the writer is writing this not long after falling into sin. He is struck by the terrors of God’s perfect Law in his conscience. He desires to keep the Law, setting it before his eyes, but the intensity of it sounds as if the writer was a devastated child who was caught after disobeying his parents on something big.

Where is help to be found, for the psalmist and for you? When your conscience attacks you, run to the testimonies of the Gospel. Run to the accounts where the Holy Spirit testifies of God’s love for you in Christ. Set Jesus’ compassionate miracles in front of you, where He helps those who cannot help themselves. Read again how forgiveness is given, though no one deserves it. Hear how God’s own blood shed on a cross was enough to stave off God’s anger at you. See how Jesus restores Peter after he denied Jesus. Marvel at how Jesus appeared to Paul and saw him not for his past sins, but instead showed him mercy. Reflect on this Son made man, who quenched the Father’s anger in His wounds. And don’t forget to go to your pastor, as well! Your pastor is given to teach these testimonies of grace to you and to apply them. Listen to your pastor’s sermons with greater interest, for though he is sent to preach the Law that exposes your sins, yet he also is sent to preach the Gospel and unburden your conscience. With Jesus set before you, you can cling to God’s testimonies of grace and never be put to shame.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

The Law reveals the guilt of sin And makes us conscience stricken; But then the Gospel enters in The sinful soul to quicken. Come to the cross, trust Christ, and live; The Law no peace can ever give, No comfort and no blessing. (LSB 555:8)

Rev. Robert Mayes, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Zion St. John Lutheran Church, Beemer and Wisner, NE.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

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