Speak Lord: redeemer

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

I will bless the Lord at all times,
his praise always on my lips;
in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.
The humble shall hear and be glad.

The Lord turns his face against the wicked
to destroy their remembrance from the earth.
The Lord turns his eyes to the just
and his ears to their appeal.

They call and the Lord hears
and rescues them in all their distress.
The Lord is close to the broken-hearted;
those whose spirit is crushed he will save.

Many are the trials of the just man
but from them all the Lord will rescue him.
He will keep guard over all his bones,
not one of his bones shall be broken.

Evil brings death to the wicked;
those who hate the good are doomed.
The Lord ransoms the souls of his servants.
Those who hide in him shall not be condemned.

Psalm for the 21^st Sunday in Ordinary Time
Psalm 33(34):2-3,16-23

In the famous story of Israel’s escape from Egypt the ‘wicked’ are drowned as they race in pursuit of their foe. Sometimes bad things do happen to ‘bad’ people.

In this psalm the wickedness is destroyed and the good people are saved. They turn to the Lord in their brokenness – and he cherishes and saves them.

• What – if anything – would stop you calling to the Lord for help?

Enamel, Louvre, Paris. (c) 2017, Allen Morris.