Quid gloriaris?
Checking out various Bible readings for tomorrow, I might as well look at the psalms nominated to respond to the lectionary's prescribed OT texts.
From Track 2, the one we're not reading is the incomparable Psalm 15, in my growing up years set in my memory for life from the Coverdale Psalter in our Book of Common Prayer, "Lord, who shall dwell in thy tabernacle, or who shall rest upon thy holy hill?"
But the other one, for Track 1, the response to the Amos prophecy, Psalm 52 is damning and bitter enough to pass not for a chant in worship but for prophecy itself; indeed for modern day response in the nature of prophetic protest against life as we are living it, and 'nuff said:
Psalm 52 Quid gloriaris?
1 You tyrant, why do you boast of wickedness *
against the godly all day long?
against the godly all day long?
2 You plot ruin;
your tongue is like a sharpened razor, *
O worker of deception.
your tongue is like a sharpened razor, *
O worker of deception.
3 You love evil more than good *
and lying more than speaking the truth.
and lying more than speaking the truth.
4 You love all words that hurt, *
O you deceitful tongue.
O you deceitful tongue.
5 Oh, that God would demolish you utterly, *
topple you, and snatch you from your dwelling,
and root you out of the land of the living!
topple you, and snatch you from your dwelling,
and root you out of the land of the living!
6 The righteous shall see and tremble, *
and they shall laugh at him, saying,
and they shall laugh at him, saying,
7 "This is the one who did not take God for a refuge, *
but trusted in great wealth
and relied upon wickedness."
but trusted in great wealth
and relied upon wickedness."
8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; *
I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.
I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.
9 I will give you thanks for what you have done *
and declare the goodness of your Name in the presence of the godly.
and declare the goodness of your Name in the presence of the godly.