“Wanting more than ‘just’ actions”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Thursday, October 5, 2023
Psalm 105: 1-22 (Forward, p. 68) CEV p. 619
I’m afraid that some things are ‘lost in the translation’. I especially noticed this during my pilgrimage in Northern Spain when someone posted a notice in several languages. What was said in the original language, Spanish, and then translated into German, French and English, somehow did not retain its original meaning at all!
The same can certainly be said of the variant translations of the Scriptures. That is why serious students of the Bible will often consult different versions, namely because these different versions will often ‘bring out’ or reveal differing nuances of meaning of the original text. I found that to be particularly true in today’s, as I compared the renderings of the Contemporary English Version (CEV) and the Book of Alternative Services.
In some ways, the CEV is quite insipid. In lauding and praising God’s goodness and deeds, it says:
“The Lord is our God, bringing justice everywhere on earth. He will never forget his agreement or his promises, not in thousands of years” (verses 7-8).
Whereas the Book of Alternative Services (BAS) says:
“He is the Lord our God; his judgments prevail in all the world. He has always been mindful of his covenant, the promise he made for a thousand generations”.
But the difference is made even more apparent in the psalmist’s advice as to how we should express our praises to God for His abundant goodness and faithfulness. Just compare how the CEV renders its opening verses with how the BAS puts them:
(CEV) “Praise the Lord and pray in his name! Tell everyone what he has done. Sing praises to the Lord! Tell about his miracles. Celebrate and worship his holy name with all your heart. Trust the Lord and his mighty power. Remember his miracles and all his wonders and his fair decisions” (verses 1-5)
(BAS) “Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples. Sing to him, sing praises to him, and speak of all his marvellous works. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Search for the Lord and his strength; continually seek his face. Remember the marvels he has done, his wonders and the judgements of his mouth.”
I don’t know about you, but being told to simply ‘trust’ in the Lord seems devoid of any emotive or relational element, whereas ‘seeking the Lord, seeking His face [His nearer presence], and searching for Him, denotes a depth of affection and desire, an earnest desire to be close to God, to know and relate to Him intimately. And that, I am thinking, is what God desires and wants of us: not just trusting, not just obedience, not just serving Him, but actually being close to Him and desiring Him with all our beings. God wants more from us than ‘just’ actions.
Forward notes: “Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name; make known his deeds among the peoples. Sing to him, sing praises to him, and speak of all his marvellous works” (verses 1-2).
“After a few years of begrudgingly taking piano lessons as a child, I discovered the joy of singing and being part of a choir in middle school. I quickly became a ‘choir geek.’ Singing became an integral part of my life, and over the years, it has provided me with many transcendent moments where I felt close to the presence of God.
“I am the fourth generation of my family to attend St. Mary’s Church in Los Angeles, founded in 1907 by Japanese immigrants. The St. Mary’s choir has a decades long tradition of Christmas caroling at the nearby hospital. Every year, I experience one or two ‘God moments,’ when our voices and God meet: singing ‘Silent Night’ in the ICU as loved ones sign paperwork and say goodbye to a family member or seeing patients peek out of their rooms as we sing to the nurses’ stations.
“Music can bring people together and bring God closer to those whose lives music touches.”
Moving Forward: “What songs remind you of God’s presence/. Listen to a few of them this week. You might even share them with a friend or two.”