“In praise of God’s goodness”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Sunday, January 19, 2025
Psalm 36: 5-10 (Forward, p. 82) CEV p. 576
Here I could not help but notice how different these verses are rendered in various translations. The translation, the Contemporary English Version (CEV), that I normally use for these meditations tries to make the meaning readily available, and simpler, for lower grade levels—grade three, in fact-- loses a great deal in terms of beauty and majesty, and, dare I say it, something of the meaning as well. See, for instance, the CEV rendering vs. that which is used in our prayer books:
(verse 5): “Your love is faithful, Lord, and even the clouds in the sky can depend on you.” (CEV)
“Your love [your steadfast love], O Lord, reaches to the heavens, and your faithfulness to the clouds” (BAS).
(verse 6): “Your decisions are always fair. They are firm like mountains, deep like the sea, and all people and animals are under your care” (CEV).
“Your righteousness is like the strong [mighty] mountains, your justice
[judgments] like the great deep; you save both man and beast, O
Lord” (BAS).
(verse 7): “Your love is a treasure, and everyone finds shelter in the shadow of your wings” (CEV).
“How priceless [precious] is your love [steadfast love], O God! Your
people take refuge under the shadow of our wings” (BAS).
(verse 8): “You give your guests a feast in your house, and you serve a tasty drink that flows like a river” (CEV).
“They feast upon the abundance of your house; you give them drink
from the river of your delight” (BAS).
(verse 9): ”The life-giving fountain belongs to you, and your light gives light to each of us” (CEV)
“For with you is the well [fountain] of life, and in your light we see
light” (BAS).
I’m afraid that the CEV loses something by way of the poetic sense of the original, the majesty and loveliness of its words—‘the river of your delight’, for instance.
Either way, however, it cannot be denied that the psalmist is enraptured with the delights of knowing and being loved by God. To him, there is absolutely ‘nothing like it,’ nothing else to be desired. May we, you and I, be like that as well.
Forward notes: “For with you is the well of life, and in your light we see light” (verse 9).
“In this last season of the liturgical cycle of light (Advent, Christmas, Epiphany), we celebrate the manifestation of Jesus’s glory as we focus on his life and mission. At the wedding feast in Cana [John 2:1-11], Jesus gives the first public sign, revealing who he is and what he has come to do. He tells us later in John (8:12) that he is the light of the world, so we know one thing Jesus does is offer illumination, like our sun.
“Light continually radiates from the sun, warming us and giving life to everything on the planet, but we only receive it when we’re in the path of the sun’s rays. With Earth’s rotation, we experience darkness, and as Earth moves farther away from the sun, we experience shorter cycles of light. So, to have light, we must be in the light. The same is true for our spiritual lives. When we turn or move away from Jesus’s life-giving light, we find ourselves in darkness, unable to see. We receive illumination for our lives, then, by remaining in the light of Jesus.”
Moving Forward: “Is something pulling you away from the light of Jesus? Ask for help—in prayer, from family and friends, or from your priest or faith community.”