Psalm Group email for November, 22, 2020
Dear Psalms friends,
We celebrate Christ the King this Sunday. Christ the King Sunday functions like a prelude to Advent which kicks off our new liturgical year on November 29, 2020. You will hear this Preface for Christ the King during Eucharist this week as we give thanks to the Father: “Through your only begotten Son Jesus Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords; for you have seated him at your right hand in glory, and put all things in subjection under his feet, that he may present them to you, O Father, perfectly restored in beauty, truth, and love.” (BCP, p. 155)
Here’s the Collect for Christ the King Sunday: Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of king and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule: who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Our Psalms group will join this celebration of Christ our King by focusing on Psalms 45 and 47. Psalm 45 is a love poem for a royal wedding of a Davidic king. Psalm 47 is an enthronement hymn celebrating YHWH’s kingship over Israel and all the earth.
Read and reflect on Psalms 45 and 47. Also ponder the Kellers’ comments and prayers on pp. 94-95 and pp. 98-99 in The Songs of Jesus.
I’ll send you Sunday morning’s lesson tomorrow.
Celebrating the “already and not yet” kingdom of our Christ,
Toni