April 29thPsalm 144
God is good for us
Beneficence is defined as an act of charity, mercy, and kindness with a strong connotation of doing good to others including moral obligation. Health care professionals [and others in caring professions] have a duty of care that extends to the patient, professional colleagues, and to society as a whole. [National Institute of Health accessed online].
This psalm-prayer tells us that the covenant God has a ‘duty of care’ towards us. God is good for us! It can just take a long while, and a great deal of struggle to see that and how this is so. The psalm makes three important points about God’s blessing of God’s people:
ONE - ‘What is a human being?’ the question comes from Psalm 8, but this psalm takes it in a different direction. Psalm 8 marvels that God puts human beings in control of the world; Psalm 144 marvels that God puts a particular human being – a king – in charge of Israel. The first and greatest king was David. Favored by God, gifted in leadership, flawed in profound ways, nevertheless David is seen as a model of kingship and leader of his people, Israel.
But David here recognizes that Israel’s flourishing is not about him so much as God’s goodness. He understands that God has not given him this leadership role to glorify himself, but to serve the interest of others. David recognizes that being a faithful and successful king will result in future generations being blessed. He speaks of Israel’s sons and daughters living in peace and prosperity, and free from the fear of poverty or slavery (verses 10-14). Simply put, YHWH made him king to serve and bless God’s people. God is good for us!
SECOND – God blesses God’s people with many acts of generosity: there are the spectacular, nature-altering, and deliverance miracles (v. 5-10), and the ordinary, life-sustaining miracles of daily bread, children, and home (v. 12-14). God is good for us!
THREE – the final verse suggests that the former role of kings – to do God’s will in the world, is being transferred to the whole people (vs. 15). In the New Testament, Paul talks about the church as a body with many members, all important and essential, from the least to the greatest. God is good for us!
Recently we celebrated the life of Elsie, a true servant to her family, community, and her church. She took seriously her ‘duty of care’ to be with those in need. Such people, our psalm says, will be doubly blessed for God is good (v.15)!