Daily Devotions 2nd December 2018

“I choose the appointed time;
I judge with justice sure.
When earth and all its people quake,
its pillars I secure.

“ ‘Boast not!’ I tell the proud;
the wicked I address:
‘‘Do not lift up your heads with pride,
or speak with haughtiness’.”

No one in all the earth
can truly give renown.
God is the judge; he raises one
and puts another down.

The LORD’s hand holds a cup
with wine of powerful blend;
He pours it out, and wicked ones
must drink it to the end.

God’s works I will proclaim,
and Jacob’s God I’ll praise.
The wicked’s strength I will destroy;
the righteous I will raise.

At Advent we are a bit like Mary, we are on the threshold of Christmas. I was brought to this thinking a few years ago on a retreat day where we were encouraged to think about thresholds. We are on the threshold of the here and now, we look back to the past and look forward to the future. So appropriate for this time of Advent.

We remember the Mary of Luke’s gospel, a young woman, on the threshold of motherhood, meeting Elizabeth and her wonderful song of praise. Is the writer of Psalm 75 on the threshold of something new? Some new revelation? Certainly, the Magnificat is reminiscent of this Psalm. In Psalm 75 we have something of the majesty of God, something of the wicked being destroyed and the righteous being lifted up, something that Mary remembered in her song of praise with Elisabeth. And something that could stay with us at this time of Advent.