Psalm 64 Taken from the Breviary.
Prayer for help against enemies
This psalm commemorates most particularly our Lord’s passion (Saint Augustine).
1) Hear my voice, O God, as I complain, *
guard my life from dread of the foe.
Hide me from the band of the wicked, *
from the throng of those who do evil.
2) They sharpen their tongues like swords; *
they aim bitter words like arrows
to shoot at the innocent from ambush, *
shooting suddenly and recklessly.
3) They scheme their evil course; *
they conspire to lay secret snares.
They say: “Who will see us? *
Who can search out our crimes?”
4) He will search who searches the mind *
and knows the depths of the heart.
God has shot them with his arrow *
and dealt them sudden wounds.
Their own tongue has brought them to ruin *
and all who see them mock.
5) Then will all men fear;
they will tell what God has done. *
They will understand God’s deeds.
The just will rejoice in the Lord
and fly to him for refuge. *
All the upright hearts will glory.
6) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.
The opening stanza catches my eye and then the second word is so important for understanding that fear, that haunts and won’t let go, it hopefully will ever be known as the “dread of the foe.” Listen carefully to the prayer as it is but one of our Lord's prayers taken from any of many times through out his passion.
"Guard my life from dread of the foe": I would like to steer your heart to listen to this prayer from the perspective of the Father, and how often He redirects our life to come to terms with our issues through the acts of others.
Certainly we could latch onto the lead phrase...and think this is just another lamentation...woe is me, please Lord come to my aid. There is merit in accounting our own discomforts. However…an invitation is extended for those who want to look a little deeper…Perhaps you are tired of hearing your same old song and yearn for deeper meaning in this constant throb, this un-yielding heartache as someone who sees a pattern emerging through the fog of the ordinary as if the Lord would like you to enter into conversation with Him through your own discomfort.
Look again and redirect the "point of focus" of the prayer from those causing your pain, to the "dread of the foe. " The Dread, your own internal response of fear to their "bitter words piercing your heart," is truly what the Lord wants to talk about. But can we bring ourselves to listen to Our Lord''s response or do we just want to complain. Hear my Voice!
“Hear my voice! God, listen to my complaint!!!”
This is his complaint with us today. but listen to it again. Lord listen to my complaint!!!!, and the Lord in His mercy wants you to come to your senses... He grabs you firmly and asks you if you would hear His complaints first. And of course we jump up and down so happy to have His attention…. Me first. Me first. No! Please, you must please listen to my complaint first. But we don’t listen do we? That is why we are still complaining…. And the Lord again in His mercy puts a prayer on our lips that is both a cure and a curse. For the sincere it is a balm, for others it might just inflame you to act more considerate of others at the very least.
Here is the spotlight…. Your "dread of the foe" needs to be addressed. This is what you have put before Him. This is the problem in your eyes…this loathing of my companions. In faith and hope collect yourself, calm down, and hear the Word. Let it soak way down into your marrow…..
Your prayer and His can be answered…and I believe is answered.
He places the answer to your “dread of foe” dilemma right in your mouth before you realize it is even formulated in your heart.
Hide me from the band of the wicked, *
from the throng of those who do evil.
I would so like to disappear from their (evil ones) reality. Wouldn't it be great if they couldn't see me, couldn't hear me, couldn't feel me. Just hide me please!
And don’t you just love people who come to ask you for your assistance and then tell you what you need to say and do on their behalf.
Is the person lamenting and asking for help really sincere or is this person just looking for more material? The Jesus who endured the three days of his passion wasn’t cut open only by those swords of bystanders, the deepest cuts were made by those who were nearest him.
They sharpen their tongues like swords; *
they aim bitter words like arrows
to shoot at the innocent from ambush, *
shooting suddenly and recklessly.
They scheme their evil course; *
they conspire to lay secret snares.
They say: “Who will see us? *
Who can search out our crimes?”
They scheme believing to be invisible, and think they are invisible to God but they are not. And yet I am asking in my fear to become what they think they are?
This fourth stanza is so precious for the humble will see his own arrows, his own pride, his own utility and how we prefer to walk with Jesus until we see where Jesus is going. Perhaps for the first time we are realizing in a supernatural way, we are present in the Passion of Christ. We prefer to walk with him. He isn’t asking for preferences here, he is asking for real friendship. Do I stay? Do I go? There is a real decision to be made here, you see the wound and can feel the blood…Are you ashamed, can you say goodbye to the old complainer…Do you hear the mocking…it should sound like applause for the faithful
He will search who searches the mind *
and knows the depths of the heart.
God has shot them with his arrow *
and dealt them sudden wounds.
Their own tongue has brought them to ruin *
and all who see them mock.
So the fifth stanza clarifies and so I hope you decide to boast of what Jesus has done, and what God has done, be fearful and recognize your fears and fly to him for refuge. And see "flying to him for refuge is really like disappearing as you walk in their midst faithfully with great fear, to the sound of their mocking….
Then will all men fear;
they will tell what God has done. *
They will understand God’s deeds.
The just will rejoice in the Lord
and fly to him for refuge. *
All the upright hearts will glory.
Can you muster the courage to admit after searching your mind and the depths of your heart, you were hoping to avoid all evil (pain, suffering, discomfort, boredom, challenges, poverty, mocking and derision) by loving Jesus.
Those who love Jesus cannot be afraid of being like Jesus. We all must work together to come to the same conclusion, we must truly be willing to endure some real hardships in order to love him and those we perceive as causing those hardships. Face your fear, and trust in Him. Those who cause your hardship maybe working toward drawing you closer to Jesus, by bringing somethings out into the light.
Can you listen to His complaint's before you register your own? Try looking at the cross while you register your complaints. Put a suggestion box at the foot of the cross.
Friend or Foe? Who are you?
I hope and pray to realize of all the apostles John continued to the cross, to comfort Mary in her passion, as I have come to believe not as an exception to others, but as he was distracted from his own pain and future by thinking of hers. Perhaps another model within a model. We will not all respond to our call to the cross as Jesus, Mary and John did, hence the 10 other examples who came back to Jerusalem after running away. Consider Peter, who continually gave us his true character of walking away from the challenge posed by Jesus, and Jesus example of persevering with him and teaching him along the way, this isn’t easy and it certainly isn’t the natural thing to do, it takes a firm act of the will, and constant prayer in unison with Our Lady, Holy Angels, Apostles and Saints, to be a friend of Jesus. Please take me into your refuge. Help me with my fear. I love you.
