90. Friday after Fourth Sunday after Epiphany.
Psalm 2. Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. Be wise now, therefore, O ye kings; be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
❦
“The world suffers and tolerates every kind of false, ungodly doctrine and all manner of idolatrous ways; but it cannot endure the Lord in heaven and his Christ.” (Luther). The kings and rulers of the earth who now take counsel together against the Lord’s anointed are the scholars, the kings in the world of letters and oratory. In their eyes the Christian religion is obsolete. Our age has long ago outgrown the faith of our childhood and the God of the Bible; and above the grave in which they have buried creed and dogma the scholars are now singing their song of triumph, as did the rulers among the Jews after the crucifixion of Christ. Too soon! The counsel of these rulers in the world of intellect is mere vanity. “But this,” says Luther,
was written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. For that which is written of Christ is true of all Christians. Every upright Christian shall have his Herod and Pilate, who rage, speak many vain things, and take counsel together against him. Therefore every Christian must arm himself. If these assaults on him are not made now by men and devils and his own conscience, they will be made when he is in the agony of death. Then it will be highly necessary that he apply to his heart the comfort contained in scripture passages such as this: “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall have them in derision.” On this hope he must stand fast and let nothing in heaven or hell persuade him to depart from it. — No matter how strong and mighty the enemies may appear to human eyes, their speech is so vain and their counsel so little to be regarded that God does not even deem it worthwhile to oppose them, as would be necessary in a matter of great and serious importance; but he laughs at them and derides them as persons engaged in a little, contemptible foolishness, not worth his notice. But O, how strong a faith is not required by these words! For who believed, when Christ suffered and the Jews triumphed, that God laughed at them? And when we suffer and are oppressed, do we not find it extremely difficult to believe that God laughs at our enemies, and has them in derision? For we, indeed, seem plainly to see and feel that we are derided and oppressed by God and man.
He, however, that sitteth in the heavens speaks judgment to the enemies and salvation to his believers. He “cares for us; and he dwells secure, without all fear. Though we be troubled and tempted, he who keeps watch over us is entirely serene. We are tossed hither and thither; but he is firm and shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. But all this takes place in such a secret and hidden manner that you are unable to understand it; you could not, indeed, unless you were in heaven. On earth you must suffer, and no creature can help you. You must not expect comfort in your trials and tribulations, before you have left all else behind and reached him who dwells in heaven. Then you, also, dwell in heaven; though, as yet, only in hope and faith. We must, therefore, in our every need, temptation, trial, and adversity, fix our heart on him who dwells in heaven; then shall the misfortunes, anguish, and distress which we must bear in this world not only rest lightly on us, but become a source of great joy.”
Blessed be thou, Lord, our strong fortress. Give us the grace of the Spirit to believe, and to place our whole cause in thy hands, to serve thee, and to obey thy voice only. Amen.*
Lord, keep us steadfast in thy word;
Curb pope and Turk and all that horde
Who fain would hurl from off thy throne
Christ Jesus, thy beloved Son.
Lord Jesus Christ, thy power make known;
For thou art Lord of lords alone;
Defend thy Christendom, that we
May evermore sing praise to thee.
O Holy Ghost, our comfort, thou
With unity thy church endow,
Support us in our final strife,
And lead us out of death to life.
[Christian Hymns for Church, School, and Home, No. 3; listen here]
* Here the head of the family says a short morning or evening prayer in his own words, and closes with the Lord’s Prayer and the Benediction. This is to be done every day. If the stanzas are not sung, they may be read in their proper place before the impromptu petition and the Lord’s Prayer.