Psalm 103: 1-22 (links validated 1/31/24)

The former Beatle and amazing songwriter Paul McCartney has never been much of a shrinking violet. He has never been adverse to facing criticisms head on, sometimes engaging critiques at a deep level, other times shrugging them off. A consistent knock on McCartney over the years—including even some songs he wrote when still with the Beatles—was that he was a bit saccharine, a bit syrupy, a bit overly romantic. Too many starry-eyed love song ballads, too many head-over-heels sentiments, too many downright silly lyrics. So with his post-Beatles band Wings, McCartney answered his critics with a song titled “Silly Love Songs.” Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs. And what’s wrong with that? I’d like to know. Cuz here I go again . . . I love you. I love you. Ironically, the “Silly Love Song” meant to answer critics of silly love songs went on to become one of McCartney’s greatest hits of all time. (And that’s just silly in and of itself!)...

The late Rev. Fred Craddock preached a sermon once on “The Gospel as Hyperbole.” In that case he took off from the end of John 21 where John claims that if everything Jesus ever said and did were written down, “the world could not contain the books that would be written.” A ridiculous statement on the face of it but that’s the Gospel for you: it defies description. As we have noted, Psalm 103 is good at hyperbole too. In his sermon at one point Craddock noted that preachers used to be better at using hyperbolic speech in their sermons than a lot of modern preachers seem to be. We’re far too tame. We downsize everything to keep it manageable. By way of illustration of how it used to go in sermons, Craddock mentioned a one-time frontier preacher who in one of his sermons tried to do the impossible; namely, describe eternity. But he tried when he said, “Imagine a giant granite mountain towering 15,000 feet. And then imagine that once every 100 years a bird flies past that mountain and ticks against it with one of his wings. When that bird has managed to whittle that mountain down to the ground, in eternity that would be before breakfast.”

The former Beatle and amazing songwriter Paul McCartney has never been much of a shrinking violet. He has never been adverse to facing criticisms head on, sometimes engaging critiques at a deep level, other times shrugging them off. A consistent knock on McCartney over the years—including even some songs he wrote when still with the Beatles—was that he was a bit saccharine, a bit syrupy, a bit overly romantic. Too many starry-eyed love song ballads, too many head-over-heels and downright silly lyrics. So with his post-Beatles band Wings, McCartney answered his critics with a song titled “Silly Love Songs.” “Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs. And what’s wrong with that, I’d like to know, cause here I go again . . . I love you . . . I love you.” Ironically, the Silly Love Song meant to answer critics of silly love songs went on to become one of McCartney’s greatest hits of all time...

One writer put it this way: Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire. If you did, what would there be to look forward to? Be thankful when you don’t know something, for it gives you the opportunity to learn. Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow. Be thankful for your limitations because they give you opportunities for improvement. Be thankful for each new challenge because it will build your strength and character. Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons. Be thankful when you’re tired and weary because it means you’ve made a difference. It is easy to be thankful for the good things. A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks.

In Charles Dickens’ second novel, Oliver Twist, there is a famous scene that provides a dark and negative backdrop for this Psalm about the bounty of God. Oliver Twist, a slender, pale lad, famished because of hard child labor and meager meals, approaches Mr. Bumble, holds out his empty bowl, and says, “Please, sir, may I have some more.” Mr. Bumble cannot believe Oliver’s temerity and reports it to the overseers of the orphanage, whereupon they explode with rage. “He asked for more?” Psalm 103 pictures a God who fills our empty bowls to overflowing if we but have faith. John Calvin described faith as the mouth of the soul, open wide to receive all of God’s benefits in Christ.

Two monks were walking along a medieval path when they came to a shallow river. On the bank stood a pretty, young woman who was seeking a way across. One of the monks told her to climb on his back and he carried her across. Then they parted, and the two monks continued their journey. Later that evening, the other monk could stand it no longer and complained to his brother, "how could you have broken your vows and picked up that woman?" After a while the other replied. "I put her down on the other side of the river. Apparently you are still carrying her with you."...

(see Part II)

Scroll down the page for this resource.

(Puppet Script by Louise Ferry)