Read the passage aloud. Pause for a minute and read it again. Is there a word or phrase that caught your attention? Sit with that word or phrase as you read the passage a third time. Would you be willing to say if anything caught your attention?
The phrase that this guide will be focusing on is from verse 28 “bless those who curse you”.
Read Psalm 58:6-11 with drama, with hands in a tight fist, and jaws clenched. How does it leave you feeling?
How does that feeling compare to when “Bless This Space” was read?
Psalm 58 is an example of an Imprecatory Psalm. David is praying a curse on his enemies, seeking their destruction. In contrast, a blessing asks for life giving, flourishing, whole relationships, shalom.
Jesus’s reversal is introduced with the word “But” at verse 27, the start of the love your enemies passage. Instead of cursing like the model shown by David, Jesus is asking us to pray a blessing for your enemies. Just as then, the model of seeking to destroy your enemies is still the prevalent model.
Is Jesus implying that David got it wrong? Is it time to rewrite Psalm 58 as a blessing of enemies?
Some of us may have enemies or know people who have enemies. I think of refugees and survivors of abuse. As we listen to President Trump, it is beginning to feel like we/Canada have a new enemy. How do we pray a blessing for him? How do we write a Psalm of blessing instead of curse?
As a group try writing a blessing for President Trump. Then pray the blessing together.
If you are struggling it can be helpful to read someone else’s blessing.
(See John O Donohue’s “For a Leader” from his book To Bless This Space Between Us. A rich resource for blessings)
On Sunday January 19th, Janine spoke a beautiful blessing for Adelaide. Several times she used the word “may”. Blessings are something we ask, pray for, from God. It is not something we can grant or bestow. John O’Donohue suggests we use “may” as a way recognizing we are intercessors and not grantors of blessing. In this way, “may” becomes a powerful word that invokes God compared to saying “best wishes”, “thinking of you” and “hope it goes well”. In this sense it also allows us to pray for others “without praying.”
How does saying, “hope the surgery goes well” sound compared to “may the surgery restore you to health” sound to you?
In Genesis 27:1-40 there is a conspiracy to steal Esau’ blessing by Jacob’s mother and have it given to him, her favourite son. The conspiracy is successful and Jacob receives the blessing. When the plot is discovered, Esau cries in desperation to Isaac, “bless me too father.” Like Esau, we have a longing for words of life to be spoken over us.
Is there someone celebrating a birthday? Take this time to speak a blessing for them either with your own wording or use the attached “For Your Birthday.”
Is someone in transition? Kids have moved out, job change, loss of a loved one, new life, so much of life is transition. Take time to bless those in transition with your own words or use the attached Threshold Blessing.
Not only do we have a longing to be blessed, we also have an innate longing to speak words of life to others. Perhaps we hesitate because we don’t feel qualified, we are not the pastor. We don’t need to be qualified because we are invoking good from God who desire to show mercy and grace. Jesus reminds us of this in verse 35-36. What if we don’t get the wording right. Use wording that is right for you and trust the Spirit to give you words. And, try.
Parents, try speaking blessings regularly to your children. It is another way to let them know they are loved, by you and God.
The communion table reminds us of the “great reversal’ where the hungry are fed, the sick and hurting are healed, and sinners forgiven. If, as Brian Zahnd says, “grace runs downhill”, then this table is at the bottom of the hill.
With some bread and some juice, serve each other the body and blood of Christ as a sign of the good news we share in Jesus.
Form a circle and invite any children present into the circle.
Place your right hand on your heart as a symbol to receive a blessing and, if it is ok with your neighbour, your left hand on their shoulder. In this circle either speak blessing together or have one person speak a phrase and everyone repeats the phrase together. Here is one blessing you might use.
For those that music speaks strongly to
If you’d like to watch/listen to Enemy Pie instead of read it, check out this video!
