Psalm 91 | King James Audio Bible | KJV | Night Prayer | Nunc Dimittis
Interpreted by David – my guest
Let us bless ourselves as we seek refuge in the night’s sleep, our day’s labour done. Let us be be safe in Jesus. Let us pray. May our prayer come to God.
It is perfectly done to accompany a reading of this psalm (91/90) with a recital of the nunc dimittis, and indeed fully to pray compline – the night prayer.
Such prayer lends itself to peace and silence – a restful sleep.
Psalm 91 KJV
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet,
Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.
Nunc Dimittis | A Song Of Simeon
Luke 2:25-35 recounts the story of Simeon, a devout and righteous man who was promised by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah. When Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus to the temple to present him to the Lord, Simeon recognized him as the Messiah and praised God for fulfilling his promise. Click to play:
Interpretations include:
- Simeon represents the faithful remnant of Israel who were waiting for the coming of the Messiah. His recognition of Jesus as the Messiah signifies that Jesus is the fulfillment of Israel’s hope and the culmination of God’s plan of salvation for his people.
- Simeon’s words to Mary, ‘A sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,’ are seen as a prophecy of Mary’s own suffering as the mother of Jesus, particularly at his crucifixion. This interpretation emphasizes Mary’s role as a co-sufferer with Jesus in the work of salvation.
- The presentation of Jesus in the temple is seen as a moment of revelation, both for Simeon and for all those who recognize Jesus as the Messiah. This revelation is not just about Jesus’ identity, but also about God’s plan of salvation for all people.
- Simeon’s recognition of Jesus as the Messiah demonstrates the continuity between the Old Testament and the New Testament. Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophecies and promises of the Old Testament, and his coming is the climax of God’s plan of salvation.
- Simeon’s statement that he can now ‘depart in peace’ is seen as a model of Christian hope and faith. Christians can also have the assurance of salvation and the hope of eternal life because of Jesus’ coming and his work on the cross.
- Simeon’s recognition of Jesus as the Messiah is also a challenge to all those who encounter Jesus in their own lives. Like Simeon, we are called to recognize Jesus’ true identity and respond with faith and devotion.
The poem is an expression of praise and resurrection, where the poet calls upon his ‘heart’ to celebrate the Lord’s resurrection and to rise spiritually with Him. The poem opens with a command to the heart to ‘Rise’ in response to the Lord’s resurrection, suggesting a spiritual ascent that mirrors Christ’s victory over death. The poet then emphasizes that, just as Christ’s death reduced the believer to ‘dust’, Jesus Christ’s new life will refine them, transforming them into something valuable and ‘just’, akin to ‘gold’. This allusion to spiritual purification conveys that through the resurrection, believers attain not only forgiveness but a path to becoming more righteous [ … ]
The passage, Matthew 19:16-22, recounts the encounter between Jesus and a wealthy young man who asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. In response, Jesus told him to keep the commandments, to which the young man replied that he had done so since his youth. Jesus then told him to sell all his possessions, give the money to the poor, and follow him. The young man went away sorrowful because he had great possessions, which he finds himself unable to relinquish [ … ]
Saint Augustine’s sermon explores the relationship between divine grace and human works. He begins by stressing the importance of living according to what is heard and sung in worship: the word of God should not only be received but should bear fruit in deeds. Hearing is like planting a seed, but only action demonstrates that the seed has grown [ … ]
