The Same Tongue to Bless and Curse--Sept. 4, 2013

 The trees of the forest sing for joy;

even the fields exult, and everything in them.

We ourselves have heard of all you have done, O God;

but until we saw for ourselves, we did not believe the reports.

Now at last we see and understand and bless your name;

yet with the very same tongue we use to bless you,

we curse those you have made in your likeness.

No one can tame the tongue, a restless evil;

no one, that is, except the one who

kept silent, amazing Pilate.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 96; 147:1-11; 132; 134

1 Kings 9:24-10:13

James 3:1-12

Mark 15:1-11

Selected Verses

Ps. 96:12

            …let the field exult, and everything in it.

Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy…  

1 Kings 10:6-7a

So [the queen of Sheba] said to the king, "The report was true that I heard in my own land of your accomplishments and of your wisdom, but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. …"

James 3:8

…but no one can tame the tongue — a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

Mark 15:5

But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed.