Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Wednesday, May 15, 2013 Read – Psalm 109 If we think yesterday’s Psalm was a challenge today’s Psalm is much worse! Psalm 109 is one of those Psalms that is filled with venom. One wonders if a person should ever talk like this psalmist talks. Certainly Jesus would not approve, would he? Of course a closer look at the Psalms as a whole and in particular the use of Lament Psalms is helpful. The psalmists hold nothing back – which is a very healthy thing. But how is one to find in this Psalm evidence that Judas’ actions were “according to scripture?” The verse Luke selects out of this Psalm is verse 8, “May his days be few; may another seize his position.” Actually it is only the last half the verse that Luke finds helpful – “let another take his place.” Luke’s whole point is precisely that another must take Judas’ place among the twelve – and so this obscure verse becomes the avenue to justify that fact – it “fulfills scripture.” We may never fully understand why Luke has done what he has done with these two Psalms – why pick them at all? Actually, Peter’s words about Judas are not what is finally important in this story – what is important is the selection of Matthias to become one of the Twelve. We come to that story tomorrow.