You will have noticed that the psalms we have in our Bibles do not rhyme; this is not because they are translations from the original Hebrew, they never did rhyme. Hebrew poetry relied on different literary devices, like rhythm and parallelism. There are three broad categories within parallelism: synonymous parallelism is where the second half of the line echoes the first (Ps 38:1); antithetic parallelism stresses the first half of the line by contrasting or negating it (Ps 1:6) and synthetic parallelism completes or emphasises the idea of the first half in the second (Ps 42:1). Why the academic start to this reflection? Because I looked up where the word peace occurs in the psalms, to find a topical aspect to peace.
Firstly, peace can mean not speaking: “I was silent and still; I held my peace…” (Ps 39:2). This is something we can all practise – listening more than talking.
The psalms also offer other aspects of peace, where it is not just the opposite to war. Psalm 29:11 reads:
“May the LORD give strength to his people!
May the LORD bless his people with peace!”
The previous ten verses have used synonymous parallelism, so if this ultimate verse does too, we can equate peace with strength. Personally, this verse speaks to me of the Trinity: the Holy Spirit is also called the Comforter (this comes from Latin via French and means intense strength) and Jesus is the Prince of Peace. When we are spirit-filled, we will be people of peace.
But most times when we see the word peace in the psalms, the word does not only refer to inner peace but absence of war – and our world perennially needs us to pray for this peace too. Psalm 122:6-7 reminds us that in a place of peace, people have security.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.
Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers.”
Perhaps the most poignant psalm verse about peace is Ps. 128:6. “May you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel!” I am blessed by five wonderful grandchildren and I know the world would be a poorer place without those five special people. When I think of those in war-torn areas who have seen their children killed and have no hope of their genes and wisdom being continued, I feel especially sad.
So let us all do as Ps 34:14 suggests: “Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.”
Heavenly Father, we pray for inner peace, that you will remove all doubts and fears from us, and give us loving and tolerant hearts.
Jesus our Saviour, we ask that you whisper words of peace into the ears of those who are praying to you and to those who ignore your teachings.
Holy Comforter, be the strength that all peace-makers need. In our grasping, selfish world, give us the strength to take only what we need. Amen.
Elaine Kinchin