Wednesday 17 December 2025

Psalm 76

Background
I have a little dog. Her greatest joy now that we live in a house with the living room at the front of the property, is to sit on the back of the armchair in the window and watch the world go by.

She grumbles at other dogs, sits up excitedly when she sees our nextdoor neighbour and gets both vocal and excited when the postman or a delivery driver arrives. She wants to meet them, to greet them, to fuss them and, in return, be fussed! Most of them have now met her which simply adds to her enthusiasm and excitement at these ‘heralds of good news’! She is my personal watchman or watchdog, alerting me to the arrival of visitors – strangers and friends alike.

Isaiah is drawing a word picture for the people of a similar situation. Okay, not an over-enthusiastic Yorkshire terrier on the back of an armchair but rather the lookouts, the watch guards on the city walls. They were the ones entrusted with the task of alerting the people to the approach of others to the city walls, be they friends or foes.

In this passage their alert takes the form of celebration and rejoicing as they recognise the approach of God and, therefore, both their salvation and release.

The Israelites had spent so many years under foreign rule, held as captives in strange lands with different customs, languages and religious practices. Now, here comes God to rescue, release and restore. No wonder the watch guard rejoice. No wonder the people sing for joy. Such is the promise of the coming of God’s Chosen One, the Messiah – who will rescue, release and restore.

To Ponder:

• From the ‘city wall ‘ of your life what do you hope or long to see approaching you?

Prayer
Lord of journey, hope and celebration, open our eyes to see your presence in the world around us day by day and open our lives to celebrate your coming at Christmas with joy. Amen.

Bible notes author: The Revd Una McLean
Una is a retired presbyter living in Northumberland with her small dog Patricia. She enjoys all manner of craft work, reading, theatre, cinema and music. She also participates in Traildog events, which grew out of people running in local park runs with their dogs (today she and Patricia walk them as Una treasures her knees).