Reflection

My father, who passed away last year, told me that when he was studying to be a doctor over sixty years ago, it was a requirement that he study Latin. ‘A terrible language to learn’, he would say.

For some reason I sometimes find myself attracted to Latin phrases, although the desire to learn Latin is not within me. There is a phrase, ‘nec tamen consumebatur’ which means ‘Yet not consumed.’

The psalmist here states, ‘My enemies … have never defeated me.’ Another version says, ‘I have never been consumed by them.’ We all have enemies, don’t we? Often the most dangerous of enemies are not necessarily the physical ones but the emotional enemies of our soul. We all know the ‘persecution’ of a consistent enemy that comes against us without fear nor favour and seeks out our flaws, only to attempt to consume us.

The psalmist knew the power of a battle anthem chanted with voices raised, ‘Yet not consumed.’ Even when I say it, there seems to be a strength that comes upon me, courage that rises from deep within and a resilience that screams back at the most ferocious of enemies that those enemies WILL NEVER DEFEAT ME.

Even in exile, as the pilgrims entered the conquered city of Jerusalem and their enemies still paraded along those sacred streets, this Psalm would be saying to them that God is still at work. The proof that they have never been defeated is that they are returning.

Yes indeed – I can say ‘YET NOT CONSUMED.’

Prayer

Lord God Almighty, you are mighty in battle and victorious in nature and character. Thank you that you are indeed for me and therefore ‘who can be against me’? As I face the enemies of my soul, give me courage and strength and let me know beyond a shadow of a doubt that with you, I will never be defeated nor consumed. You are my hope, and my trust is always in you, oh Lord.