Sunday 15 January 2023 is the Second Sunday after the Epiphany. The main Bible reading for this week is Psalm 40.

U2 (the rock band, formed in the late 1970s) quickly established a reputation for excellent live performances.

On 26 February 1983 they performed in Dundee and, for the first time, chose as the final song of the show, ’40’, which was a quickly composed song; only really intended as an album filler.

However, it became very popular as a concert closer, and between its debut and January 1990, there were only a handful of U2 concerts
that did not feature “40” as the closing song. During live performances, two members of the band would swap instruments and then the band members would progressively leave the stage, until the crowd were left all alone chanting the song’s refrain, “How long…to sing
this song?” – long after the band had left.

It had a very powerful effect and, especially so, considering that thousands of people were left singing together the words of an ancient
Hebrew psalm that was speaking meaningfully into their lives today.

Below, you will find the full text of Psalm 40 from The Message version of the Bible – and today’s video recording of the service, including Geoff’s sermon about “40”.

The main Bible reading for today

Psalm 40 (from The Message translation of the Bible)

40 1-3 I waited and waited and waited for God.
At last he looked; finally he listened.
He lifted me out of the ditch,
pulled me from deep mud.
He stood me up on a solid rock
to make sure I wouldn’t slip.
He taught me how to sing the latest God-song,
a praise-song to our God.
More and more people are seeing this:
they enter the mystery,
abandoning themselves to God.

4-5 Blessed are you who give yourselves over to God,
turn your backs on the world’s “sure thing,”
ignore what the world worships;
The world’s a huge stockpile
of God-wonders and God-thoughts.
Nothing and no one
compares to you!
I start talking about you, telling what I know,
and quickly run out of words.
Neither numbers nor words
account for you.

6 Doing something for you, bringing something to you—
that’s not what you’re after.
Being religious, acting pious—
that’s not what you’re asking for.
You’ve opened my ears
so I can listen.

7-8 So I answered, “I’m coming.
I read in your letter what you wrote about me,
And I’m coming to the party
you’re throwing for me.”
That’s when God’s Word entered my life,
became part of my very being.

9-10 I’ve preached you to the whole congregation,
I’ve kept back nothing, God—you know that.
I didn’t keep the news of your ways
a secret, didn’t keep it to myself.
I told it all, how dependable you are, how thorough.
I didn’t hold back pieces of love and truth
For myself alone. I told it all,
let the congregation know the whole story.

11-12 Now God, don’t hold out on me,
don’t hold back your passion.
Your love and truth
are all that keeps me together.
When troubles ganged up on me,
a mob of sins past counting,
I was so swamped by guilt
I couldn’t see my way clear.
More guilt in my heart than hair on my head,
so heavy the guilt that my heart gave out.

13-15 Soften up, God, and intervene;
hurry and get me some help,
So those who are trying to kidnap my soul
will be embarrassed and lose face,
So anyone who gets a kick out of making me miserable
will be heckled and disgraced,
So those who pray for my ruin
will be booed and jeered without mercy.

16-17 But all who are hunting for you—
oh, let them sing and be happy.
Let those who know what you’re all about
tell the world you’re great and not quitting.
And me? I’m a mess. I’m nothing and have nothing:
make something of me.
You can do it; you’ve got what it takes—
but God, don’t put it off.

Video recording of today’s service from St. James’