The Childhood of Jesus
The Gospel of James
Biographical Gospel of the Lord
- Chapter 87 -
A Psalm of David Enlightens The Three Priests
MARY, who never was given to many words nor ever after the manner of women wanted to have the last word, was content in her heart with the very plain and just as short consolation of Joseph.
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She then went to rest, consecrated to the Lord by Joseph in his heart.
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Joseph now went to his sons and said to them, 'Children, the evening is glorious and beautiful. Let us go out into the open.
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There in the great holy temple of God we will strike up a song of praise and will thank the Lord for all the infinite blessings which He has bestowed on us and our fathers since the beginning of the world!'
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And he led them to the top of a bare little hill which lay about a hundred steps from the villa as part of Joseph's estate and was about twenty fathoms high.
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This was noticed by the three priests who supposed the gods were on their way perhaps to Olympus, so they might there hold a common council with all the gods.
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Accordingly they quickly left their room and crept after Joseph very furtively and quietly.
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Arrived at the little hill they listened beneath a thickly foliated fig-tree to hear what the supposed gods might counsel among themselves on Olympus.
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But how greatly were they surprised among themselves, when they heard the supposed gods of the highest order worship and sing praises to one God powerfully and with feeling.
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And the following passages of a Psalm of David had a very special effect on them, which passages were as follows:
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'Lord God, You are our refuge forever! Before the mountains came into being and the earth and the world were created, You are God from eternity to eternity!
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You are He who sends death to mankind and says, Come back, o children of men!
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For a thousand years are to You like a day which passed away yesterday, and like a watch in the night.
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You let them pass by like a stream, and they are like a sleep and like grass which is become withered,
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Which flourishes early and soon withers, is hoed up in the evening and soon parches.
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Your anger causes us to pass away, and your wrath makes us depart so suddenly.
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For You place our transgression before You and our unrecognized sin into the light before Your countenance.
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Therefore all of our days pass away because of Your wrath, and we idle away our years like gossip.
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Our life lasts about seventy years, and if it goes high it amounts to eighty years, and when it has been precious it was filled with toil and trouble; for it passes by quickly, as if we were flying away.
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Now who believes that You are so angry and who is afraid of Your wrath?
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So teach us to bear in mind that we must die, so we may become wise.
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O Lord, turn to us again and be gracious to Your servants.
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Fill us early with Your grace, and we will praise You and be joyful in You our whole life long!
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Now gladden us again, after You have afflicted us for a long time and we were in distress for so long.
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Show Your works to Your servants and Your glory to their children!
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And You, Lord, our God, be kind to us and further the work of our hands with us - yes, be gracious to further the work of our hands!'
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When the three had plainly heard this song, they promptly returned to their room.
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And one said to the other two, 'Truly, they can be no gods who thus pray to a God and even acknowledge His anger and wrath toward them!'
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And another remarked, 'That would actually be the least part of it - but that this prayer applies directly to us, that is the fly in the ointment!
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So be quiet now - the worshipers are returning. But tomorrow we will test this matter more thoroughly for ourselves, so just be quiet today for they are coming!'