GENERAL AUDIENCE: GOD IS ALWAYS ON THE SIDE OF THE FAITHFUL

VATICAN CITY, SEP 19, 2001 (VIS) - In today's general audience, which took place in St. Peter's Square, John Paul II reflected on Psalm 56, explaining that it is "a nocturnal song which prepares the one praying for the light of dawn, awaiting with anxiety, to be able to praise the Lord in joy. The Psalm, in effect, passes from dramatic lament to God to serene hope and joyous thanks."

The Pope explained that the first part of the Psalm concerns the "experience of fear at the assault of evil which attempts to strike the just man. ... The presence of the Lord does not delay in showing its efficacy, through punishment of the adversaries. ... Such faith in divine justice, always alive in the Psalter, prevents discouragement and surrender to the power of evil. God always takes the side of the faithful, overturning the designs of the enemy, making them stumble on their own wicked plans."

The second part of the Psalm, the Pope continued, is one of thanks. "The liturgy, therefore, causes hope to blossom: it turns to God, inviting Him to draw near to His people anew and to listen to their supplication."

The Pope emphasized that "the Psalm closes, thus, with a song a praise to the Lord," and concluded affirming that "Psalm 56 is transformed in Christian tradition into a song of reawakening to the Easter light and joy, which shines upon the faithful erasing the fear of death and opening the horizon to the celestial glory."

In his greetings to English-speaking pilgrims after the audience, in reference to the September 11 terrorist attack on the United States, the Pope said: "I invite you to pray in these days that Almighty God will guide the mind and hearts of world leaders so that the ways of justice and peace may prevail."

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