Sirach 34:1-16: a reflection

1Vain and false hopes are for a man void of understanding. Dreams give wings to fools. 2As one who grasps at a shadow and follows after the wind, so is he who sets his mind on dreams. 3The vision of dreams is a reflection, the likeness of a face near a face. 4From an unclean thing what can be cleansed? From that which is false what can be true? 5Divinations, and soothsayings, and dreams, are vain. The heart has fantasies like a woman in labor. 6If they are not sent in a visitation from the Most High, don’t give your heart to them. 7For dreams have led many astray. They have failed by putting their hope in them. 8Without lying the law will be fulfilled. Wisdom is complete in a faithful mouth. 9A well-instructed man knows many things. He who has much experience will declare understanding. 10He who has no experience knows few things. But he who has traveled increases cleverness. 11I have seen many things in my travels. My understanding is more than my words. 12I was often in danger even to death. I was preserved because of these experiences. 13The spirit of those who fear the Lord will live, for their hope is in him who saves them. 14Whoever fears the Lord won’t be afraid, and won’t be a coward, for he is his hope. 15Blessed is the soul of him who fears the Lord. To whom does he give heed? Who is his support? 16The eyes of the Lord are on those who love him, a mighty protection and strong support, a cover from the hot blast, a shade from the noonday sun, a guard from stumbling, and a help from falling.

Sirach warns against putting our hope in empty, unreliable things, dreams, divinations, superstitions, the vain fancies that have led many astray. Whoever trusts such things, he says, grasps at a shadow and chases the wind. And over against these false hopes he sets the true one: The spirit of those who fear the Lord will live, for their hope is in him who saves them. Whoever fears the Lord will not be afraid, for the Lord is his hope. The eyes of the Lord are on those who love him, a shade from the heat, a guard from stumbling, a help from falling.

Notice the contrast the passage draws: between false hopes that fail us and the true security of the Lord. On one side are the empty things people trust, dreams and superstitions and vain fancies, which grasp at shadows and lead to disappointment. On the other is the Lord himself, whose eyes are on those who love him, who guards and shades and upholds them, in whom hope does not fail. One set of hopes is like chasing the wind; the other is solid ground.

That contrast searches where we place our hope. We can be tempted to rest our security in all sorts of unreliable things, superstitions, luck, vague optimism, the shifting hopes that promise much and fail us. Sirach calls us instead to place our hope in the Lord, whose care over those who love him is sure, who shades, guards, and upholds them. Do not chase shadows or grasp at the wind. Place your hope where it will not fail, in the Lord who watches over those who love him. His eyes are on you; he is your shade, your guard, your help. Rest your security in him, and you will not be put to shame.

Lord, Sirach warned against putting hope in empty things, dreams and superstitions and vain fancies that grasp at shadows and chase the wind, and set against them the true security of trusting you, whose eyes are on those who love you, who shade and guard and uphold them. Search where I place my hope. Keep me from resting my security in unreliable things, in luck, superstition, or vague optimism that promises much and fails. Help me place my hope in you, whose care over those who love you is sure. Be my shade from the heat, my guard from stumbling, my help from falling. Your eyes are on me; let me rest my whole security in you, and I will not be put to shame.