Psalm Meditation 481
Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
September 6, 2009
Psalm 92
1 It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night,
3 to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre.
4 For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy.
5 How great are your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep!
6 The dullard cannot know, the stupid cannot understand this:
7 though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever,
8 but you, O LORD, are on high forever.
9 For your enemies, O LORD, for your enemies shall perish; all evildoers shall be scattered.
10 But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; you have poured over me fresh oil.
11 My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies; my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.
12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God.
14 In old age they still produce fruit; they are always green and full of sap,
15 showing that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
(NRSV)
Years ago in seminary someone stood up in a chapel service and lamented that celebrities are no longer heroes and heroes are no longer celebrities. The intervening years have made his comments seem more true. We tend to idolize those who have made a big splash and used that to help themselves and those around them without giving much thought to those who have deeper more pressing needs. My guess is that there have always been people like that, just as there have always been people who use any fame and fortune they may receive to help others. The difference is not in them so much as it is in what we as a culture see as important.
There are sports figures who make a lot of money and use some of it to help others just as there are sports figures who use the money they make for pursuit of selfish pleasure. Which one makes the news? Trials and troubles are much more interesting than the plain, boring folks who reach out to help others. With the dullard and the stupid of the psalm folks would rather celebrate the quick sprouting, get rich quick and loud folks than the ones who work quietly to help others. Whether we celebrate them or not each one gets the same result over time. The folks who use resources for their own benefit will fall and those who use their resources to help others will share together in the benefit.
Whether good works are noticed or not they are still good works. In some circles, good works that are noticed actually lose some of their luster. Our actions do have consequences for good and ill. The task is to take root in the presence of God, for the sake of a relationship with God, so that we and those we touch can flourish and continue to produce goodness whether it is celebrated or not.
© August 31, 2009
Monday, August 31, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Psalm Meditation 480
Thirteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 30, 2009
Psalm 67
1 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
2 that your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among all nations.
3 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
5 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
6 The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us.
7 May God continue to bless us; let all the ends of the earth revere him.
(NRSV)
It strikes me as interesting that this psalm of praise is so short. The list of things God does with us and for us would wear us out with its length and breadth. The psalmist decides to limit the list to equitable judgment and guidance as reasons to give God praise. Those two alone could fill volumes if we were to list the specifics of how God does those two things among each of us as individuals. Rather than go into specifics let us leave is as a broad category for praise to and about God.
The interesting part is that when we decide to lament we go into great and gory detail about all the terrible things that are going on around us from which God simply must deliver us immediately. The psalms lament personal as well as national calamity in detail as if God could not possibly know how bad it is for us without our list of woes shoved into the face of God.
Or, perhaps the lists of praises are short because they are such large, broad categories. There is so much for which to praise God that we can do it broad brush strokes. Our list of laments and woes are more specific because we know they are limited in time and scope. They are painful and weigh heavily on us however briefly they may touch us. The small brush detail work of a lament takes more time and effort than the broad brushstrokes of praise. Most of the time a heartfelt, ‘wow’ is ever so much more meaningful than gushing over how perfect or praiseworthy this or that may be.
God blesses us in so many ways. When we begin to describe or even list the wonderful ways God touches us we run out of words and simply stand in awe of the greatness of God and God’s gifts. And this great God does all these great things by choice. God wants to be a part of our lives and wants us to have life and have it abundantly.
© August 24, 2009
Thirteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 30, 2009
Psalm 67
1 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
2 that your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among all nations.
3 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
5 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
6 The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us.
7 May God continue to bless us; let all the ends of the earth revere him.
(NRSV)
It strikes me as interesting that this psalm of praise is so short. The list of things God does with us and for us would wear us out with its length and breadth. The psalmist decides to limit the list to equitable judgment and guidance as reasons to give God praise. Those two alone could fill volumes if we were to list the specifics of how God does those two things among each of us as individuals. Rather than go into specifics let us leave is as a broad category for praise to and about God.
The interesting part is that when we decide to lament we go into great and gory detail about all the terrible things that are going on around us from which God simply must deliver us immediately. The psalms lament personal as well as national calamity in detail as if God could not possibly know how bad it is for us without our list of woes shoved into the face of God.
Or, perhaps the lists of praises are short because they are such large, broad categories. There is so much for which to praise God that we can do it broad brush strokes. Our list of laments and woes are more specific because we know they are limited in time and scope. They are painful and weigh heavily on us however briefly they may touch us. The small brush detail work of a lament takes more time and effort than the broad brushstrokes of praise. Most of the time a heartfelt, ‘wow’ is ever so much more meaningful than gushing over how perfect or praiseworthy this or that may be.
God blesses us in so many ways. When we begin to describe or even list the wonderful ways God touches us we run out of words and simply stand in awe of the greatness of God and God’s gifts. And this great God does all these great things by choice. God wants to be a part of our lives and wants us to have life and have it abundantly.
© August 24, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
Psalm Meditation 479
Twelfth Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 23, 2009
Psalm 42
1 As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God?
3 My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me continually, "Where is your God?"
4 These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I went with the throng, and led them in procession to the house of God, with glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival.
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help
6 and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep at the thunder of your cataracts; all your waves and your billows have gone over me.
8 By day the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God, my rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I walk about mournfully because the enemy oppresses me?"
10 As with a deadly wound in my body, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me continually, "Where is your God?"
11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.
(NRSV)
We long for something that is bigger than ourselves, something to remind us and assure us that there is more to this life than our own selfishness. Even the folks who convince themselves that there is no more to life than this brief time on earth gather up stuff so that they can prove to others they were here for a short time. Some of the folks who become very wealthy give money away so that their wealth can touch others and so that they can leave a legacy of help and hope after they are gone. Others simply hang on to their wealth so that they leave a monument to themselves. Whether our riches consist of material wealth or some other kind of richness we each make the same choices.
The psalmist shares the richness of a relationship with God, so that others will see the depth of possibility in a relationship with God. Those who know this relationship already can nod in agreement while those who are searching can see that what they seek is available and possible. We also discover that in the midst of a deep relationship with God it is possible to have moments of questioning and doubt. To realize that these doubts are not a sign of weakness so much as a part of the process we can be encouraged to let our doubts and questions lead us deeper rather than let them scare us away. We become a part of the long line of folks who share with others the richness of living into a relationship with God.
Which type of spiritual millionaire will we aspire to be; the one who shares wealth as a way to touch and encourage others or the one who hoards wealth so that it becomes a monument to our selfishness? We have this great gift available to us: the gift of a relationship with God. It is not a gift that can be taken from us. We choose to share it with others or we choose to give it up as times get tough. God is the source of our help and hope.
© August 17, 2009
Twelfth Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 23, 2009
Psalm 42
1 As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God?
3 My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me continually, "Where is your God?"
4 These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I went with the throng, and led them in procession to the house of God, with glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival.
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help
6 and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep at the thunder of your cataracts; all your waves and your billows have gone over me.
8 By day the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God, my rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I walk about mournfully because the enemy oppresses me?"
10 As with a deadly wound in my body, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me continually, "Where is your God?"
11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.
(NRSV)
We long for something that is bigger than ourselves, something to remind us and assure us that there is more to this life than our own selfishness. Even the folks who convince themselves that there is no more to life than this brief time on earth gather up stuff so that they can prove to others they were here for a short time. Some of the folks who become very wealthy give money away so that their wealth can touch others and so that they can leave a legacy of help and hope after they are gone. Others simply hang on to their wealth so that they leave a monument to themselves. Whether our riches consist of material wealth or some other kind of richness we each make the same choices.
The psalmist shares the richness of a relationship with God, so that others will see the depth of possibility in a relationship with God. Those who know this relationship already can nod in agreement while those who are searching can see that what they seek is available and possible. We also discover that in the midst of a deep relationship with God it is possible to have moments of questioning and doubt. To realize that these doubts are not a sign of weakness so much as a part of the process we can be encouraged to let our doubts and questions lead us deeper rather than let them scare us away. We become a part of the long line of folks who share with others the richness of living into a relationship with God.
Which type of spiritual millionaire will we aspire to be; the one who shares wealth as a way to touch and encourage others or the one who hoards wealth so that it becomes a monument to our selfishness? We have this great gift available to us: the gift of a relationship with God. It is not a gift that can be taken from us. We choose to share it with others or we choose to give it up as times get tough. God is the source of our help and hope.
© August 17, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
Psalm Meditation 478
Eleventh Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 16, 2009
Psalm 17
1 Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry; give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit.
2 From you let my vindication come; let your eyes see the right.
3 If you try my heart, if you visit me by night, if you test me, you will find no wickedness in me; my mouth does not transgress.
4 As for what others do, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent.
5 My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.
6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me, hear my words.
7 Wondrously show your steadfast love, O savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand.
8 Guard me as the apple of the eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings,
9 from the wicked who despoil me, my deadly enemies who surround me.
10 They close their hearts to pity; with their mouths they speak arrogantly.
11 They track me down; now they surround me; they set their eyes to cast me to the ground.
12 They are like a lion eager to tear, like a young lion lurking in ambush.
13 Rise up, O LORD, confront them, overthrow them! By your sword deliver my life from the wicked,
14 from mortals--by your hand, O LORD-- from mortals whose portion in life is in this world. May their bellies be filled with what you have stored up for them; may their children have more than enough; may they leave something over to their little ones.
15 As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness.
(NRSV)
One definition of love is to seek the best for someone. Using that definition the psalmist’s enemies are loved. Since they live as if this world is the best life has to offer may they have the best of this world. Sometimes, perhaps even often we do not take the time to learn anything about those who stand against us. We content ourselves with dehumanizing and demonizing them so that we do not have to understand them or even pretend to understand them. The psalmist knows that this particular adversary seeks creature comforts at the expense of the psalmist’s people. If that is what they want may they find comfort in those things while we find comfort in God.
At the same time the psalmist seeks out a relationship with God as a source of refuge from the attacks of adversaries. As is the case with most of us, the psalmist sees no justification for the attacks and seeks to rise above the fray with claims to personal purity and fidelity to the ways of God. We do have a tendency to see ourselves as victims when we are attacked and as justified when we do the attacking, so the psalmist is in good company there. The important part is that the psalmist leans toward a relationship with God as a source of refuge rather than feeling abandoned by God because of the attacks.
We do well to stand with the psalmist in these things. We do well to love our enemies and adversaries which means we do well to learn what drives them so that we can help them by seeking the best for them even if it is not the direction we would go ourselves. We do well to keep ourselves in a relationship with God when times are good and when times are bad. A relationship with God will be a gift to us whether we live or die. In the end it is all about God.
© August 10, 2009
Eleventh Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 16, 2009
Psalm 17
1 Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry; give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit.
2 From you let my vindication come; let your eyes see the right.
3 If you try my heart, if you visit me by night, if you test me, you will find no wickedness in me; my mouth does not transgress.
4 As for what others do, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent.
5 My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.
6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me, hear my words.
7 Wondrously show your steadfast love, O savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand.
8 Guard me as the apple of the eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings,
9 from the wicked who despoil me, my deadly enemies who surround me.
10 They close their hearts to pity; with their mouths they speak arrogantly.
11 They track me down; now they surround me; they set their eyes to cast me to the ground.
12 They are like a lion eager to tear, like a young lion lurking in ambush.
13 Rise up, O LORD, confront them, overthrow them! By your sword deliver my life from the wicked,
14 from mortals--by your hand, O LORD-- from mortals whose portion in life is in this world. May their bellies be filled with what you have stored up for them; may their children have more than enough; may they leave something over to their little ones.
15 As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness.
(NRSV)
One definition of love is to seek the best for someone. Using that definition the psalmist’s enemies are loved. Since they live as if this world is the best life has to offer may they have the best of this world. Sometimes, perhaps even often we do not take the time to learn anything about those who stand against us. We content ourselves with dehumanizing and demonizing them so that we do not have to understand them or even pretend to understand them. The psalmist knows that this particular adversary seeks creature comforts at the expense of the psalmist’s people. If that is what they want may they find comfort in those things while we find comfort in God.
At the same time the psalmist seeks out a relationship with God as a source of refuge from the attacks of adversaries. As is the case with most of us, the psalmist sees no justification for the attacks and seeks to rise above the fray with claims to personal purity and fidelity to the ways of God. We do have a tendency to see ourselves as victims when we are attacked and as justified when we do the attacking, so the psalmist is in good company there. The important part is that the psalmist leans toward a relationship with God as a source of refuge rather than feeling abandoned by God because of the attacks.
We do well to stand with the psalmist in these things. We do well to love our enemies and adversaries which means we do well to learn what drives them so that we can help them by seeking the best for them even if it is not the direction we would go ourselves. We do well to keep ourselves in a relationship with God when times are good and when times are bad. A relationship with God will be a gift to us whether we live or die. In the end it is all about God.
© August 10, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
Psalm Meditation 476
Tenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 9, 2009
Psalm 141
1 I call upon you, O LORD; come quickly to me; give ear to my voice when I call to you.
2 Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice.
3 Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.
4 Do not turn my heart to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with those who work iniquity; do not let me eat of their delicacies.
5 Let the righteous strike me; let the faithful correct me. Never let the oil of the wicked anoint my head, for my prayer is continually against their wicked deeds.
6 When they are given over to those who shall condemn them, then they shall learn that my words were pleasant.
7 Like a rock that one breaks apart and shatters on the land, so shall their bones be strewn at the mouth of Sheol.
8 But my eyes are turned toward you, O GOD, my Lord; in you I seek refuge; do not leave me defenseless.
9 Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me, and from the snares of evildoers.
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I alone escape.
(NRSV)
Complaining is easier than complementing and much easier than doing anything to change a situation. Many of us can complain about things and complain about folks who are doing something to change the way things are all in the same breath. We may not know how things should be done but we are pretty sure that this is not the way. We do well to keep verse 3 in mind as we go through a day.
I can fall into complaining and whining about the state of the world with the best of them and not notice that I am anything but positive about life, the world and the people of the world. We turn to evil so readily we do not even notice. It is not that we are actively doing bad things so much as we are cruising into entropy, a state of least possible movement. We don’t do bad things we simply fail to do good things. We don’t cause damage we simply allow it to happen and then complain that no one cares enough to do anything to stop the slow slide into apathy. We don’t exploit people we simply take advantage of the exploitation. It is not that we contribute to the evil so much as we fail to contribute to the positive.
Just as physical exercise both drains and fuels the body so too spiritual exercise drains and fuels the spirit. While prayer can be exhausting it also inspires us to keep praying as we become more open to the ways God works in our lives and the lives of those around us. Exercise reshapes our bodies, our priorities and our relationships. As our bodies become stronger we are no longer content to sit and do nothing, we find ourselves pressing to the next level of fitness and we discover that we desire the company of others who share our desire for fitness and health. Spiritual exercise reshapes us in similar ways. We find that we are no longer content with things as they are, we find ourselves looking for ways to bring God into the world and the world closer to God and we find ourselves seeking out the company of those who see God at work in the world in a variety of ways.
As we turn toward God we discover that while we continue to acknowledge the presence of evil in the world our focus is on the presence of God. We discover that the refuge God offers is not a hiding place so much as a place to rest from our labors as we look toward the next opportunity to bring wholeness to a world longing for a loving relationship with the living God.
© August 3, 2009
Tenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 9, 2009
Psalm 141
1 I call upon you, O LORD; come quickly to me; give ear to my voice when I call to you.
2 Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice.
3 Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.
4 Do not turn my heart to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with those who work iniquity; do not let me eat of their delicacies.
5 Let the righteous strike me; let the faithful correct me. Never let the oil of the wicked anoint my head, for my prayer is continually against their wicked deeds.
6 When they are given over to those who shall condemn them, then they shall learn that my words were pleasant.
7 Like a rock that one breaks apart and shatters on the land, so shall their bones be strewn at the mouth of Sheol.
8 But my eyes are turned toward you, O GOD, my Lord; in you I seek refuge; do not leave me defenseless.
9 Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me, and from the snares of evildoers.
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I alone escape.
(NRSV)
Complaining is easier than complementing and much easier than doing anything to change a situation. Many of us can complain about things and complain about folks who are doing something to change the way things are all in the same breath. We may not know how things should be done but we are pretty sure that this is not the way. We do well to keep verse 3 in mind as we go through a day.
I can fall into complaining and whining about the state of the world with the best of them and not notice that I am anything but positive about life, the world and the people of the world. We turn to evil so readily we do not even notice. It is not that we are actively doing bad things so much as we are cruising into entropy, a state of least possible movement. We don’t do bad things we simply fail to do good things. We don’t cause damage we simply allow it to happen and then complain that no one cares enough to do anything to stop the slow slide into apathy. We don’t exploit people we simply take advantage of the exploitation. It is not that we contribute to the evil so much as we fail to contribute to the positive.
Just as physical exercise both drains and fuels the body so too spiritual exercise drains and fuels the spirit. While prayer can be exhausting it also inspires us to keep praying as we become more open to the ways God works in our lives and the lives of those around us. Exercise reshapes our bodies, our priorities and our relationships. As our bodies become stronger we are no longer content to sit and do nothing, we find ourselves pressing to the next level of fitness and we discover that we desire the company of others who share our desire for fitness and health. Spiritual exercise reshapes us in similar ways. We find that we are no longer content with things as they are, we find ourselves looking for ways to bring God into the world and the world closer to God and we find ourselves seeking out the company of those who see God at work in the world in a variety of ways.
As we turn toward God we discover that while we continue to acknowledge the presence of evil in the world our focus is on the presence of God. We discover that the refuge God offers is not a hiding place so much as a place to rest from our labors as we look toward the next opportunity to bring wholeness to a world longing for a loving relationship with the living God.
© August 3, 2009
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