Psalm Meditation 483
Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
September 20, 2009

Psalm 142
1 With my voice I cry to the LORD; with my voice I make supplication to the LORD.
2 I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him.
3 When my spirit is faint, you know my way. In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me.
4 Look on my right hand and see-- there is no one who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for me.
5 I cry to you, O LORD; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living."
6 Give heed to my cry, for I am brought very low. Save me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me.
7 Bring me out of prison, so that I may give thanks to your name. The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me.
(NRSV)

There is something helpful about a lament. It is cathartic, a way of gathering up all the energy around this terrible event and throwing it into the presence of God where it can be drained off and robbed of its deep pain. One of the pictures that comes to my mind is that of an old movie in which the heroine stands beating the chest of the hero until she collapses in his arms in tears. A sexist image, I know. Put yourself in the place of the heroine and God in the hero position and you have an image of the power and purpose of the lament.

God is not offended, put off or angry with us when we stand beating on God’s chest in some form. In order to beat on the chest of God we have to be close and God is glad to have us close. In many cases the act of yelling and beating on the chest of God is all we need; the opportunity to get it out in the open. God is grateful to be trusted with our hurts and fears because those often give rise to hope and newness. God loves to be around when we discover newness in and around us.

God is not afraid of our anger or our sadness. We have been given these emotions as a gift to deal with parts of our lives and the lives of those around us. They are scary to face alone so God is with us and has given us the gift of each other so that we might be together even when, or is it especially when, we feel as if we are the only ones who have ever or will ever face a situation like this. Beat on the chest of God knowing that the only way you can do that is by being close.

© September 14, 2009