Psalm Meditation 528
Tenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 1, 2010

Psalm 75
1 We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks; your name is near. People tell of your wondrous deeds.
2 At the set time that I appoint I will judge with equity.
3 When the earth totters, with all its inhabitants, it is I who keep its pillars steady. Selah
4 I say to the boastful, "Do not boast," and to the wicked, "Do not lift up your horn;
5 do not lift up your horn on high, or speak with insolent neck."
6 For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up;
7 but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another.
8 For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed; he will pour a draught from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs.
9 But I will rejoice forever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
10 All the horns of the wicked I will cut off, but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.
(NRSV)

A couple of books have come out in the last few years making the point that several of the folks we see as self-made entrepreneurs have really been the beneficiaries of gifts and choices made by others. They have not made themselves by sweat and luck so much as they have been put in a position to succeed by family and other forces over which they had no control. Rather than being self-made they are where they are by the grace of God.

That they see themselves as self-made and that many others buy into that same idea does not alter the influence of God in their lives. Folks who are willing to give thanks to God for what they have been able to do are often relegated to the sidelines of the movers and shakers as religious nuts. It raises the question; what more could people accomplish if they were willing to give God the credit for their giftedness? Perhaps it really comes down to the realization the those who give God credit in their lives are more willing to share the credit for the success with many others and are not then seen as icons of business.

I have no idea what foaming wine is however it does not appear to be a good thing to drink. Given the choice between foaming wine and rejoicing in God the psalmist chooses to rejoice. Given a particular set of gifts, opportunities and grace people will be able to do great things. Some of those people will take the credit all for themselves while others will share it with those around them. The horn of victory sounds impressive when there is one person blowing on it from the top of the heap. It sounds louder and longer when there are several people sharing in the rejoicing. It sounds better still when God is a part of the sounding of the horn of victory.

© July 26, 2010