Psalm Meditation 544
Reign of Christ Sunday
November 21, 2010

Psalm 63
1 O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.
3 Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.
4 So I will bless you as long as I live; I will lift up my hands and call on your name.
5 My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast, and my mouth praises you with joyful lips
6 when I think of you on my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
7 for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.
8 My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.
9 But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth;
10 they shall be given over to the power of the sword, they shall be prey for jackals.
11 But the king shall rejoice in God; all who swear by him shall exult, for the mouths of liars will be stopped.
(NRSV)

One of the great things about this psalm is that it adapts to my mood and need. When I am sad I find myself thirsting for God in a way that brings comfort to me. The feasting image lets me know that even though I am in no mood to feast at God’s table it is laid out for me to enjoy at any time. The battle imagery is a way of reminding myself that even the largest obstacles can be overcome in the presence of God. God is on my side, helping me overcome this particular set of obstacles that could be people or situations or the various internal adversaries I face at times. This psalm is a comforting reminder of the presence of God in all times and places.

When I am overjoyed by life I thirst for God the way some folks thirst for adventure. I can’t get enough; I want this feeling to go on forever. The steadfast love of God renews me with encouragement and a rekindling of the joy and excitement of life. The feasting imagery reminds me to fill myself with the presence of God so that I can move onward and upward to the next peak of joy. The battle imagery reminds me that there is nothing that can hold me down or hold me back when I am in the presence of God. This psalm is a humbling reminder that all I have comes from God.

In the ordinary days, when I am neither overjoyed nor depressed I am reminded that God is with me no matter what. Victories as well as defeats are things we do together. The treats and the trials are there to be shared with others and with God. The feast is laid out to be shared together and the battles against our internal and external adversaries can be joined with the help of others as well. God continues to watch over us, to be present with us in every aspect of life. Happy, sad and all the places in between God meets us and invites us to ever deeper relationship.

© November 15, 2010