Psalm Meditation 598
Second Sunday of Advent
December 4, 2010
Psalm 44
1 We have heard with our ears, O God, our ancestors have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old:
2 you with your own hand drove out the nations, but them you planted; you afflicted the peoples, but them you set free;
3 for not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm give them victory; but your right hand, and your arm, and the light of your countenance, for you delighted in them.
4 You are my King and my God; you command victories for Jacob.
5 Through you we push down our foes; through your name we tread down our assailants.
6 For not in my bow do I trust, nor can my sword save me.
7 But you have saved us from our foes, and have put to confusion those who hate us.
8 In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever. (Selah)
9 Yet you have rejected us and abased us, and have not gone out with our armies.
10 You made us turn back from the foe, and our enemies have gotten spoil.
11 You have made us like sheep for slaughter, and have scattered us among the nations.
12 You have sold your people for a trifle, demanding no high price for them.
13 You have made us the taunt of our neighbors, the derision and scorn of those around us.
14 You have made us a byword among the nations, a laughingstock among the peoples.
15 All day long my disgrace is before me, and shame has covered my face
16 at the words of the taunters and revilers, at the sight of the enemy and the avenger.
17 All this has come upon us, yet we have not forgotten you, or been false to your covenant.
26 Rise up, come to our help. Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love. (NRSV)
The psalmist is aware that it is not good to depend too much on our own strength when God is in the mix, especially when God is on our side. The part that seems to have eluded the psalmist is that it not good to depend too much on God when we are working together. I have lots of stories and I imagine you do too, in which someone was overly dependent on God only to discover that God was ‘absent.’ There is a necessary mix of leaning on God and trusting our God given strengths when we are working with God.
The mystics call it ‘the dark night of the soul’ when God seems to pull back from us at a time of need. God steps back from us when we are willing to count on God to do for us what we can do on our own. We feel abandoned and disheartened; at least until we discover that we have abilities we were not previously willing to tap or trust. This doesn’t mean that God has abandoned us. Quite the contrary. God is standing back waiting for us to discover our gifts. And God is preparing the celebration for our discovery.
Sometimes we do well to step back and watch God work in our lives, and the lives of those around us. Other times we do well to step in and let God watch us work with the gifts and grace we have available to us. The difficulty comes in knowing which to do when. We do our best when we trust God and ourselves to work well together.
© November 28, 2010
Monday, November 28, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
psalm 14 meditation 597
Psalm Meditation 597
First Sunday of Advent
November 27, 2010
Psalm 14
1 Fools say in their hearts, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is no one who does good.
2 The Lord looks down from heaven on humankind to see if there are any who are wise, who seek after God.
3 They have all gone astray, they are all alike perverse; there is no one who does good, no, not one.
4 Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread, and do not call upon the Lord?
5 There they shall be in great terror, for God is with the company of the righteous.
6 You would confound the plans of the poor, but the Lord is their refuge.
7 O that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion! When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people, Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be glad.
(NRSV)
I spent several attempts to make this about intellectual foolishness, only to remember that the ancients did not spend a lot of effort on psychological insights and the inner workings of a person. This is about behavioral foolishness and has little to do with what a person says or thinks. Each of us has moments in which we behave in ways that go against the best interests of those around us. This psalm is about the folks who do that on a consistent basis. Sometimes, these folks are able to amass enough power and influence that they are able to institutionalize their contempt for God and the creatures of God.
It is easy to judge them harshly as long as we can see them as separate from us. What happens when we discover that our actions do damage to others in a variety of ways? It has dawned on me recently that one of the reasons folks accused of criminal behavior are able to claim innocence is because they are convinced that their behavior is acceptable, for themselves at the very least. We can’t participate in a pattern of behavior we see as wrong or sinful. If we do not change our behavior we will perform the mental gymnastics to convince ourselves that what we are doing is right or justifiable in a set of limited circumstances that cover all of the times and places in which we participate in this activity.
God seems to want us to live together in some sort of peace and harmony. God also wants us to share the bounty of creation in a way that leads to wholeness for as many of us as possible. This can mean doing things that will make us feel cheated and put upon or coddled and cared for beyond what anyone else might expect. Both can be uncomfortable. At the same time both can be justified and institutionalized. It is not always easy to figure out what to do instead of institutionalized behaviors and we will not be in total agreement on any course of action. Does this course of action lead us closer or farther away from the wholesome relationships God wishes for each of us?
© November 21, 2010
First Sunday of Advent
November 27, 2010
Psalm 14
1 Fools say in their hearts, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is no one who does good.
2 The Lord looks down from heaven on humankind to see if there are any who are wise, who seek after God.
3 They have all gone astray, they are all alike perverse; there is no one who does good, no, not one.
4 Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread, and do not call upon the Lord?
5 There they shall be in great terror, for God is with the company of the righteous.
6 You would confound the plans of the poor, but the Lord is their refuge.
7 O that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion! When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people, Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be glad.
(NRSV)
I spent several attempts to make this about intellectual foolishness, only to remember that the ancients did not spend a lot of effort on psychological insights and the inner workings of a person. This is about behavioral foolishness and has little to do with what a person says or thinks. Each of us has moments in which we behave in ways that go against the best interests of those around us. This psalm is about the folks who do that on a consistent basis. Sometimes, these folks are able to amass enough power and influence that they are able to institutionalize their contempt for God and the creatures of God.
It is easy to judge them harshly as long as we can see them as separate from us. What happens when we discover that our actions do damage to others in a variety of ways? It has dawned on me recently that one of the reasons folks accused of criminal behavior are able to claim innocence is because they are convinced that their behavior is acceptable, for themselves at the very least. We can’t participate in a pattern of behavior we see as wrong or sinful. If we do not change our behavior we will perform the mental gymnastics to convince ourselves that what we are doing is right or justifiable in a set of limited circumstances that cover all of the times and places in which we participate in this activity.
God seems to want us to live together in some sort of peace and harmony. God also wants us to share the bounty of creation in a way that leads to wholeness for as many of us as possible. This can mean doing things that will make us feel cheated and put upon or coddled and cared for beyond what anyone else might expect. Both can be uncomfortable. At the same time both can be justified and institutionalized. It is not always easy to figure out what to do instead of institutionalized behaviors and we will not be in total agreement on any course of action. Does this course of action lead us closer or farther away from the wholesome relationships God wishes for each of us?
© November 21, 2010
Monday, November 14, 2011
Psalm Meditation 596
Reign of Christ Sunday
November 20, 2010
Psalm 133
1 How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down over the collar of his robes.
3 It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord ordained his blessing, life forevermore.
(NRSV)
I went to an auction at which I got a good deal or two and the congregation I served made some money, as they had the food concession at the sale. The wet blanket on this event, for me, was the knowledge that the family was having the sale because they could not agree on how to divide the belongings of their parents among themselves. It seemed good to them to have a sale in which family members could bid against each other, and the rest of the gathered folk, to get their hands on family treasures and heirlooms. It seems a shame that no one in the family could say or do anything to keep unity in the family, while also preserving family treasures.
The psalmist is aware that family unity is the lifeblood of a community. It is particularly important when the community consists of members of only two or three extended families. A feud in one of those families or between two of those families can tear apart a community. A congregation can also be split by a small group grasping for or hanging on to power. The psalmist reminds us that unity is so much more life giving than any other choice a family, community or congregation can make.
Working together, even when we disagree, is the sustaining nourishment of a community. Sometimes it is dew, just enough moisture to keep the area refreshed. Sometimes it is a gentle soaking rain that adds sustenance at a deeper level. While the quest for unity can be quite annoying at times, as we struggle with competing wants and needs, it does outlive any of the alternatives.
© November 14, 2010
LCM manifold@lightbound.com
http://psalmmeditations.blogspot.com/
Reign of Christ Sunday
November 20, 2010
Psalm 133
1 How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down over the collar of his robes.
3 It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord ordained his blessing, life forevermore.
(NRSV)
I went to an auction at which I got a good deal or two and the congregation I served made some money, as they had the food concession at the sale. The wet blanket on this event, for me, was the knowledge that the family was having the sale because they could not agree on how to divide the belongings of their parents among themselves. It seemed good to them to have a sale in which family members could bid against each other, and the rest of the gathered folk, to get their hands on family treasures and heirlooms. It seems a shame that no one in the family could say or do anything to keep unity in the family, while also preserving family treasures.
The psalmist is aware that family unity is the lifeblood of a community. It is particularly important when the community consists of members of only two or three extended families. A feud in one of those families or between two of those families can tear apart a community. A congregation can also be split by a small group grasping for or hanging on to power. The psalmist reminds us that unity is so much more life giving than any other choice a family, community or congregation can make.
Working together, even when we disagree, is the sustaining nourishment of a community. Sometimes it is dew, just enough moisture to keep the area refreshed. Sometimes it is a gentle soaking rain that adds sustenance at a deeper level. While the quest for unity can be quite annoying at times, as we struggle with competing wants and needs, it does outlive any of the alternatives.
© November 14, 2010
LCM manifold@lightbound.com
http://psalmmeditations.blogspot.com/
Monday, November 7, 2011
Psalm Meditation 595
Twenty second Sunday of Ordinary Time
November 13, 2010
Psalm 103
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The Lord works vindication and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always accuse, nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him.
14 For he knows how we were made; he remembers that we are dust.
15 As for mortals, their days are like grass; they flourish like a flower of the field;
16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more.
17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children,
18 to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. 19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.
20 Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, obedient to his spoken word.
21 Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers that do his will.
22 Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul. (NRSV)
Dad used the first couple verses of this psalm to wake up my younger brother and me from time to time so it has a special place in my heart. To begin the day with a word of blessing seems a pretty good way to start the day. Add to that an awareness of the presence of God and all the benefits of that presence and a day is off to a good start. As cynical as I can be, I find that I am usually brought to a more positive world view by these first two verses.
There is more to the psalm than the first two verses and they simply add to the soaring sense of the presence of God as far as I am concerned. There is a long list of actions and characteristics of God in this psalm, however the steadfast love of God seems to be the recurrent theme. While we may want others to be punished for their sins we are grateful for our part that it is the steadfast love of God that decides our fate. We do pay the consequences for our actions, however we are saved from the full extent of our just desserts by the overarching love of God for us and others.
The psalm invites others to join the chorus of blessing and ends as it begins with an enthusiastic blessing from a grateful soul to a loving God. We could do worse for ourselves today, this week, than to begin and end the day with a blessing of God. Does God need to be blessed by us to get through a day? No. Does God relish our attention as a way of being present together in any part of the day? I do believe so. “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits— “
© November 7, 2010
Twenty second Sunday of Ordinary Time
November 13, 2010
Psalm 103
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The Lord works vindication and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always accuse, nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him.
14 For he knows how we were made; he remembers that we are dust.
15 As for mortals, their days are like grass; they flourish like a flower of the field;
16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more.
17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children,
18 to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. 19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.
20 Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, obedient to his spoken word.
21 Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers that do his will.
22 Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul. (NRSV)
Dad used the first couple verses of this psalm to wake up my younger brother and me from time to time so it has a special place in my heart. To begin the day with a word of blessing seems a pretty good way to start the day. Add to that an awareness of the presence of God and all the benefits of that presence and a day is off to a good start. As cynical as I can be, I find that I am usually brought to a more positive world view by these first two verses.
There is more to the psalm than the first two verses and they simply add to the soaring sense of the presence of God as far as I am concerned. There is a long list of actions and characteristics of God in this psalm, however the steadfast love of God seems to be the recurrent theme. While we may want others to be punished for their sins we are grateful for our part that it is the steadfast love of God that decides our fate. We do pay the consequences for our actions, however we are saved from the full extent of our just desserts by the overarching love of God for us and others.
The psalm invites others to join the chorus of blessing and ends as it begins with an enthusiastic blessing from a grateful soul to a loving God. We could do worse for ourselves today, this week, than to begin and end the day with a blessing of God. Does God need to be blessed by us to get through a day? No. Does God relish our attention as a way of being present together in any part of the day? I do believe so. “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits— “
© November 7, 2010
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