Psalm Meditation 605
Third Sunday after Epiphany
January 22, 2012

Psalm 105 (selected verses)
1 O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples.
2 Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wonderful works.
3 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
4 Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually.
5 Remember the wonderful works he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he has uttered,
6 O offspring of his servant Abraham, children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
7 He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth.
8 He is mindful of his covenant forever, of the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,
9 the covenant that he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac,
10 which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant,
11 saying, "To you I will give the land of Canaan as your portion for an inheritance."
12 When they were few in number, of little account, and strangers in it,
13 wandering from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people,
14 he allowed no one to oppress them; he rebuked kings on their account,
15 saying, "Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm."
16 When he summoned famine against the land, and broke every staff of bread,
17 he had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
18 His feet were hurt with fetters, his neck was put in a collar of iron;
19 until what he had said came to pass, the word of the Lord kept testing him.
20 The king sent and released him; the ruler of the peoples set him free.
23 Then Israel came to Egypt; Jacob lived as an alien in the land of Ham.
26 He sent his servant Moses, and Aaron whom he had chosen.
27 They performed his signs among them, and miracles in the land of Ham. 37 Then he brought Israel out with silver and gold, and there was no one among their tribes who stumbled.
44 He gave them the lands of the nations, and they took possession of the wealth of the peoples,
45 that they might keep his statutes and observe his laws. Praise the Lord! (NRSV)

Whether you read the whole psalm or this edited for space version, you can see that God was actively involved in the history of the people of Israel. This is a shortened version of a central event in what is called ‘salvation history.’ The emphasis is on the salvation rather than the history. It is much more important to know that God is at work in the lives of the people, Israel, than it is to know details that are important to historians; exact dates and places.

From the poetic version of this series of events we can hear the psalmist answering the question, ‘Is God with us, or not?’ If God was with us in this series of events from Joseph and Israel to Moses and Aaron, it is possible that God is with us in this current series of events. While the poetry leaves out some of the tension between God and the people, it was known well enough. Since God was with us then, God is certainly with us now. Whatever the specifics the psalmist was addressing, the important actor in our salvation now is the same one who was active then.

We too can hear the voice of the psalmist reassuring us that the same God who was saving the people then is saving us now with the same active interest, care and love we see in this slice of salvation history. If God saved the folks who actively distrusted God then, certainly God will save any of us who find ourselves doubting and questioning how God will save us rather than wondering if God will save us.

© January 16, 2012