Psalm Meditation 613
Fourth Sunday in Lent
March 18, 2012

Psalm 47
1 Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout to God with loud songs of joy.
2 For the Lord, the Most High, is awesome, a great king over all the earth.
3 He subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet.
4 He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob whom he loves. (Selah)
5 God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises.
7 For God is the king of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm.
8 God is king over the nations; God sits on his holy throne.
9 The princes of the peoples gather as the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; he is highly exalted.
(NRSV)

This is a psalm of victory. It is a celebration of the power of God at work in the world, in this case military power. There is no mention of the defeat of a particular enemy so it may be a psalm for an annual celebration of the might and power of the nation as it stands firmly behind the God of all the earth. It reminds folks that whoever else may lead the people in battle, it is God who actually gives the victory over enemies and adversaries.

Whether we are fully in favor of using military might or staunch pacifists, the psalmist reminds us that victory comes from God. It could be a military victory or a victory over some form of evil in ourselves as individuals or a community; victory comes as we line ourselves up with the leading of God in our lives. Either way, it is the presence of God in our lives that makes the difference.

As people see us living in the presence and at the direction of God, they are drawn to us as moths to light. In our faithfulness they begin to see a glimpse of the power of God at work in us and the possibilities that lie open to them as they also live in the presence and at the direction of God. We will not likely follow God in lock-step with each other, however we will see the spark of God as a life giving, life enhancing force in their lives as they continue to see it is us.

© March 12, 2012