Psalm Meditation 671
Fifth Sunday of Easter
April 28, 2013

Psalm 148
1 Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights!
2 Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his host!
3 Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars!
4 Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!
5 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for he commanded and they were created.
6 He established them forever and ever; he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.
7 Praise the LORD from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps,
8 fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind fulfilling his command!
9 Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars!
10 Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds!
11 Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth!
12 Young men and women alike, old and young together!
13 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his glory is above earth and heaven.
14 He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his faithful, for the people of Israel who are close to him. Praise the LORD!
(NRSV)

It is interesting that each of us expects the rest of the world to share our emotional states. When we are sad, we expect all the folks we meet to share our sadness, when we are angry we expect that others will share our anger over the particular person or event. And, like the psalmist, when we are overjoyed about something, we expect the whole world to share in our joy. Very quickly, we discover that not everyone shares our particular viewpoint.

A friend of mine wrote a book titled, And Not One Bird Stopped Singing, about the death of her husband. In her grief, she expected everyone and everything to share in her sense of loss. At a point early in the process she came out of herself long enough to notice that the world was going on around her as if nothing had changed. The book served to remind all who read it that grief in particular is shared only by those who share the sense of loss.

The psalmist may be aware that not everyone shares this particular moment of rejoicing. All the more reason to remind us that there is something good going on in or around us all the time. This moment of rejoicing may not be a jumping and shouting kind of rejoicing, it may be an imperceptible smile over some little bit of joy in the midst of all else in and around us. If it is the jump up and shout kind of rejoicing, the psalmist is happy to have our company in calling people of all ages and stations to rejoice. Call all creation, animate and inanimate to rejoice at the gifts God brings and gives. Rejoice with a gusto that brings a smile to face of those who have no reason to smile, except at the exuberance of this celebration. Praise the Lord!

April 22, 2013