Psalm Meditation 707
Second Sunday After Christmas
January 5, 2014
Psalm 96
1 O sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples.
4 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be revered above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.
6 Honor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
7 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts.
9 Worship the LORD in holy splendor; tremble before him, all the earth.
10 Say among the nations, “The LORD is king! The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved. He will judge the peoples with equity.”
11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
12 let the field exult, and everything in it. Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
13 before the LORD; for he is coming, for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with his truth.
(NRSV)
It sometimes seems that the folks who look forward to God’s judgment the most are some of the ones who will be judged most harshly. These folks are so sure that God setting things right is the same as setting things in the order they see fit. I am afraid they are in for a disappointment. God’s way and my way are rarely the same because I want revenge and a renewal of my own sense of dignity and order. God leans toward mercy and steadfast love.
I imagine that God is a bit less lenient with those of us who claim to speak for God in a voice and accent that fly in the face of God’s genuine intent for those God loves and with chesed/agape’/unconditional love. The number of folk we turn away from God with our arrogant words and deeds will likely be met with some stern looks and words. God’s ire will likely not get in the way of God’s saving love, however it will certainly leave us humbled, at the very least.
As we sing our songs and revel in the greatness of God we do well not to get so caught up in our celebrations that we begin to feel that we are heirs to that greatness by some word or act of our own. Any glint of salvation, righteous and truth we receive is a gift God gives to us. Granted, some are more open to receive these gifts than others, that does not mean that they are not set before each of us in some wonder filled way. Sing and rejoice in God’s glory.
December 30, 2013
Monday, December 30, 2013
Monday, December 23, 2013
Psalm Meditation 706
First Sunday after Christmas
December 29, 2013
Psalm 5
1 Give ear to my words, O LORD; give heed to my sighing.
2 Listen to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you I pray.
3 O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch.
4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil will not sojourn with you.
5 The boastful will not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers.
6 You destroy those who speak lies; the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful.
7 But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house, I will bow down toward your holy temple in awe of you.
8 Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me.
9 For there is no truth in their mouths; their hearts are destruction; their throats are open graves; they flatter with their tongues.
10 Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; because of their many transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against you.
11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, so that those who love your name may exult in you.
12 For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover them with favor as with a shield.
(NRSV)
There are folks who can brag in such a way that all who hear their boasts are proud to know them. There are folks who can make humble statements in a way that folks know they are covering pride with humility. Verse 11 strikes me as a kind of test case for pride versus humility in the presence of God. For those who are genuinely humble, the emphasis will be on the refuge God offers. When they recite this verse it will sound like an invitation, letting everyone know that the refuge of God is open to any and all who will accept it with an open heart.
The folks who wear humility as a mask for their pride will make this verse sound like a weapon. They will let you know that the refuge of God is an exclusive club and that likely as not you are neither a current member of this club nor are you welcome to become one. The actual words of the verse are the same for those in both groups, it is the tone in which they are shared that makes a difference. Interestingly, the folks who make the refuge of God sound as if it were an exclusive club may not actually be members. Those who would restrict the refuge of God to people like ‘us’ against ‘them’ haven’t quite gotten the concept of the power of God’s steadfast love.
It is the steadfast love of God that makes the invitation to the refuge God offers. We have not done anything to deserve God’s love, we are invited out of God’s great love for us. The folks who make refuge in God an exclusive club are the folks who enter God’s house as if they are owners rather than as guests. The folks who live in the refuge of the steadfast love of God find themselves filled with wonder and awe as they are welcomed into God’s loving presence.
A very merry Christmas to you and yours.
December 23, 2013
First Sunday after Christmas
December 29, 2013
Psalm 5
1 Give ear to my words, O LORD; give heed to my sighing.
2 Listen to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you I pray.
3 O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch.
4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil will not sojourn with you.
5 The boastful will not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers.
6 You destroy those who speak lies; the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful.
7 But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house, I will bow down toward your holy temple in awe of you.
8 Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me.
9 For there is no truth in their mouths; their hearts are destruction; their throats are open graves; they flatter with their tongues.
10 Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; because of their many transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against you.
11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, so that those who love your name may exult in you.
12 For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover them with favor as with a shield.
(NRSV)
There are folks who can brag in such a way that all who hear their boasts are proud to know them. There are folks who can make humble statements in a way that folks know they are covering pride with humility. Verse 11 strikes me as a kind of test case for pride versus humility in the presence of God. For those who are genuinely humble, the emphasis will be on the refuge God offers. When they recite this verse it will sound like an invitation, letting everyone know that the refuge of God is open to any and all who will accept it with an open heart.
The folks who wear humility as a mask for their pride will make this verse sound like a weapon. They will let you know that the refuge of God is an exclusive club and that likely as not you are neither a current member of this club nor are you welcome to become one. The actual words of the verse are the same for those in both groups, it is the tone in which they are shared that makes a difference. Interestingly, the folks who make the refuge of God sound as if it were an exclusive club may not actually be members. Those who would restrict the refuge of God to people like ‘us’ against ‘them’ haven’t quite gotten the concept of the power of God’s steadfast love.
It is the steadfast love of God that makes the invitation to the refuge God offers. We have not done anything to deserve God’s love, we are invited out of God’s great love for us. The folks who make refuge in God an exclusive club are the folks who enter God’s house as if they are owners rather than as guests. The folks who live in the refuge of the steadfast love of God find themselves filled with wonder and awe as they are welcomed into God’s loving presence.
A very merry Christmas to you and yours.
December 23, 2013
Monday, December 16, 2013
Psalm Meditation 705
Fourth Sunday of Advent
December 22, 2013
Psalm 147
1 Praise the LORD! How good it is to sing praises to our God; for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting.
2 The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds.
4 He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names.
5 Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.
6 The LORD lifts up the downtrodden; he casts the wicked to the ground.
7 Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre.
8 He covers the heavens with clouds, prepares rain for the earth, makes grass grow on the hills.
9 He gives to the animals their food, and to the young ravens when they cry.
10 His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the speed of a runner;
11 but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.
12 Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion!
13 For he strengthens the bars of your gates; he blesses your children within you.
14 He grants peace within your borders; he fills you with the finest of wheat.
15 He sends out his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly.
16 He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes.
17 He hurls down hail like crumbs— who can stand before his cold?
18 He sends out his word, and melts them; he makes his wind blow, and the waters flow.
19 He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and ordinances to Israel.
20 He has not dealt thus with any other nation; they do not know his ordinances. Praise the LORD!
(NRSV)
December is supposed to be this great, joyous time of preparation whether you go by the church calendar and call it Advent or by the secular designation of Christmas/holiday season. What if it isn’t a season of joy? What if, instead of great joy, this season fills us with sadness for any number of reasons? For many it is a time of remembering those who are no longer with us. For others it is a reminder that we do not have the resources to make this season as bright and full of stuff as advertisers tell us we should. For still others it is a season of darkness from the lack of long periods of sunlight. No matter the reason we are filled with darkness, the psalmist reminds us that even in the darkest times God is with us.
Though we talk about darkness as if it were a presence, it is an absence. Darkness is the absence of light. It can feel as if we are carrying darkness with us in this and any season of the year. It is good to know that even in the darkest times God is with us. God is not quick to fix things for us, however God is quick to be with us in every situation in which we put or find ourselves. In those moments we are able to sense God’s presence we notice that God brings light into our lives. “The LORD lifts up the downtrodden; he casts the wicked to the ground.” It won’t happen all at once for most of us and God may work through people and a variety of other means to lift us up, however, God is with us, offering light in our darkness.
Whether you are one who loves this season of the year, one for whom it brings little but sadness and dread, or you are somewhere in between, God is present with us, offering to lift us up and hold us up. God takes great pleasure in us, and that is something wonderful. When someone is happy to be with us even at our worst, it can lift us up a bit. When that person also brings a sense of peace with them we find ourselves a bit more at peace as well. God is happy to be with us and brings a peace beyond our ability to fathom. That is good news.
December 16, 2013
LCM
Fourth Sunday of Advent
December 22, 2013
Psalm 147
1 Praise the LORD! How good it is to sing praises to our God; for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting.
2 The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds.
4 He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names.
5 Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.
6 The LORD lifts up the downtrodden; he casts the wicked to the ground.
7 Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre.
8 He covers the heavens with clouds, prepares rain for the earth, makes grass grow on the hills.
9 He gives to the animals their food, and to the young ravens when they cry.
10 His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the speed of a runner;
11 but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.
12 Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion!
13 For he strengthens the bars of your gates; he blesses your children within you.
14 He grants peace within your borders; he fills you with the finest of wheat.
15 He sends out his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly.
16 He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes.
17 He hurls down hail like crumbs— who can stand before his cold?
18 He sends out his word, and melts them; he makes his wind blow, and the waters flow.
19 He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and ordinances to Israel.
20 He has not dealt thus with any other nation; they do not know his ordinances. Praise the LORD!
(NRSV)
December is supposed to be this great, joyous time of preparation whether you go by the church calendar and call it Advent or by the secular designation of Christmas/holiday season. What if it isn’t a season of joy? What if, instead of great joy, this season fills us with sadness for any number of reasons? For many it is a time of remembering those who are no longer with us. For others it is a reminder that we do not have the resources to make this season as bright and full of stuff as advertisers tell us we should. For still others it is a season of darkness from the lack of long periods of sunlight. No matter the reason we are filled with darkness, the psalmist reminds us that even in the darkest times God is with us.
Though we talk about darkness as if it were a presence, it is an absence. Darkness is the absence of light. It can feel as if we are carrying darkness with us in this and any season of the year. It is good to know that even in the darkest times God is with us. God is not quick to fix things for us, however God is quick to be with us in every situation in which we put or find ourselves. In those moments we are able to sense God’s presence we notice that God brings light into our lives. “The LORD lifts up the downtrodden; he casts the wicked to the ground.” It won’t happen all at once for most of us and God may work through people and a variety of other means to lift us up, however, God is with us, offering light in our darkness.
Whether you are one who loves this season of the year, one for whom it brings little but sadness and dread, or you are somewhere in between, God is present with us, offering to lift us up and hold us up. God takes great pleasure in us, and that is something wonderful. When someone is happy to be with us even at our worst, it can lift us up a bit. When that person also brings a sense of peace with them we find ourselves a bit more at peace as well. God is happy to be with us and brings a peace beyond our ability to fathom. That is good news.
December 16, 2013
LCM
Monday, December 9, 2013
Psalm Meditation 704
Third Sunday of Advent
December 15, 2013
Psalm 54
1 Save me, O God, by your name, and vindicate me by your might.
2 Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.
3 For the insolent have risen against me, the ruthless seek my life; they do not set God before them. Selah
4 But surely, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life.
5 He will repay my enemies for their evil. In your faithfulness, put an end to them.
6 With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, O LORD, for it is good.
7 For he has delivered me from every trouble, and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.
(NRSV)
Insolent, ruthless enemies can be identifiable as specific groups or persons who are out to get us for any number of reasons. Those same enemies can rise up within us and make our lives just as miserable, if not more, as those from outside. From wherever the threat comes it can wear on us, grind on us and bring us to our knees.
No matter the locale of our particular enemies, God is with us as we rise against those forces that have taken us down. Some are willing to say that God will take down our enemies and remove them far from us. Others see the presence of God, knowing we are not alone, as sufficient. The rest of us are caught between wanting God to take away our enemies and wanting God to stand with us as we face them ourselves.
Whether our enemies are interior or exterior, whether God stands for us or with us, it is good to know that God is with us. We can give joyful thanks for the presence of God in our lives.
December 9, 2013
LCM
Third Sunday of Advent
December 15, 2013
Psalm 54
1 Save me, O God, by your name, and vindicate me by your might.
2 Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.
3 For the insolent have risen against me, the ruthless seek my life; they do not set God before them. Selah
4 But surely, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life.
5 He will repay my enemies for their evil. In your faithfulness, put an end to them.
6 With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, O LORD, for it is good.
7 For he has delivered me from every trouble, and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.
(NRSV)
Insolent, ruthless enemies can be identifiable as specific groups or persons who are out to get us for any number of reasons. Those same enemies can rise up within us and make our lives just as miserable, if not more, as those from outside. From wherever the threat comes it can wear on us, grind on us and bring us to our knees.
No matter the locale of our particular enemies, God is with us as we rise against those forces that have taken us down. Some are willing to say that God will take down our enemies and remove them far from us. Others see the presence of God, knowing we are not alone, as sufficient. The rest of us are caught between wanting God to take away our enemies and wanting God to stand with us as we face them ourselves.
Whether our enemies are interior or exterior, whether God stands for us or with us, it is good to know that God is with us. We can give joyful thanks for the presence of God in our lives.
December 9, 2013
LCM
Monday, December 2, 2013
Psalm Meditation 703
Second Sunday of Advent
December 8, 2013
Psalm 104
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul.O LORD my God, you are very great. You are clothed with honor and majesty,
2 wrapped in light as with a garment. You stretch out the heavens like a tent,
3 you set the beams of your chambers on the waters, you make the clouds your chariot, you ride on the wings of the wind,
4 you make the winds your messengers, fire and flame your ministers.
5 You set the earth on its foundations, so that it shall never be shaken.
6 You cover it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.
7 At your rebuke they flee; at the sound of your thunder they take to flight.
8 They rose up to the mountains, ran down to the valleys to the place that you appointed for them.
9 You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth.
10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills,
11 giving drink to every wild animal; the wild asses quench their thirst.
12 By the streams the birds of the air have their habitation; they sing among the branches.
13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.
14 You cause the grass to grow for the cattle, and plants for people to use,
to bring forth food from the earth,
15 and wine to gladden the human heart, oil to make the face shine, and bread to strengthen the human heart.
16 The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17 In them the birds build their nests; the stork has its home in the fir trees.
18 The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the coneys.
19 You have made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting.
20 You make darkness, and it is night, when all the animals of the forest come creeping out.
21 The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God.
22 When the sun rises, they withdraw and lie down in their dens.
23 People go out to their work and to their labor until the evening.
24 O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
25 Yonder is the sea, great and wide, creeping things innumerable are there,
living things both small and great.
26 There go the ships, and Leviathan that you formed to sport in it.
27 These all look to you to give them their food in due season;
28 when you give to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.
30 When you send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the ground.
31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works—
32 who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke.
33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD.
35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more.
Bless the LORD, O my soul. Praise the LORD!
(NRSV)
I understand the thinking behind the last verse, that if it weren’t for sinners and wicked folks this world would be a perfect place. Today, though, it sounds selfish. ‘This is such a great place, I hate to share it with people who aren’t like me, people who don’t appreciate these things as I do, people who don’t deserve the nice things I have earned.’ With a worldview based on preserving ‘our’ group by keeping ‘your’ group at a distance, those who are not like us are seen as a threat. Even those inside the group who don’t live up to the rules of the covenant community are seen as dangerous folks.
Strict adherence to the rules, as well as a leaning toward isolationism are the best ways to get a group started. Once the body gets going well it can be opened up to new people, new ideas and new ways of doing things. No matter how long the group has been around or how open it has become, there will always be those who want the group to go back to those founding principles, including the desire to close the group to influences beyond the original core beliefs, practices and identifications. That is not all bad. Those who are opposed to change can be a healthy corrective to those who are ready to branch out in new directions. Sometimes the folks who are willing to stretch the boundaries of the group are the majority and sometimes the folks who emphasize the core precepts of the group win the day. In the transition from one majority to the other there is conflict in the group.
In times of conflict folks on both sides of the growth versus origin question will find themselves putting emphasis on the verse that asks God to do away with the folks who aren’t like ‘us.’ While it is a part of the process it does get us to lose sight of the rest of the psalm that praises God for all the great things that are gifts to us and all other parts of creation. It might be good, even in the midst of a pitched battle within our own group small or large, to step back from the battle and see all the wonders that God provides for us. God does not provide these great things because we are pure or because we are expanding the definition of what it means to be a part of the group. God provides these gifts out of a deep and abiding love for us, on every side of the question or conflict. When we see that it is not one side or the other that has earned God’s love perhaps we can take a deep breath and appreciate the intentions and practices of the folks on the other side.
December 2, 2013
Second Sunday of Advent
December 8, 2013
Psalm 104
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul.O LORD my God, you are very great. You are clothed with honor and majesty,
2 wrapped in light as with a garment. You stretch out the heavens like a tent,
3 you set the beams of your chambers on the waters, you make the clouds your chariot, you ride on the wings of the wind,
4 you make the winds your messengers, fire and flame your ministers.
5 You set the earth on its foundations, so that it shall never be shaken.
6 You cover it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.
7 At your rebuke they flee; at the sound of your thunder they take to flight.
8 They rose up to the mountains, ran down to the valleys to the place that you appointed for them.
9 You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth.
10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills,
11 giving drink to every wild animal; the wild asses quench their thirst.
12 By the streams the birds of the air have their habitation; they sing among the branches.
13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.
14 You cause the grass to grow for the cattle, and plants for people to use,
to bring forth food from the earth,
15 and wine to gladden the human heart, oil to make the face shine, and bread to strengthen the human heart.
16 The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17 In them the birds build their nests; the stork has its home in the fir trees.
18 The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the coneys.
19 You have made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting.
20 You make darkness, and it is night, when all the animals of the forest come creeping out.
21 The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God.
22 When the sun rises, they withdraw and lie down in their dens.
23 People go out to their work and to their labor until the evening.
24 O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
25 Yonder is the sea, great and wide, creeping things innumerable are there,
living things both small and great.
26 There go the ships, and Leviathan that you formed to sport in it.
27 These all look to you to give them their food in due season;
28 when you give to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.
30 When you send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the ground.
31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works—
32 who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke.
33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD.
35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more.
Bless the LORD, O my soul. Praise the LORD!
(NRSV)
I understand the thinking behind the last verse, that if it weren’t for sinners and wicked folks this world would be a perfect place. Today, though, it sounds selfish. ‘This is such a great place, I hate to share it with people who aren’t like me, people who don’t appreciate these things as I do, people who don’t deserve the nice things I have earned.’ With a worldview based on preserving ‘our’ group by keeping ‘your’ group at a distance, those who are not like us are seen as a threat. Even those inside the group who don’t live up to the rules of the covenant community are seen as dangerous folks.
Strict adherence to the rules, as well as a leaning toward isolationism are the best ways to get a group started. Once the body gets going well it can be opened up to new people, new ideas and new ways of doing things. No matter how long the group has been around or how open it has become, there will always be those who want the group to go back to those founding principles, including the desire to close the group to influences beyond the original core beliefs, practices and identifications. That is not all bad. Those who are opposed to change can be a healthy corrective to those who are ready to branch out in new directions. Sometimes the folks who are willing to stretch the boundaries of the group are the majority and sometimes the folks who emphasize the core precepts of the group win the day. In the transition from one majority to the other there is conflict in the group.
In times of conflict folks on both sides of the growth versus origin question will find themselves putting emphasis on the verse that asks God to do away with the folks who aren’t like ‘us.’ While it is a part of the process it does get us to lose sight of the rest of the psalm that praises God for all the great things that are gifts to us and all other parts of creation. It might be good, even in the midst of a pitched battle within our own group small or large, to step back from the battle and see all the wonders that God provides for us. God does not provide these great things because we are pure or because we are expanding the definition of what it means to be a part of the group. God provides these gifts out of a deep and abiding love for us, on every side of the question or conflict. When we see that it is not one side or the other that has earned God’s love perhaps we can take a deep breath and appreciate the intentions and practices of the folks on the other side.
December 2, 2013
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