Psalm Meditation 794
Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
September 6, 2015
Psalm 69
1 Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.
2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me.
3 I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God.
4 More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause; many are those who would destroy me, my enemies who accuse me falsely. What I did not steal must I now restore?
5 O God, you know my folly; the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.
6 Do not let those who hope in you be put to shame because of me, O Lord GOD of hosts; do not let those who seek you be dishonored because of me, O God of Israel.
7 It is for your sake that I have borne reproach, that shame has covered my face.
8 I have become a stranger to my kindred, an alien to my mother’s children.
9 It is zeal for your house that has consumed me; the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.
10 When I humbled my soul with fasting, they insulted me for doing so.
11 When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them.
12 I am the subject of gossip for those who sit in the gate, and the drunkards make songs about me.
13 But as for me, my prayer is to you, O LORD. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me. With your faithful help
14 rescue me from sinking in the mire; let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters.
15 Do not let the flood sweep over me, or the deep swallow me up, or the Pit close its mouth over me.
16 Answer me, O LORD, for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.
17 Do not hide your face from your servant, for I am in distress—make haste to answer me.
18 Draw near to me, redeem me, set me free because of my enemies.
19 You know the insults I receive, and my shame and dishonor; my foes are all known to you.
20 Insults have broken my heart, so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
21 They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
22 Let their table be a trap for them, a snare for their allies.
23 Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and make their loins tremble continually.
24 Pour out your indignation upon them, and let your burning anger overtake them.
25 May their camp be a desolation; let no one live in their tents.
26 For they persecute those whom you have struck down, and those whom you have wounded, they attack still more.
27 Add guilt to their guilt; may they have no acquittal from you.
28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be enrolled among the righteous.
29 But I am lowly and in pain; let your salvation, O God, protect me.
30 I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.
31 This will please the LORD more than an ox or a bull with horns and hoofs.
32 Let the oppressed see it and be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive.
33 For the LORD hears the needy, and does not despise his own that are in bonds.
34 Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves in them.
35 For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah; and his servants shall live there and possess it;
36 the children of his servants shall inherit it, and those who love his name shall live in it.
(NRSV)
There is a tendency among us to be competitive in any number of categories. In regard to this psalm we compete in feeling bad. If someone is going through a difficult time, I have gone through worse. At the very least we are tied for the deepest difficulty. With some folks we can be downright dismissive of their suffering because it seems minor compared to the level of our own. Do we remember that what is an inconvenience now was once a major malfunction in our own lives? The depth of each person’s suffering is relative to the experiences each has had. The sufferings of a typical teenager may seem trivial to an adult, however they are the deepest emotions this person has experienced in life so far. When we can be compassionate rather than competitive we honor the person and their suffering in a way that they can turn to us, and through us turn to God, in the next time of suffering.
Several verses of this psalm have a familiar ring to them since they have been used by Gospel and Epistle writers to refer to the suffering of Jesus. While we have not borne the weight of the sins of the world, we have suffered greatly as people of faith. That level is different for each of us and is unique for each of us as well. When I asked my doctor a question about my medication his answer was memorable, “I don’t know; you are not a robot.” While the answer is open to lots of interpretations I took it as a reminder that each of us is special. What works well for one person fails miserably for another, what is too much for one is not enough for another. Even though I do not bear the sins of the world I have had an experience of the deepest suffering ever, as far as I’m concerned.
The psalmist requests compassion from God in the face of suffering. As people of God we get to be agents of compassion in a variety of ways. Some offer compassion as a part of their work. My guess is that the folks who are most compassionate in that work have a relationship with God that opens their hearts to the needs of others. Some offer compassion as volunteers. They go above and beyond the minimum requirements and touch lives in a way that honors the worth and dignity of each person with whom they come in contact. The folks for whom compassion is a gift from God will find a way to offer it no matter where they are and what they are doing.
August 31, 2015
LCM
Monday, August 31, 2015
Monday, August 24, 2015
Psalm Meditation 793
Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 30, 2015
Psalm 119:153-176
153 Look on my misery and rescue me, for I do not forget your law.
154 Plead my cause and redeem me; give me life according to your promise.
155 Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek your statutes.
156 Great is your mercy, O LORD; give me life according to your justice.
157 Many are my persecutors and my adversaries, yet I do not swerve from your decrees.
158 I look at the faithless with disgust, because they do not keep your commands.
159 Consider how I love your precepts; preserve my life according to your steadfast love.
160 The sum of your word is truth; and every one of your righteous ordinances endures forever.
161 Princes persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of your words.
162 I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil.
163 I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love your law.
164 Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous ordinances.
165 Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.
166 I hope for your salvation, O LORD, and I fulfill your commandments.
167 My soul keeps your decrees; I love them exceedingly.
168 I keep your precepts and decrees, for all my ways are before you.
169 Let my cry come before you, O LORD; give me understanding according to your word.
170 Let my supplication come before you; deliver me according to your promise.
171 My lips will pour forth praise, because you teach me your statutes.
172 My tongue will sing of your promise, for all your commandments are right.
173 Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts.
174 I long for your salvation, O LORD, and your law is my delight.
175 Let me live that I may praise you, and let your ordinances help me.
176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek out your servant, for I do not forget your commandments.
(NRSV)
In junior high gym class we played a game our teacher called Texas basketball. It was supposed to be extra fun because there were no rules. The class was divided into two groups and everybody played at once. Even in this free for all atmosphere we still had rules to follow. A basket only counted for a team if it went into the basket at the proper end of the court, a basket only counted one point and we all had to stay on the court while the game was in progress.
This psalm is a celebration of the rules, of the laws and precepts of God. In each set of eight verses the first word of each line begins with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet. These verses are the last three sets of eight. It may seem extravagant to spend so much effort and energy to celebrate something that so many of us spend so much time trying to get around. This may be the point of the psalm. Even though the rules drive us nuts sometimes it is important to have them. Much as we complain about them we like to know that we have limits and boundaries in our lives.
God’s rules are about how we get along with each other and with God. The rules are about our relationships. We can treat each other with respect and dignity or we can be selfish and unruly. God recommends that we treat each other as people of sacred worth, people loved by God, people who are bound to us in a variety of ways including faithfulness to the laws and precepts of God.
August 24, 2015
LCM
Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 30, 2015
Psalm 119:153-176
153 Look on my misery and rescue me, for I do not forget your law.
154 Plead my cause and redeem me; give me life according to your promise.
155 Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek your statutes.
156 Great is your mercy, O LORD; give me life according to your justice.
157 Many are my persecutors and my adversaries, yet I do not swerve from your decrees.
158 I look at the faithless with disgust, because they do not keep your commands.
159 Consider how I love your precepts; preserve my life according to your steadfast love.
160 The sum of your word is truth; and every one of your righteous ordinances endures forever.
161 Princes persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of your words.
162 I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil.
163 I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love your law.
164 Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous ordinances.
165 Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.
166 I hope for your salvation, O LORD, and I fulfill your commandments.
167 My soul keeps your decrees; I love them exceedingly.
168 I keep your precepts and decrees, for all my ways are before you.
169 Let my cry come before you, O LORD; give me understanding according to your word.
170 Let my supplication come before you; deliver me according to your promise.
171 My lips will pour forth praise, because you teach me your statutes.
172 My tongue will sing of your promise, for all your commandments are right.
173 Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts.
174 I long for your salvation, O LORD, and your law is my delight.
175 Let me live that I may praise you, and let your ordinances help me.
176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek out your servant, for I do not forget your commandments.
(NRSV)
In junior high gym class we played a game our teacher called Texas basketball. It was supposed to be extra fun because there were no rules. The class was divided into two groups and everybody played at once. Even in this free for all atmosphere we still had rules to follow. A basket only counted for a team if it went into the basket at the proper end of the court, a basket only counted one point and we all had to stay on the court while the game was in progress.
This psalm is a celebration of the rules, of the laws and precepts of God. In each set of eight verses the first word of each line begins with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet. These verses are the last three sets of eight. It may seem extravagant to spend so much effort and energy to celebrate something that so many of us spend so much time trying to get around. This may be the point of the psalm. Even though the rules drive us nuts sometimes it is important to have them. Much as we complain about them we like to know that we have limits and boundaries in our lives.
God’s rules are about how we get along with each other and with God. The rules are about our relationships. We can treat each other with respect and dignity or we can be selfish and unruly. God recommends that we treat each other as people of sacred worth, people loved by God, people who are bound to us in a variety of ways including faithfulness to the laws and precepts of God.
August 24, 2015
LCM
Monday, August 17, 2015
Psalm Meditation 792
Thirteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 23, 2015
Psalm 32
1 Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
2 Happy are those to whom the LORD imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3 While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah
6 Therefore let all who are faithful offer prayer to you; at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters shall not reach them.
7 You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance. Selah
8 I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
9 Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding, whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle, else it will not stay near you.
10 Many are the torments of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the LORD.
11 Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.
(NRSV)
One way to understand ‘the wicked’ is in terms of their pride. They are centered on themselves and see relationships in terms of what the other person or group has to offer them with no thought of what they might offer in return. Wickedness is about taking with no sense of obligation to the others involved. While the folks who live with and around these wicked folks notice how tormented they are, there may be no awareness of the torment on the part of the wicked person. We notice that they are separate from the rest of us in any number of ways. As a part of the one sidedness of their relationships they get no enjoyment out of the company of others, only out of the ‘stuff’ the other brings to add to their storehouse.
The psalmist notices that the wicked are tormented even though they may not notice it themselves. The rest of us notice the torment, the resentment, the anger roiling just below the surface waiting for an opportunity to explode. Any system that takes without giving will fail at some point. If it doesn’t shut down it will explode. Some will rejoice at the impending explosion, believing that it will signal a redistribution of all that stored ‘stuff’ not realizing the potential for damage to all in the blast range. The psalmist is hoping for a change of heart before the explosion takes place.
The psalmist sees the torments of those who hold on to ‘stuff’ at the expense of relationships and invites us to surround ourselves with the steadfast love of God. The love of God sets us free from the bonds of ‘stuff.’ We know that each of us need a certain amount of resources to make life possible, however amassing resources at the expense of relationships is unnecessary and problematic. As we allow God to deliver us from the bondage to ‘stuff’ we find ourselves better able to, “Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.”
August 17, 2015
LCM
Thirteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 23, 2015
Psalm 32
1 Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
2 Happy are those to whom the LORD imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3 While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah
6 Therefore let all who are faithful offer prayer to you; at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters shall not reach them.
7 You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance. Selah
8 I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
9 Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding, whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle, else it will not stay near you.
10 Many are the torments of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the LORD.
11 Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.
(NRSV)
One way to understand ‘the wicked’ is in terms of their pride. They are centered on themselves and see relationships in terms of what the other person or group has to offer them with no thought of what they might offer in return. Wickedness is about taking with no sense of obligation to the others involved. While the folks who live with and around these wicked folks notice how tormented they are, there may be no awareness of the torment on the part of the wicked person. We notice that they are separate from the rest of us in any number of ways. As a part of the one sidedness of their relationships they get no enjoyment out of the company of others, only out of the ‘stuff’ the other brings to add to their storehouse.
The psalmist notices that the wicked are tormented even though they may not notice it themselves. The rest of us notice the torment, the resentment, the anger roiling just below the surface waiting for an opportunity to explode. Any system that takes without giving will fail at some point. If it doesn’t shut down it will explode. Some will rejoice at the impending explosion, believing that it will signal a redistribution of all that stored ‘stuff’ not realizing the potential for damage to all in the blast range. The psalmist is hoping for a change of heart before the explosion takes place.
The psalmist sees the torments of those who hold on to ‘stuff’ at the expense of relationships and invites us to surround ourselves with the steadfast love of God. The love of God sets us free from the bonds of ‘stuff.’ We know that each of us need a certain amount of resources to make life possible, however amassing resources at the expense of relationships is unnecessary and problematic. As we allow God to deliver us from the bondage to ‘stuff’ we find ourselves better able to, “Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.”
August 17, 2015
LCM
Monday, August 10, 2015
Psalm Meditation 791
Twelfth Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 16, 2015
Psalm 82
1 God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
2 “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah
3 Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute.
4 Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
5 They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk around in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 I say, “You are gods, children of the Most High, all of you;
7 nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, and fall like any prince.”
8 Rise up, O God, judge the earth; for all the nations belong to you!
(NRSV)
It is easy to believe that when we disagree on a definition or characteristic of God we must be talking about completely different divinities. Since you and I do not agree, we must be worshipping two separate holy ones. And of course, since you are wrong, yours is a small g god while mine is a capital G God. When all of the heavenly beings meet together, mine is the one who leads the group and scolds all the others for their faults and failings in acting less than divinely.
What if there is only one God and our various faiths and religions are multiple ways of understanding what it means to be divine. In the story of the blind folks meeting an elephant for the first time, each describes the elephant as if the whole of the animal is the same as the part each is touching. The elephant is described as a snake, a tree, a rope and a wall. Each is accurate as far as it goes. Even as we gather the various descriptions into a single conception, we miss some of the important parts of what it is to be an elephant. We misunderstand and misconstrue the glory, majesty and immensity of God when we believe that we can describe all that it means to be God in a single set of experiences.
Despite our differences we do well to follow the words the psalmist uses to summarize the will of God for the divine council and for us: “Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” As our definition of who God is differs, we will also differ on fits some of these categories of those for whom justice is lacking. And so we echo the psalmist as we join in praying: “Rise up, O God, judge the earth; for all the nations belong to you!”
August 10, 2015
LCM
Twelfth Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 16, 2015
Psalm 82
1 God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
2 “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah
3 Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute.
4 Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
5 They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk around in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 I say, “You are gods, children of the Most High, all of you;
7 nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, and fall like any prince.”
8 Rise up, O God, judge the earth; for all the nations belong to you!
(NRSV)
It is easy to believe that when we disagree on a definition or characteristic of God we must be talking about completely different divinities. Since you and I do not agree, we must be worshipping two separate holy ones. And of course, since you are wrong, yours is a small g god while mine is a capital G God. When all of the heavenly beings meet together, mine is the one who leads the group and scolds all the others for their faults and failings in acting less than divinely.
What if there is only one God and our various faiths and religions are multiple ways of understanding what it means to be divine. In the story of the blind folks meeting an elephant for the first time, each describes the elephant as if the whole of the animal is the same as the part each is touching. The elephant is described as a snake, a tree, a rope and a wall. Each is accurate as far as it goes. Even as we gather the various descriptions into a single conception, we miss some of the important parts of what it is to be an elephant. We misunderstand and misconstrue the glory, majesty and immensity of God when we believe that we can describe all that it means to be God in a single set of experiences.
Despite our differences we do well to follow the words the psalmist uses to summarize the will of God for the divine council and for us: “Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” As our definition of who God is differs, we will also differ on fits some of these categories of those for whom justice is lacking. And so we echo the psalmist as we join in praying: “Rise up, O God, judge the earth; for all the nations belong to you!”
August 10, 2015
LCM
Monday, August 3, 2015
Psalm Meditation 790
Eleventh Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 9, 2015
Psalm 19
1 The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard;
4 yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun,
5 which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy, and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them; and nothing is hid from its heat.
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the LORD are sure, making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
12 But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults.
13 Keep back your servant also from the insolent; do not let them have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
(NRSV)
We have a tendency to push back against rules, regulations and guidelines. It is as if rules exist for the sole purpose of keeping us from doing what we want to do. When someone we don’t like breaks the rules we are quick to pounce on them and call them to account for their actions. (Tom Brady, as an example.) When someone we do like breaks the rules we are quick to celebrate the rebellious spirit still alive and kicking in our day and time. We notice the rules most as we bump up against them; when our desires are at odds with them.
The law, decrees, precepts and commandment of God teach us how to relate to God and to each other as people of God. Rules are the backbone of a relationship. They give it structure. They guide us in how we are going to get along when all is well and when all is not well. Even in a workplace in which the two rules are: 1. The boss is always right. 2. If the boss is wrong see rule 1, we know where we stand in relation to the boss, like it or not. The psalmist knows that the rules God sets for us are to make this relationship possible and understandable. God’s rules tend to be boundary type rules, here is the line we are not to overstep because of the damage it can do to a relationship with God or someone else.
A colleague of mine said, “Rules were made to be guidelines.” They set some boundaries and leave others hazy so we can work together for the best way forward. As we live into the rules we discover that some that seem hard and fast have some wiggle room in them, while some that seem porous are reasonable solid. Following the rules to the exclusion of relationships gives one a goody two shoes reputation. Following the rules for the sake of relationships is, “more to be desired ... than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb.”
August 3, 2015
LCM
Eleventh Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 9, 2015
Psalm 19
1 The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard;
4 yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun,
5 which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy, and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them; and nothing is hid from its heat.
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the LORD are sure, making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
12 But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults.
13 Keep back your servant also from the insolent; do not let them have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
(NRSV)
We have a tendency to push back against rules, regulations and guidelines. It is as if rules exist for the sole purpose of keeping us from doing what we want to do. When someone we don’t like breaks the rules we are quick to pounce on them and call them to account for their actions. (Tom Brady, as an example.) When someone we do like breaks the rules we are quick to celebrate the rebellious spirit still alive and kicking in our day and time. We notice the rules most as we bump up against them; when our desires are at odds with them.
The law, decrees, precepts and commandment of God teach us how to relate to God and to each other as people of God. Rules are the backbone of a relationship. They give it structure. They guide us in how we are going to get along when all is well and when all is not well. Even in a workplace in which the two rules are: 1. The boss is always right. 2. If the boss is wrong see rule 1, we know where we stand in relation to the boss, like it or not. The psalmist knows that the rules God sets for us are to make this relationship possible and understandable. God’s rules tend to be boundary type rules, here is the line we are not to overstep because of the damage it can do to a relationship with God or someone else.
A colleague of mine said, “Rules were made to be guidelines.” They set some boundaries and leave others hazy so we can work together for the best way forward. As we live into the rules we discover that some that seem hard and fast have some wiggle room in them, while some that seem porous are reasonable solid. Following the rules to the exclusion of relationships gives one a goody two shoes reputation. Following the rules for the sake of relationships is, “more to be desired ... than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb.”
August 3, 2015
LCM
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