Psalm Meditation 915
First Sunday After Christmas
December 31, 2017
Psalm 23
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters;
3 he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD my whole life long.
(NRSV)
The task of a shepherd is to relinquish some control in order to allow the sheep to find the tasty morsels available in the area while at the same time keeping a watchful eye over the sheep to protect them from dangers and predators. It is tempting for some to keep their charges too close together for the sake of safety and protection, not realizing that the sheep will quickly run out of things on which to graze and will damage that small area. The other temptation is to let sheep graze too widely and not be able to keep watch over all the sheep at once.
Some who call themselves shepherd expect the people around them to travel in lock step with them. Ranging outside the tight group is frowned upon and discouraged. It is a great way to control folks, to keep them safe, and to keep them from having questions and opinions that take them out of the tight held control of the shepherd. To question or to second guess the leader is seen as dangerous and evil. Folks are expected to be docile, to go where and to believe what they are told without question or comment. While there are times in which conformity is important, if that need never changes there is a problem.
God allows us to range freely within a set of boundaries. Some of us will never notice the limits because we are content where we find ourselves. Others of us will be in contact with the shepherd on a more regular basis as we wander on the fringes of the group. We will purposely or inadvertently push the limits of our range and be called back, perhaps even feel pushed back. We will feel put upon at the time, however in time we may notice that we were wandering into dangerous places and the prod was for our protection rather than any other reason. Through it all God is with us “and I [we] shall dwell in the house of the LORD my [our] whole life long.”
December 26, 2017
LCM
Tuesday, December 26, 2017
Monday, December 18, 2017
Psalm Meditation 914
Fourth Sunday of Advent/Christmas Eve
December 24, 2017
Psalm 128
1 Happy is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways.
2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you.
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.
4 Thus shall the man be blessed who fears the LORD.
5 The LORD bless you from Zion. May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.
6 May you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel!
(NRSV)
The two extremes of being afraid of someone have to do with whether or not we want to be in their company. We are afraid of some people in a way that we do not want to be near them. They are creepy, violent, or mean in a way that we do not like being around them. They have a way of sucking the life out of us. When we are in the same place together we are mindful of where they are so that we can avoid them if possible. When we must interact with them we stay as distant and formal as we possibly can to protect ourselves from further damage.
We are afraid of other people in a way that draws us to them. We are in awe of them. We want to be close to them and find ourselves wide eyed and open mouthed around them. They have a way of enlivening us. We find and make ways to be near them, though not too close. We are afraid our excitement will get the better of us and we will be incapable of communicating with them in any meaningful way. We want to approach and we want to run away all at once so we find a comfortable distance hoping to move closer as we spend time together.
God wants us to be drawn in; to want to be in God’s presence. God is one who is touched by our awe and who wants us to know that we are welcome and encouraged to come as close as we are comfortable. As we approach God includes us into the conversation and activity as one who has a place close to God. We may continue to feel unworthy, however it is not God who makes us feel that way. When we allow ourselves to join in, to claim the place God offers, we will be happy/blessed.
December 18, 2017
LCM
Fourth Sunday of Advent/Christmas Eve
December 24, 2017
Psalm 128
1 Happy is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways.
2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you.
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.
4 Thus shall the man be blessed who fears the LORD.
5 The LORD bless you from Zion. May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.
6 May you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel!
(NRSV)
The two extremes of being afraid of someone have to do with whether or not we want to be in their company. We are afraid of some people in a way that we do not want to be near them. They are creepy, violent, or mean in a way that we do not like being around them. They have a way of sucking the life out of us. When we are in the same place together we are mindful of where they are so that we can avoid them if possible. When we must interact with them we stay as distant and formal as we possibly can to protect ourselves from further damage.
We are afraid of other people in a way that draws us to them. We are in awe of them. We want to be close to them and find ourselves wide eyed and open mouthed around them. They have a way of enlivening us. We find and make ways to be near them, though not too close. We are afraid our excitement will get the better of us and we will be incapable of communicating with them in any meaningful way. We want to approach and we want to run away all at once so we find a comfortable distance hoping to move closer as we spend time together.
God wants us to be drawn in; to want to be in God’s presence. God is one who is touched by our awe and who wants us to know that we are welcome and encouraged to come as close as we are comfortable. As we approach God includes us into the conversation and activity as one who has a place close to God. We may continue to feel unworthy, however it is not God who makes us feel that way. When we allow ourselves to join in, to claim the place God offers, we will be happy/blessed.
December 18, 2017
LCM
Monday, December 11, 2017
Psalm Meditation 913
Third Sunday of Advent
December 17, 2017
Psalm 73
1 Truly God is good to the upright, to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped.
3 For I was envious of the arrogant; I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For they have no pain; their bodies are sound and sleek.
5 They are not in trouble as others are; they are not plagued like other people.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them like a garment.
7 Their eyes swell out with fatness; their hearts overflow with follies.
8 They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression.
9 They set their mouths against heaven, and their tongues range over the earth.
10 Therefore the people turn and praise them, and find no fault in them.
11 And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
12 Such are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.
13 All in vain I have kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence.
14 For all day long I have been plagued, and am punished every morning.
15 If I had said, “I will talk on in this way,” I would have been untrue to the circle of your children.
16 But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task,
17 until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I perceived their end.
18 Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin.
19 How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors!
20 They are like a dream when one awakes; on awaking you despise their phantoms.
21 When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart,
22 I was stupid and ignorant; I was like a brute beast toward you.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me with honor.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire other than you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
27 Indeed, those who are far from you will perish; you put an end to those who are false to you.
28 But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, to tell of all your works.
(NRSV)
We make heroes out of wealthy people, believing that wealth is a blessing God bestows on people who deserve it. At the very least we believe that rich people have worked hard through their lives and have earned everything they have. Since they have done it we see it as possible for us to work hard, make the right choices and reap the same rewards and benefits as all the rich people who have made it ahead of us. Barring that, we gamble on lotteries and other games of chance, knowing that God will give us a turn at winning and all will be well. Wealth is seen as an unlimited commodity and there is a place for us in the ranks of the rich.
In the biblical era wealth was seen as limited and set. The only way someone could become rich was to make someone else poor. In this view, the only people who can become rich are those willing to take advantage of people for the sake of their own prosperity. In order to be rich one must also be wicked. Rich people tend to turn away from God since they have everything they could possibly want or need.
There are always those who look up to rich people as a class. People know that, unlike all the other rich people, ‘I could handle being rich and popular without taking advantage of others.’ Most people are convinced that having money would not change them. I believe that to be true. People who are kind and generous continue to be kind and generous with money; people who are selfish and self-serving will continue to take advantage of others once they add money to their reasons to lord it over people.
It turns out that both world views have some truth and merit. The supply of wealth and resources has much higher limits than we can imagine, and those who have money tend to take advantage of those who don’t in a variety of ways. The deciding factor in whether or not rich folk exploit those around them lies in a relationship with God. Those who trust God to provide out of the bounty of creation are much more willing to share and spread their wealth than those who trust themselves and their abilities. Any rewards we are reap are from the motivations of our hearts in God rather than from the prosperity itself. God does not want us to be rich, God wants us to be faithful.
December 11, 2017
LCM
Third Sunday of Advent
December 17, 2017
Psalm 73
1 Truly God is good to the upright, to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped.
3 For I was envious of the arrogant; I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For they have no pain; their bodies are sound and sleek.
5 They are not in trouble as others are; they are not plagued like other people.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them like a garment.
7 Their eyes swell out with fatness; their hearts overflow with follies.
8 They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression.
9 They set their mouths against heaven, and their tongues range over the earth.
10 Therefore the people turn and praise them, and find no fault in them.
11 And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
12 Such are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.
13 All in vain I have kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence.
14 For all day long I have been plagued, and am punished every morning.
15 If I had said, “I will talk on in this way,” I would have been untrue to the circle of your children.
16 But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task,
17 until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I perceived their end.
18 Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin.
19 How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors!
20 They are like a dream when one awakes; on awaking you despise their phantoms.
21 When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart,
22 I was stupid and ignorant; I was like a brute beast toward you.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me with honor.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire other than you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
27 Indeed, those who are far from you will perish; you put an end to those who are false to you.
28 But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, to tell of all your works.
(NRSV)
We make heroes out of wealthy people, believing that wealth is a blessing God bestows on people who deserve it. At the very least we believe that rich people have worked hard through their lives and have earned everything they have. Since they have done it we see it as possible for us to work hard, make the right choices and reap the same rewards and benefits as all the rich people who have made it ahead of us. Barring that, we gamble on lotteries and other games of chance, knowing that God will give us a turn at winning and all will be well. Wealth is seen as an unlimited commodity and there is a place for us in the ranks of the rich.
In the biblical era wealth was seen as limited and set. The only way someone could become rich was to make someone else poor. In this view, the only people who can become rich are those willing to take advantage of people for the sake of their own prosperity. In order to be rich one must also be wicked. Rich people tend to turn away from God since they have everything they could possibly want or need.
There are always those who look up to rich people as a class. People know that, unlike all the other rich people, ‘I could handle being rich and popular without taking advantage of others.’ Most people are convinced that having money would not change them. I believe that to be true. People who are kind and generous continue to be kind and generous with money; people who are selfish and self-serving will continue to take advantage of others once they add money to their reasons to lord it over people.
It turns out that both world views have some truth and merit. The supply of wealth and resources has much higher limits than we can imagine, and those who have money tend to take advantage of those who don’t in a variety of ways. The deciding factor in whether or not rich folk exploit those around them lies in a relationship with God. Those who trust God to provide out of the bounty of creation are much more willing to share and spread their wealth than those who trust themselves and their abilities. Any rewards we are reap are from the motivations of our hearts in God rather than from the prosperity itself. God does not want us to be rich, God wants us to be faithful.
December 11, 2017
LCM
Monday, December 4, 2017
Psalm Meditation 912
Second Sunday of Advent
December 10, 2017
Psalm 78:1-12,26-39
1 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old,
3 things that we have heard and known, that our ancestors have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their children; we will tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.
5 He established a decree in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach to their children;
6 that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and rise up and tell them to their children,
7 so that they should set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;
8 and that they should not be like their ancestors, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.
9 The Ephraimites, armed with the bow, turned back on the day of battle.
10 They did not keep God’s covenant, but refused to walk according to his law.
11 They forgot what he had done, and the miracles that he had shown them.
12 In the sight of their ancestors he worked marvels in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan.
26 He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens, and by his power he led out the south wind;
27 he rained flesh upon them like dust, winged birds like the sand of the seas;
28 he let them fall within their camp, all around their dwellings.
29 And they ate and were well filled, for he gave them what they craved.
30 But before they had satisfied their craving, while the food was still in their mouths,
31 the anger of God rose against them and he killed the strongest of them, and laid low the flower of Israel.
32 In spite of all this they still sinned; they did not believe in his wonders.
33 So he made their days vanish like a breath, and their years in terror.
34 When he killed them, they sought for him; they repented and sought God earnestly.
35 They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer.
36 But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues.
37 Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not true to his covenant.
38 Yet he, being compassionate, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them; often he restrained his anger, and did not stir up all his wrath.
39 He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and does not come again.
(NRSV)
One of the things I like about Judaism is that they don’t sugar coat their heroes and ancestors. We know from the beginning that people are going to be faithful for a moment and then stray from doing the will of God, as individuals and as a nation. It is a recognition that people can only depend on God for a little while before they wander off to do things their own way. It is an acknowledgment that we are human and that God still loves them and works for their good despite all the ways they tempt God to walk away.
I was taught that national heroes were practically perfect in every way. We might get some odd piece of trivia to humanize them a bit, for the most part they were perfect and excellent. It wasn’t until the perfection was deeply ingrained that we began to hear about faults, flaws and failings that would have had a questioning the hero designation. We seem to believe that perfection is the minimum standard for anyone who runs for office and serves the nation. If someone is less than perfect we find a way to make them fit our notion of what a hero is, or if they are of the other party, we make them the villain for being such a cad and moral misfit. While it may seem that we are in the worst of times, it is just as possible that we have been through worse and not heard about it.
When we are perfect, we have no need of God. It is when we realize that we are in need of an external moral compass; that we are in need of forgiveness and redemption that we can turn to God for healing and salvation. It is only by seeing ourselves, individually and collectively, as flawed and faltering that we can set aside our need for perfect leaders, even if we have to redefine what perfection is. As less than perfect people we can turn to God for all that God has to offer.
December 4, 2017
LCM lcrsmanifold@att.net
http://psalmmeditations.blogspot.com/
Second Sunday of Advent
December 10, 2017
Psalm 78:1-12,26-39
1 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old,
3 things that we have heard and known, that our ancestors have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their children; we will tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.
5 He established a decree in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach to their children;
6 that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and rise up and tell them to their children,
7 so that they should set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;
8 and that they should not be like their ancestors, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.
9 The Ephraimites, armed with the bow, turned back on the day of battle.
10 They did not keep God’s covenant, but refused to walk according to his law.
11 They forgot what he had done, and the miracles that he had shown them.
12 In the sight of their ancestors he worked marvels in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan.
26 He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens, and by his power he led out the south wind;
27 he rained flesh upon them like dust, winged birds like the sand of the seas;
28 he let them fall within their camp, all around their dwellings.
29 And they ate and were well filled, for he gave them what they craved.
30 But before they had satisfied their craving, while the food was still in their mouths,
31 the anger of God rose against them and he killed the strongest of them, and laid low the flower of Israel.
32 In spite of all this they still sinned; they did not believe in his wonders.
33 So he made their days vanish like a breath, and their years in terror.
34 When he killed them, they sought for him; they repented and sought God earnestly.
35 They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer.
36 But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues.
37 Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not true to his covenant.
38 Yet he, being compassionate, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them; often he restrained his anger, and did not stir up all his wrath.
39 He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes and does not come again.
(NRSV)
One of the things I like about Judaism is that they don’t sugar coat their heroes and ancestors. We know from the beginning that people are going to be faithful for a moment and then stray from doing the will of God, as individuals and as a nation. It is a recognition that people can only depend on God for a little while before they wander off to do things their own way. It is an acknowledgment that we are human and that God still loves them and works for their good despite all the ways they tempt God to walk away.
I was taught that national heroes were practically perfect in every way. We might get some odd piece of trivia to humanize them a bit, for the most part they were perfect and excellent. It wasn’t until the perfection was deeply ingrained that we began to hear about faults, flaws and failings that would have had a questioning the hero designation. We seem to believe that perfection is the minimum standard for anyone who runs for office and serves the nation. If someone is less than perfect we find a way to make them fit our notion of what a hero is, or if they are of the other party, we make them the villain for being such a cad and moral misfit. While it may seem that we are in the worst of times, it is just as possible that we have been through worse and not heard about it.
When we are perfect, we have no need of God. It is when we realize that we are in need of an external moral compass; that we are in need of forgiveness and redemption that we can turn to God for healing and salvation. It is only by seeing ourselves, individually and collectively, as flawed and faltering that we can set aside our need for perfect leaders, even if we have to redefine what perfection is. As less than perfect people we can turn to God for all that God has to offer.
December 4, 2017
LCM lcrsmanifold@att.net
http://psalmmeditations.blogspot.com/
Monday, November 27, 2017
Psalm Meditation 911
First Sunday of Advent
December 3, 2017
Psalm 123
1 To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
2 As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, until he has mercy upon us.
3 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt.
4 Our soul has had more than its fill of the scorn of those who are at ease, of the contempt of the proud.
(NRSV)
The image that comes to mind is of someone desperate to be included in a group of ‘cool kids’ in school. We willingly do things to humiliate ourselves because we were asked or told to do this thing. We may feel as if we have been included even as friends see that we are being treated as a court jester or a well trained pet. Because we are so desperate to be a part of the group we don’t notice that we are being treated more as a possession than as an equal in the group.
When we see that we are being treated badly we long for release from the contempt we have been experiencing and a return to the group of which we were a genuine part. For the psalmist this means turning to God for release from oppression and contempt. The situation is likely more involved and just as traumatic as the above treatment by the ‘cool kids.’ God does not pluck us out of trouble and set us back on the firm footing of a different group. God gives us the courage and wherewithal to see what we have become and to take the steps to leave one group in order to move into a group that includes us as an equal.
Having turned to God with the realization that the priorities of the world are not finally fulfilling we engage in building relationships with those we value and who value us in return. These new relationships, based in mutual love and respect, show us that much of what gives meaning to our lives cannot be held in our hands or stored in boxes. In the realm of God we are able to see others as unique children of God without considering social status or economic standing. As people of God we are able to give and receive the gifts each of us has to offer.
November 27, 2017
LCM
First Sunday of Advent
December 3, 2017
Psalm 123
1 To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
2 As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, until he has mercy upon us.
3 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt.
4 Our soul has had more than its fill of the scorn of those who are at ease, of the contempt of the proud.
(NRSV)
The image that comes to mind is of someone desperate to be included in a group of ‘cool kids’ in school. We willingly do things to humiliate ourselves because we were asked or told to do this thing. We may feel as if we have been included even as friends see that we are being treated as a court jester or a well trained pet. Because we are so desperate to be a part of the group we don’t notice that we are being treated more as a possession than as an equal in the group.
When we see that we are being treated badly we long for release from the contempt we have been experiencing and a return to the group of which we were a genuine part. For the psalmist this means turning to God for release from oppression and contempt. The situation is likely more involved and just as traumatic as the above treatment by the ‘cool kids.’ God does not pluck us out of trouble and set us back on the firm footing of a different group. God gives us the courage and wherewithal to see what we have become and to take the steps to leave one group in order to move into a group that includes us as an equal.
Having turned to God with the realization that the priorities of the world are not finally fulfilling we engage in building relationships with those we value and who value us in return. These new relationships, based in mutual love and respect, show us that much of what gives meaning to our lives cannot be held in our hands or stored in boxes. In the realm of God we are able to see others as unique children of God without considering social status or economic standing. As people of God we are able to give and receive the gifts each of us has to offer.
November 27, 2017
LCM
Monday, November 20, 2017
Psalm Meditation 910
Reign of Christ
November 26, 2017
Psalm 28
1 To you, O LORD, I call; my rock, do not refuse to hear me, for if you are silent to me, I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.
2 Hear the voice of my supplication, as I cry to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary.
3 Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who are workers of evil, who speak peace with their neighbors, while mischief is in their hearts.
4 Repay them according to their work, and according to the evil of their deeds; repay them according to the work of their hands; render them their due reward.
5 Because they do not regard the works of the LORD, or the work of his hands, he will break them down and build them up no more.
6 Blessed be the LORD, for he has heard the sound of my pleadings.
7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts; so I am helped, and my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.
8 The LORD is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed.
9 O save your people, and bless your heritage; be their shepherd, and carry them forever.
(NRSV)
There are those who believe that God will not listen to the prayer of a sinner, until that person has first prayed a ‘sinner’s prayer’ along the lines of Psalm 51. God is not able to hear a prayer until the person has prayed this prayer as an acknowledgement of sinfulness and the inability to achieve salvation without the presence of God. In this view God does not act in favor of anyone who has not accepted the salvation God offers.
I believe with John Wesley, one of the founders of the Methodist movement, that God is seeking us out from the start, actively loving us and acting with our best interest in mind. This puts the first move into the realm of God. We will not notice or name what goes on as God in our lives until we accept the love God offers, however God is actively working in our lives and responding to our heartfelt wants and needs way before we notice. God acts as a parent with a newborn providing care and nurture from the beginning.
Perhaps God acts and we perceive that action as we are willing and able. The psalmist hopes for and counts on the active presence of God in the life of the nation, delivering individuals and the whole people from that which threatens body and soul. God will also punish those who do damage among the people of God whether from within or from the outside. Salvation comes from God and we acknowledge and accept it as children of God.
November 20, 2017
LCM
Reign of Christ
November 26, 2017
Psalm 28
1 To you, O LORD, I call; my rock, do not refuse to hear me, for if you are silent to me, I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.
2 Hear the voice of my supplication, as I cry to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary.
3 Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who are workers of evil, who speak peace with their neighbors, while mischief is in their hearts.
4 Repay them according to their work, and according to the evil of their deeds; repay them according to the work of their hands; render them their due reward.
5 Because they do not regard the works of the LORD, or the work of his hands, he will break them down and build them up no more.
6 Blessed be the LORD, for he has heard the sound of my pleadings.
7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts; so I am helped, and my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.
8 The LORD is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed.
9 O save your people, and bless your heritage; be their shepherd, and carry them forever.
(NRSV)
There are those who believe that God will not listen to the prayer of a sinner, until that person has first prayed a ‘sinner’s prayer’ along the lines of Psalm 51. God is not able to hear a prayer until the person has prayed this prayer as an acknowledgement of sinfulness and the inability to achieve salvation without the presence of God. In this view God does not act in favor of anyone who has not accepted the salvation God offers.
I believe with John Wesley, one of the founders of the Methodist movement, that God is seeking us out from the start, actively loving us and acting with our best interest in mind. This puts the first move into the realm of God. We will not notice or name what goes on as God in our lives until we accept the love God offers, however God is actively working in our lives and responding to our heartfelt wants and needs way before we notice. God acts as a parent with a newborn providing care and nurture from the beginning.
Perhaps God acts and we perceive that action as we are willing and able. The psalmist hopes for and counts on the active presence of God in the life of the nation, delivering individuals and the whole people from that which threatens body and soul. God will also punish those who do damage among the people of God whether from within or from the outside. Salvation comes from God and we acknowledge and accept it as children of God.
November 20, 2017
LCM
Monday, November 13, 2017
Psalm Meditation 909
Proper 28
November 19, 2017
Psalm 25
1 To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, in you I trust; do not let me be put to shame; do not let my enemies exult over me.
3 Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame; let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
4 Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.
6 Be mindful of your mercy, O LORD, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for your goodness’ sake, O LORD!
8 Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9 He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.
10 All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
11 For your name’s sake, O LORD, pardon my guilt, for it is great.
12 Who are they that fear the LORD? He will teach them the way that they should choose.
13 They will abide in prosperity, and their children shall possess the land.
14 The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes his covenant known to them.
15 My eyes are ever toward the LORD, for he will pluck my feet out of the net.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles of my heart, and bring me out of my distress.
18 Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.
19 Consider how many are my foes, and with what violent hatred they hate me.
20 O guard my life, and deliver me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
21 May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.
22 Redeem Israel, O God, out of all its troubles.
(NRSV)
Sometimes we get convinced that to be a person of God means never having to suffer, never having to be troubled, and never having to go through anything unpleasant. The psalmist reminds us that those who believe those things are not quite on the mark. We think it would be nice if we never had to suffer any pain, torment, or treachery. But would it? It is interesting to consider what our lives would be without the pain and suffering we go through. It would mean we never loved anyone or anything enough to sacrifice for them. It would mean we never cared about anyone enough to feel their pain and anguish. It would mean never making mistakes to learn and grow from, sometimes more than once. Being human is painful.
The psalmist also reminds us that in all of our suffering God is with us. We feel pain, sorrow, and sadness but not alone. We feel lonely and cut off from everything and everybody, however God is with us. At some point we find the wherewithal to face the rest of the world and we find the presence of God all around us and within us. It is God’s presence that has made it possible for us to get as far as we have gotten. We feel as if we have been plucked up out of the situation though it has been a longer, slower process than we see at the moment.
God does not keep us from pain and suffering so much as God redeems our pain and suffering. At some point we find strength, courage, and resolve to move forward because we have experienced pain. Much as we think it would be nice to live lives of lollipops, rainbows, and unicorns, most of us don’t learn things that way and we certainly don’t grow that way. We go through pain and suffering, and we go through it in the presence of God.
November 13, 2017
LCM
Proper 28
November 19, 2017
Psalm 25
1 To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, in you I trust; do not let me be put to shame; do not let my enemies exult over me.
3 Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame; let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
4 Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.
6 Be mindful of your mercy, O LORD, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for your goodness’ sake, O LORD!
8 Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9 He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.
10 All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
11 For your name’s sake, O LORD, pardon my guilt, for it is great.
12 Who are they that fear the LORD? He will teach them the way that they should choose.
13 They will abide in prosperity, and their children shall possess the land.
14 The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes his covenant known to them.
15 My eyes are ever toward the LORD, for he will pluck my feet out of the net.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles of my heart, and bring me out of my distress.
18 Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.
19 Consider how many are my foes, and with what violent hatred they hate me.
20 O guard my life, and deliver me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
21 May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.
22 Redeem Israel, O God, out of all its troubles.
(NRSV)
Sometimes we get convinced that to be a person of God means never having to suffer, never having to be troubled, and never having to go through anything unpleasant. The psalmist reminds us that those who believe those things are not quite on the mark. We think it would be nice if we never had to suffer any pain, torment, or treachery. But would it? It is interesting to consider what our lives would be without the pain and suffering we go through. It would mean we never loved anyone or anything enough to sacrifice for them. It would mean we never cared about anyone enough to feel their pain and anguish. It would mean never making mistakes to learn and grow from, sometimes more than once. Being human is painful.
The psalmist also reminds us that in all of our suffering God is with us. We feel pain, sorrow, and sadness but not alone. We feel lonely and cut off from everything and everybody, however God is with us. At some point we find the wherewithal to face the rest of the world and we find the presence of God all around us and within us. It is God’s presence that has made it possible for us to get as far as we have gotten. We feel as if we have been plucked up out of the situation though it has been a longer, slower process than we see at the moment.
God does not keep us from pain and suffering so much as God redeems our pain and suffering. At some point we find strength, courage, and resolve to move forward because we have experienced pain. Much as we think it would be nice to live lives of lollipops, rainbows, and unicorns, most of us don’t learn things that way and we certainly don’t grow that way. We go through pain and suffering, and we go through it in the presence of God.
November 13, 2017
LCM
Monday, November 6, 2017
Psalm Meditation 908
Proper 27
November12, 2017
Psalm 126
1 When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.”
3 The LORD has done great things for us, and we rejoiced.
4 Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like the watercourses in the Negeb.
5 May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy.
6 Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.
(NRSV)
There is something sad about a creek bed that has nothing but a small stream in it when it obviously has been wider and deeper in the recent past. The lack of water signals that something has changed for the worse in the area. In some cases the presence or lack of water is seasonal, in others it is a sign of a more lasting change. The Negeb is a desert area whose pools and streams get filled and connected during heavy rains. What is usually dry fills with water, to the relief of the people, plants, and animals who depend on the water that is available.
The nation may be coming out of a time of oppression of some kind. The psalmist asks that God restore the fortunes of the nation in the way the desert is restored by water. It may be a brief respite from the dry conditions, however it is sufficient to sustain life until the next time. Though they were conquered and oppressed as they planted seeds to feed their oppressors, they are now free and they harvest their crop for their own sustenance and enjoyment. What was a dry time has turned to a time of abundance.
When we go through dry and dusty times we feel as if they will last forever. Some last longer than others and some people and areas have deeper reserves to weather those times. The psalmist calls us to rejoice when those times of abundance return because they remind us that God is the one who brings us abundance in the world and in our lives.
November 6, 2017
LCM
Proper 27
November12, 2017
Psalm 126
1 When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.”
3 The LORD has done great things for us, and we rejoiced.
4 Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like the watercourses in the Negeb.
5 May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy.
6 Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.
(NRSV)
There is something sad about a creek bed that has nothing but a small stream in it when it obviously has been wider and deeper in the recent past. The lack of water signals that something has changed for the worse in the area. In some cases the presence or lack of water is seasonal, in others it is a sign of a more lasting change. The Negeb is a desert area whose pools and streams get filled and connected during heavy rains. What is usually dry fills with water, to the relief of the people, plants, and animals who depend on the water that is available.
The nation may be coming out of a time of oppression of some kind. The psalmist asks that God restore the fortunes of the nation in the way the desert is restored by water. It may be a brief respite from the dry conditions, however it is sufficient to sustain life until the next time. Though they were conquered and oppressed as they planted seeds to feed their oppressors, they are now free and they harvest their crop for their own sustenance and enjoyment. What was a dry time has turned to a time of abundance.
When we go through dry and dusty times we feel as if they will last forever. Some last longer than others and some people and areas have deeper reserves to weather those times. The psalmist calls us to rejoice when those times of abundance return because they remind us that God is the one who brings us abundance in the world and in our lives.
November 6, 2017
LCM
Monday, October 30, 2017
Psalm Meditation 907
All Saints Sunday
November 5, 2017
Psalm 75
1 We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks; your name is near. People tell of your wondrous deeds.
2 At the set time that I appoint I will judge with equity.
3 When the earth totters, with all its inhabitants, it is I who keep its pillars steady. Selah
4 I say to the boastful, “Do not boast,” and to the wicked, “Do not lift up your horn;
5 do not lift up your horn on high, or speak with insolent neck.”
6 For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up;
7 but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another.
8 For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed; he will pour a draught from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs.
9 But I will rejoice forever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
10 All the horns of the wicked I will cut off, but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.
(NRSV)
As we participate in arguments based in religious doctrine and practice we are quick to judge those with whom we disagree. People on every side are willing to cast insults at those in opposing camps. We may be accurate in our assessments without them being helpful. We have drawn our battle lines, formed our alliances, and gathered our arsenals of weapons and ammunition to volley back and forth among ourselves. We have demonized and dehumanized our opponents and enemies to make it easier to do battle against ’them.’
Through it all we each know that God is on the side of right and goodness and justice; you know, ‘my side.’ I have watched myself go ballistic on people at the first hint of a long standing disagreement, even if the fireworks are only internal. I shut out their arguments without even hearing them anymore, just as I assume they do to me. “God and I are right and the rest of you are wrong. You will stand in the presence of God to drink the foaming/poison wine while I stand by and watch.” If only we could be so sure.
Our history proves that all sides have faults and flaws in argument and practice. We hate some people with a stunning self-righteousness and exploit others with amazing condescension. Likely as not we each hold a piece of the truth. Once the flame dies down to ash we will discover that the flame has refined a nugget of truth from our respective arguments. We will also find that God has a word of judgment for those on every side. Each of us will be required to stand before God to drink the foaming wine in order to kill off that which is belligerent and evil within us. We will continue to burn hot with controversy on every side as God watches over this human family with a mix of pride and sadness.
October 30, 2017
LCM
All Saints Sunday
November 5, 2017
Psalm 75
1 We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks; your name is near. People tell of your wondrous deeds.
2 At the set time that I appoint I will judge with equity.
3 When the earth totters, with all its inhabitants, it is I who keep its pillars steady. Selah
4 I say to the boastful, “Do not boast,” and to the wicked, “Do not lift up your horn;
5 do not lift up your horn on high, or speak with insolent neck.”
6 For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up;
7 but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another.
8 For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed; he will pour a draught from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs.
9 But I will rejoice forever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
10 All the horns of the wicked I will cut off, but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.
(NRSV)
As we participate in arguments based in religious doctrine and practice we are quick to judge those with whom we disagree. People on every side are willing to cast insults at those in opposing camps. We may be accurate in our assessments without them being helpful. We have drawn our battle lines, formed our alliances, and gathered our arsenals of weapons and ammunition to volley back and forth among ourselves. We have demonized and dehumanized our opponents and enemies to make it easier to do battle against ’them.’
Through it all we each know that God is on the side of right and goodness and justice; you know, ‘my side.’ I have watched myself go ballistic on people at the first hint of a long standing disagreement, even if the fireworks are only internal. I shut out their arguments without even hearing them anymore, just as I assume they do to me. “God and I are right and the rest of you are wrong. You will stand in the presence of God to drink the foaming/poison wine while I stand by and watch.” If only we could be so sure.
Our history proves that all sides have faults and flaws in argument and practice. We hate some people with a stunning self-righteousness and exploit others with amazing condescension. Likely as not we each hold a piece of the truth. Once the flame dies down to ash we will discover that the flame has refined a nugget of truth from our respective arguments. We will also find that God has a word of judgment for those on every side. Each of us will be required to stand before God to drink the foaming wine in order to kill off that which is belligerent and evil within us. We will continue to burn hot with controversy on every side as God watches over this human family with a mix of pride and sadness.
October 30, 2017
LCM
Monday, October 23, 2017
Psalm Meditation 906
Proper 25
October 29, 2017
Psalm 76
1 In Judah God is known, his name is great in Israel.
2 His abode has been established in Salem, his dwelling place in Zion.
3 There he broke the flashing arrows, the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war. Selah
4 Glorious are you, more majestic than the everlasting mountains.
5 The stouthearted were stripped of their spoil; they sank into sleep; none of the troops was able to lift a hand.
6 At your rebuke, O God of Jacob, both rider and horse lay stunned.
7 But you indeed are awesome! Who can stand before you when once your anger is roused?
8 From the heavens you uttered judgment; the earth feared and was still
9 when God rose up to establish judgment, to save all the oppressed of the earth. Selah
10 Human wrath serves only to praise you, when you bind the last bit of your wrath around you.
11 Make vows to the LORD your God, and perform them; let all who are around him bring gifts to the one who is awesome,
12 who cuts off the spirit of princes, who inspires fear in the kings of the earth.
(NRSV)
These days just about everything is awesome. The current wisdom is that if everything is awesome then, in reality, nothing is. It isn’t really that easy. To say that something is awesome does not make it so. It may be cool/groovy/gnarly/neato but that does not mean that it inspires awe, takes our breath away, and leads us to a life altering sense of wonder. It is more likely that we overuse the word and by doing so have robbed it of some of the depth of meaning that the psalmist had in mind when declaring God to be awesome.
While we may overuse the word there are still times, events and beings who inspire us in memorable ways. The phrase I learned in seminary is, mysterium tremendum—being in the presence of something/someone holy. While in the presence of holiness we are both drawn by a sense of wonder and repelled by a sense of fear, so all we can do is stand and tremble. This mysterium tremendum is what the psalmist means when calling God awesome.
All manner of things will be declared awesome until a different word gets called into service. Awesome will also continue to describe the experiences that take our breath away and fill us with heart pounding excitement. God will be awesome, cool, neato, as one who meets us in our daily lives. God will also be awesome as the one who touches us to the depths of our souls when we encounter the God of history, of Abraham, Isaac, and Jesus.
October 23, 2017
LCM
Proper 25
October 29, 2017
Psalm 76
1 In Judah God is known, his name is great in Israel.
2 His abode has been established in Salem, his dwelling place in Zion.
3 There he broke the flashing arrows, the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war. Selah
4 Glorious are you, more majestic than the everlasting mountains.
5 The stouthearted were stripped of their spoil; they sank into sleep; none of the troops was able to lift a hand.
6 At your rebuke, O God of Jacob, both rider and horse lay stunned.
7 But you indeed are awesome! Who can stand before you when once your anger is roused?
8 From the heavens you uttered judgment; the earth feared and was still
9 when God rose up to establish judgment, to save all the oppressed of the earth. Selah
10 Human wrath serves only to praise you, when you bind the last bit of your wrath around you.
11 Make vows to the LORD your God, and perform them; let all who are around him bring gifts to the one who is awesome,
12 who cuts off the spirit of princes, who inspires fear in the kings of the earth.
(NRSV)
These days just about everything is awesome. The current wisdom is that if everything is awesome then, in reality, nothing is. It isn’t really that easy. To say that something is awesome does not make it so. It may be cool/groovy/gnarly/neato but that does not mean that it inspires awe, takes our breath away, and leads us to a life altering sense of wonder. It is more likely that we overuse the word and by doing so have robbed it of some of the depth of meaning that the psalmist had in mind when declaring God to be awesome.
While we may overuse the word there are still times, events and beings who inspire us in memorable ways. The phrase I learned in seminary is, mysterium tremendum—being in the presence of something/someone holy. While in the presence of holiness we are both drawn by a sense of wonder and repelled by a sense of fear, so all we can do is stand and tremble. This mysterium tremendum is what the psalmist means when calling God awesome.
All manner of things will be declared awesome until a different word gets called into service. Awesome will also continue to describe the experiences that take our breath away and fill us with heart pounding excitement. God will be awesome, cool, neato, as one who meets us in our daily lives. God will also be awesome as the one who touches us to the depths of our souls when we encounter the God of history, of Abraham, Isaac, and Jesus.
October 23, 2017
LCM
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
Psalm Meditation 905
Proper 24
October 22, 2017
Psalm 125
1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the Lord surrounds his people,
from this time on and forevermore.
3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
on the land allotted to the righteous,
so that the righteous might not stretch out
their hands to do wrong.
4 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
and to those who are upright in their hearts.
5 But those who turn aside to their own crooked ways the Lord will lead away with evildoers.
Peace be upon Israel!
There are things we know are wrong and we do them anyway. There are things that seem right as we do them and they turn out wrong somewhere along the line. There are things that are right and we do that right thing. Sometimes the wrong things are a momentary lapse in judgment and sometimes they are strokes of mean-spiritedness that we choose for some reason. The psalmist believes that evil is caused by a spirit/demon wielding power over us. I believe that we have been given freewill to choose good or evil and sometimes we make evil, painful choices.
Once we dwell in the presence of God we find ourselves less willing to make the evil choice and more compelled to make the evil choice right when we discover the damage done to any other precious child of God. Sometimes we miss the damage and sometimes we live with a mistaken definition of who are precious in God’s sight and who are not.
The definition of who God surrounds like the mountains of Jerusalem is tricky. We have a tendency to believe that God and we agree on who is held dear in God’s protective, loving arms. I can only hope that we are much too narrow in our scope and that God is much more broad than we can imagine or grasp. “Peace be upon Israel!”
LCM
October 17, 2017
Proper 24
October 22, 2017
Psalm 125
1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the Lord surrounds his people,
from this time on and forevermore.
3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
on the land allotted to the righteous,
so that the righteous might not stretch out
their hands to do wrong.
4 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
and to those who are upright in their hearts.
5 But those who turn aside to their own crooked ways the Lord will lead away with evildoers.
Peace be upon Israel!
There are things we know are wrong and we do them anyway. There are things that seem right as we do them and they turn out wrong somewhere along the line. There are things that are right and we do that right thing. Sometimes the wrong things are a momentary lapse in judgment and sometimes they are strokes of mean-spiritedness that we choose for some reason. The psalmist believes that evil is caused by a spirit/demon wielding power over us. I believe that we have been given freewill to choose good or evil and sometimes we make evil, painful choices.
Once we dwell in the presence of God we find ourselves less willing to make the evil choice and more compelled to make the evil choice right when we discover the damage done to any other precious child of God. Sometimes we miss the damage and sometimes we live with a mistaken definition of who are precious in God’s sight and who are not.
The definition of who God surrounds like the mountains of Jerusalem is tricky. We have a tendency to believe that God and we agree on who is held dear in God’s protective, loving arms. I can only hope that we are much too narrow in our scope and that God is much more broad than we can imagine or grasp. “Peace be upon Israel!”
LCM
October 17, 2017
Monday, October 9, 2017
Psalm Meditation 904
Proper 23
October 15, 2017
Psalm 26
1 Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.
2 Prove me, O LORD, and try me; test my heart and mind.
3 For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in faithfulness to you.
4 I do not sit with the worthless, nor do I consort with hypocrites;
5 I hate the company of evildoers, and will not sit with the wicked.
6 I wash my hands in innocence, and go around your altar, O LORD,
7 singing aloud a song of thanksgiving, and telling all your wondrous deeds.
8 O LORD, I love the house in which you dwell, and the place where your glory abides.
9 Do not sweep me away with sinners, nor my life with the bloodthirsty,
10 those in whose hands are evil devices, and whose right hands are full of bribes.
11 But as for me, I walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me.
12 My foot stands on level ground; in the great congregation I will bless the LORD.
(NRSV)
One of the curses and blessings of the written word is that we cannot hear the attitude of the writer. It is a curse because as we provide our own inflection and tone of voice we may misread completely the intent of the original writer. I can read this psalm as a whiny complaint by one who is annoyed at the way life is going in this moment. I can read it as a brag by one who feels as if a privileged status is being threatened. I can read this as a petition to God for help and presence in the face of a disconcerting situation.
It is a blessing because we are able to provide our own inflection and tone of voice. If I am dealing with one of the situations above I can read this psalm in that voice and have it speak to me in some way. If I have a different set of concerns, and can hear this psalm in a voice that allows this psalm to speak to me and for me, I have the gift of this psalm available to me in my current state of heart and mind.
We get to bring ourselves into the reading whether that reflects the intent of the psalmist or not. It seems that the Bible is a mirror; it reflects the person who looks into it at a given day and time. A psalm that has been mere words in the past may be the one that touches a deep place in heart or mind at this reading. A psalm that has been deeply meaningful may not be as moving this time. Without the notes and annotations to let us into the mind of the original psalmist/writer, we cannot know the meaning and purpose of the psalm. We get to co-create with the author the meaning of any given psalm in the moment it is read and heard for the glory of God.
, 2017
LCM
Proper 23
October 15, 2017
Psalm 26
1 Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.
2 Prove me, O LORD, and try me; test my heart and mind.
3 For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in faithfulness to you.
4 I do not sit with the worthless, nor do I consort with hypocrites;
5 I hate the company of evildoers, and will not sit with the wicked.
6 I wash my hands in innocence, and go around your altar, O LORD,
7 singing aloud a song of thanksgiving, and telling all your wondrous deeds.
8 O LORD, I love the house in which you dwell, and the place where your glory abides.
9 Do not sweep me away with sinners, nor my life with the bloodthirsty,
10 those in whose hands are evil devices, and whose right hands are full of bribes.
11 But as for me, I walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me.
12 My foot stands on level ground; in the great congregation I will bless the LORD.
(NRSV)
One of the curses and blessings of the written word is that we cannot hear the attitude of the writer. It is a curse because as we provide our own inflection and tone of voice we may misread completely the intent of the original writer. I can read this psalm as a whiny complaint by one who is annoyed at the way life is going in this moment. I can read it as a brag by one who feels as if a privileged status is being threatened. I can read this as a petition to God for help and presence in the face of a disconcerting situation.
It is a blessing because we are able to provide our own inflection and tone of voice. If I am dealing with one of the situations above I can read this psalm in that voice and have it speak to me in some way. If I have a different set of concerns, and can hear this psalm in a voice that allows this psalm to speak to me and for me, I have the gift of this psalm available to me in my current state of heart and mind.
We get to bring ourselves into the reading whether that reflects the intent of the psalmist or not. It seems that the Bible is a mirror; it reflects the person who looks into it at a given day and time. A psalm that has been mere words in the past may be the one that touches a deep place in heart or mind at this reading. A psalm that has been deeply meaningful may not be as moving this time. Without the notes and annotations to let us into the mind of the original psalmist/writer, we cannot know the meaning and purpose of the psalm. We get to co-create with the author the meaning of any given psalm in the moment it is read and heard for the glory of God.
, 2017
LCM
Monday, October 2, 2017
Psalm Meditation 903
Proper 22
October 8, 2017
Psalm 27
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh—my adversaries and foes—they shall stumble and fall.
3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.
4 One thing I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.
5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.
6 Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the LORD.
7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me!
8 “Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!” Your face, LORD, do I seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger, you who have been my help. Do not cast me off, do not forsake me, O God of my salvation!
10 If my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will take me up.
11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.
12 Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me, and they are breathing out violence.
13 I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!
(NRSV)
Children have an interesting way of getting and staying close to the people they find interesting. They fasten themselves to that person and study and copy their actions and mannerisms. They want to spend as much time as possible with the person who intrigues them. They want to act as much like the person as they possibly can. (It turns to stalking when the power dynamic shifts to the one doing the copying.) The psalmist wants to get close enough to see and follow the ways God acts.
When we copy another’s mannerisms for long enough they become our mannerisms. When we copy the way another behaves often enough it becomes the way we behave. When we copy the words and phrases of another they become our words and phrases. In some cases the change is slow and subtle and in others it is a quicker transformation. Whether intentional or accidental, slow or fast, we do become what we imitate. The psalmist chooses to imitate God and to walk on the level path.
We have so many choices for how to behave and what to say and do. More than one of those ways is called the way of God. While I believe there are multiple routes to God due to our various starting points, I am convinced that not everyone who claims to know the way to God can lead us to the God of the Bible. God continues to seek after us, as a mother and father seek us out to take us into their arms of love.
October 2, 2017
LCM
Proper 22
October 8, 2017
Psalm 27
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh—my adversaries and foes—they shall stumble and fall.
3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.
4 One thing I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.
5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.
6 Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the LORD.
7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me!
8 “Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!” Your face, LORD, do I seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger, you who have been my help. Do not cast me off, do not forsake me, O God of my salvation!
10 If my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will take me up.
11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.
12 Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me, and they are breathing out violence.
13 I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!
(NRSV)
Children have an interesting way of getting and staying close to the people they find interesting. They fasten themselves to that person and study and copy their actions and mannerisms. They want to spend as much time as possible with the person who intrigues them. They want to act as much like the person as they possibly can. (It turns to stalking when the power dynamic shifts to the one doing the copying.) The psalmist wants to get close enough to see and follow the ways God acts.
When we copy another’s mannerisms for long enough they become our mannerisms. When we copy the way another behaves often enough it becomes the way we behave. When we copy the words and phrases of another they become our words and phrases. In some cases the change is slow and subtle and in others it is a quicker transformation. Whether intentional or accidental, slow or fast, we do become what we imitate. The psalmist chooses to imitate God and to walk on the level path.
We have so many choices for how to behave and what to say and do. More than one of those ways is called the way of God. While I believe there are multiple routes to God due to our various starting points, I am convinced that not everyone who claims to know the way to God can lead us to the God of the Bible. God continues to seek after us, as a mother and father seek us out to take us into their arms of love.
October 2, 2017
LCM
Monday, September 25, 2017
Psalm Meditation 902
Proper 21
October 1, 2017
Psalm 124
1 If it had not been the LORD who was on our side —let Israel now say—
2 if it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when our enemies attacked us,
3 then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us;
4 then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us;
5 then over us would have gone the raging waters.
6 Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as prey to their teeth.
7 We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
(NRSV)
There seems to be something about human nature that enjoys, relishes, even needs an enemy. It may be another person or group of people, it may be an event like a fire or flood. Whatever it may be it serves to rally us into a unit for action against this ‘other’ who would get the better of us in some form or another. When life is going smoothly we as a group tend to drift apart into our own ways of thinking and behaving. At that point there is usually someone who will come in and stir the pot, call us to arms and get us moving in the same direction, the ‘right’ direction once again.
The word heresy concerns thoughts that go against the agreed upon thinking of the larger group. When we are not in conflict with others it is possible for the thinking of the group to broaden, expanding the definition of what is acceptable within the group. Sometimes this expansion continues to the point of dissipation. In other cases there is a conflict between those who raise a new form of orthodoxy and those who take a hard line on one view in particular. In this second case we make a new enemy of those within our broad family of thought. We may take it out on each other and we may direct our ire to a group outside our body that we believe has caused our previous cohorts to fall away.
The wonderful thing is that we are each and all children of God. We have expanded our thinking, we have narrowed our thinking. We have included a broader range of people into our circle, we have excluded those who were once part of the circle. We have called each other terrible names because of our disagreement, we have called each other terrible names because of our disagreement. (yes, we do that on both sides) Through it all, we are children of God. I imagine that God is deeply saddened by our competitive divisiveness. “Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as prey to their teeth. We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.”
September 25, 2017
LCM
Proper 21
October 1, 2017
Psalm 124
1 If it had not been the LORD who was on our side —let Israel now say—
2 if it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when our enemies attacked us,
3 then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us;
4 then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us;
5 then over us would have gone the raging waters.
6 Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as prey to their teeth.
7 We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
(NRSV)
There seems to be something about human nature that enjoys, relishes, even needs an enemy. It may be another person or group of people, it may be an event like a fire or flood. Whatever it may be it serves to rally us into a unit for action against this ‘other’ who would get the better of us in some form or another. When life is going smoothly we as a group tend to drift apart into our own ways of thinking and behaving. At that point there is usually someone who will come in and stir the pot, call us to arms and get us moving in the same direction, the ‘right’ direction once again.
The word heresy concerns thoughts that go against the agreed upon thinking of the larger group. When we are not in conflict with others it is possible for the thinking of the group to broaden, expanding the definition of what is acceptable within the group. Sometimes this expansion continues to the point of dissipation. In other cases there is a conflict between those who raise a new form of orthodoxy and those who take a hard line on one view in particular. In this second case we make a new enemy of those within our broad family of thought. We may take it out on each other and we may direct our ire to a group outside our body that we believe has caused our previous cohorts to fall away.
The wonderful thing is that we are each and all children of God. We have expanded our thinking, we have narrowed our thinking. We have included a broader range of people into our circle, we have excluded those who were once part of the circle. We have called each other terrible names because of our disagreement, we have called each other terrible names because of our disagreement. (yes, we do that on both sides) Through it all, we are children of God. I imagine that God is deeply saddened by our competitive divisiveness. “Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as prey to their teeth. We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.”
September 25, 2017
LCM
Monday, September 18, 2017
Psalm Meditation 901
Proper 20
September 24, 2017
Psalm 77
1 I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, that he may hear me.
2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted.
3 I think of God, and I moan; I meditate, and my spirit faints. Selah
4 You keep my eyelids from closing; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5 I consider the days of old, and remember the years of long ago.
6 I commune with my heart in the night; I meditate and search my spirit:
7 “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable?
8 Has his steadfast love ceased forever? Are his promises at an end for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah
10 And I say, “It is my grief that the right hand of the Most High has changed.”
11 I will call to mind the deeds of the LORD; I will remember your wonders of old.
12 I will meditate on all your work, and muse on your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy. What god is so great as our God?
14 You are the God who works wonders; you have displayed your might among the peoples.
15 With your strong arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
16 When the waters saw you, O God, when the waters saw you, they were afraid; the very deep trembled.
17 The clouds poured out water; the skies thundered; your arrows flashed on every side.
18 The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind; your lightnings lit up the world; the earth trembled and shook.
19 Your way was through the sea, your path, through the mighty waters; yet your footprints were unseen.
20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
(NRSV)
Sometimes we feel abandoned and forsaken, believing that we are the only ones who have ever felt so separated from God. And at night it seems to get worse. In the darkness hope seems to dissipate and even disappear leaving us with the worst of our feelings and options. We may cry out to God even though we know that we are out of even God’s range of hearing. The oppressive weight of negativity presses down on us and we wonder if we will ever be able to feel anything but terrible.
Somehow, sleep comes, if only for a moment. In that moment we find a different perspective, a different focus for our nighttime musings. We begin to focus on what God has done in the past. God has provided and offered redemption to people who have wandered away in search of greener pastures, easier paths, better results for lower investment. If God will choose to be with people who have made those kinds of choices, God will certainly be with us who have found ourselves in difficult, painful circumstances not entirely of our own making.
Yep, life has rough patches. And while we may get the feeling that we have been abandoned during those times, it is not the case. God is with us, waiting for us to be open to the gifts God offers to us, including the gift of presence. God sits with us, quietly accompanying us through every rough patch, through every smooth patch, through every exciting and frightening patch. God is with us, simple and complex as that.
September 18, 2017
LCM
Proper 20
September 24, 2017
Psalm 77
1 I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, that he may hear me.
2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted.
3 I think of God, and I moan; I meditate, and my spirit faints. Selah
4 You keep my eyelids from closing; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5 I consider the days of old, and remember the years of long ago.
6 I commune with my heart in the night; I meditate and search my spirit:
7 “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable?
8 Has his steadfast love ceased forever? Are his promises at an end for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah
10 And I say, “It is my grief that the right hand of the Most High has changed.”
11 I will call to mind the deeds of the LORD; I will remember your wonders of old.
12 I will meditate on all your work, and muse on your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy. What god is so great as our God?
14 You are the God who works wonders; you have displayed your might among the peoples.
15 With your strong arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
16 When the waters saw you, O God, when the waters saw you, they were afraid; the very deep trembled.
17 The clouds poured out water; the skies thundered; your arrows flashed on every side.
18 The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind; your lightnings lit up the world; the earth trembled and shook.
19 Your way was through the sea, your path, through the mighty waters; yet your footprints were unseen.
20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
(NRSV)
Sometimes we feel abandoned and forsaken, believing that we are the only ones who have ever felt so separated from God. And at night it seems to get worse. In the darkness hope seems to dissipate and even disappear leaving us with the worst of our feelings and options. We may cry out to God even though we know that we are out of even God’s range of hearing. The oppressive weight of negativity presses down on us and we wonder if we will ever be able to feel anything but terrible.
Somehow, sleep comes, if only for a moment. In that moment we find a different perspective, a different focus for our nighttime musings. We begin to focus on what God has done in the past. God has provided and offered redemption to people who have wandered away in search of greener pastures, easier paths, better results for lower investment. If God will choose to be with people who have made those kinds of choices, God will certainly be with us who have found ourselves in difficult, painful circumstances not entirely of our own making.
Yep, life has rough patches. And while we may get the feeling that we have been abandoned during those times, it is not the case. God is with us, waiting for us to be open to the gifts God offers to us, including the gift of presence. God sits with us, quietly accompanying us through every rough patch, through every smooth patch, through every exciting and frightening patch. God is with us, simple and complex as that.
September 18, 2017
LCM
Monday, September 11, 2017
Psalm Meditation 900
Proper 19
September 17, 2017
Psalm 74
1 O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?
2 Remember your congregation, which you acquired long ago, which you redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage. Remember Mount Zion, where you came to dwell.
3 Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins; the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary.
4 Your foes have roared within your holy place; they set up their emblems there.
5 At the upper entrance they hacked the wooden trellis with axes.
6 And then, with hatchets and hammers, they smashed all its carved work.
7 They set your sanctuary on fire; they desecrated the dwelling place of your name, bringing it to the ground.
8 They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”; they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.
9 We do not see our emblems; there is no longer any prophet, and there is no one among us who knows how long.
10 How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? Is the enemy to revile your name forever?
11 Why do you hold back your hand; why do you keep your hand in your bosom?
12 Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the earth.
13 You divided the sea by your might; you broke the heads of the dragons in the waters.
14 You crushed the heads of Leviathan; you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.
15 You cut openings for springs and torrents; you dried up ever-flowing streams.
16 Yours is the day, yours also the night; you established the luminaries and the sun.
17 You have fixed all the bounds of the earth; you made summer and winter.
18 Remember this, O LORD, how the enemy scoffs, and an impious people reviles your name.
19 Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild animals; do not forget the life of your poor forever.
20 Have regard for your covenant, for the dark places of the land are full of the haunts of violence.
21 Do not let the downtrodden be put to shame; let the poor and needy praise your name.
22 Rise up, O God, plead your cause; remember how the impious scoff at you all day long.
23 Do not forget the clamor of your foes, the uproar of your adversaries that goes up continually.
(NRSV)
When we hit certain rough patches in our lives it feels as if the initial trauma will last forever. The searing grief and pain burn holes in our hearts and lives and we are sure that we will never feel anything but this pain for the rest of our lives. In those first few days we join the psalmist in crying out, “O God, why do you cast us off forever?” Some people curl up into their grief and never return. Most of us lift our heads, open our hearts and our eyes and we see that we are not alone, we are not abandoned.
Yes, we ache for the rest of our lives. In varying shades of grief, we are dimmed but not extinguished. In some ways we are able to use our own grief in order to touch the grief of others in ways that heal each of us. From our depths we are touched by the salvation that God carries into every situation and into every encounter. We are not set free from our burden, we are salved, healed in a way that redistributes the woundedness into a new kind of wholeness.
While it feels as if we are abandoned by God and others in times of trauma and grief, that is not the case. God is with us in every time and place. God knows, as we know, that some wounds are better left untouched in the early stages. And some scars are left numb initially. As touch becomes appropriate, and as time provides renewed sensation we are able to receive the healing touch of God, and we, “the poor and needy praise your name.”
September 11, 2017
LCM
Proper 19
September 17, 2017
Psalm 74
1 O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?
2 Remember your congregation, which you acquired long ago, which you redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage. Remember Mount Zion, where you came to dwell.
3 Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins; the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary.
4 Your foes have roared within your holy place; they set up their emblems there.
5 At the upper entrance they hacked the wooden trellis with axes.
6 And then, with hatchets and hammers, they smashed all its carved work.
7 They set your sanctuary on fire; they desecrated the dwelling place of your name, bringing it to the ground.
8 They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”; they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.
9 We do not see our emblems; there is no longer any prophet, and there is no one among us who knows how long.
10 How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? Is the enemy to revile your name forever?
11 Why do you hold back your hand; why do you keep your hand in your bosom?
12 Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the earth.
13 You divided the sea by your might; you broke the heads of the dragons in the waters.
14 You crushed the heads of Leviathan; you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.
15 You cut openings for springs and torrents; you dried up ever-flowing streams.
16 Yours is the day, yours also the night; you established the luminaries and the sun.
17 You have fixed all the bounds of the earth; you made summer and winter.
18 Remember this, O LORD, how the enemy scoffs, and an impious people reviles your name.
19 Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild animals; do not forget the life of your poor forever.
20 Have regard for your covenant, for the dark places of the land are full of the haunts of violence.
21 Do not let the downtrodden be put to shame; let the poor and needy praise your name.
22 Rise up, O God, plead your cause; remember how the impious scoff at you all day long.
23 Do not forget the clamor of your foes, the uproar of your adversaries that goes up continually.
(NRSV)
When we hit certain rough patches in our lives it feels as if the initial trauma will last forever. The searing grief and pain burn holes in our hearts and lives and we are sure that we will never feel anything but this pain for the rest of our lives. In those first few days we join the psalmist in crying out, “O God, why do you cast us off forever?” Some people curl up into their grief and never return. Most of us lift our heads, open our hearts and our eyes and we see that we are not alone, we are not abandoned.
Yes, we ache for the rest of our lives. In varying shades of grief, we are dimmed but not extinguished. In some ways we are able to use our own grief in order to touch the grief of others in ways that heal each of us. From our depths we are touched by the salvation that God carries into every situation and into every encounter. We are not set free from our burden, we are salved, healed in a way that redistributes the woundedness into a new kind of wholeness.
While it feels as if we are abandoned by God and others in times of trauma and grief, that is not the case. God is with us in every time and place. God knows, as we know, that some wounds are better left untouched in the early stages. And some scars are left numb initially. As touch becomes appropriate, and as time provides renewed sensation we are able to receive the healing touch of God, and we, “the poor and needy praise your name.”
September 11, 2017
LCM
Monday, September 4, 2017
Psalm Meditation 899
Proper 18
September 10, 2017
Psalm 127
1 Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD guards the city, the guard keeps watch in vain.
2 It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives sleep to his beloved.
3 Sons are indeed a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the sons of one’s youth.
5 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them. He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
(NRSV)
When the concept of immortality is based in being remembered by children, and having a legacy passed on is about having lots of sons to carry on one’s name, lots of children is important. When child mortality is a greater possibility than having children reach adulthood, lots of children is important. When the best way to get work done in the family business is to have a lot of children, lots of children is important — and necessary.
For many families the idea is to have “one or two [or three] precious children.” to make up the family unit. It is seen as good stewardship of the resources God has given us to keep from overburdening the earth and its resources by limiting the number of children a couple brings into the world. These smaller families also trust God to “build the house,” “guard the city,” and “give “sleep to his beloved.”
There are a lot of ways to trust God. There are a lot of ways to fail to trust God. Tempting as it is to see our own ways as the only ways to live out our trust in God, it does a great disservice to those around us as well as to God to judge others by our own standards. Yes, we will disagree. Yes, we will be wrong sometimes and right others. Yes, we will find ways and make ways to justify our actions through Scripture, among others. Yes, times change, and we are not always willing to change with them, which is sometimes good, sometimes not. The important thing is to trust God to the best of our ability, whether that means standing firm or moving on.
September 4, 2017
LCM
Proper 18
September 10, 2017
Psalm 127
1 Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD guards the city, the guard keeps watch in vain.
2 It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives sleep to his beloved.
3 Sons are indeed a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the sons of one’s youth.
5 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them. He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
(NRSV)
When the concept of immortality is based in being remembered by children, and having a legacy passed on is about having lots of sons to carry on one’s name, lots of children is important. When child mortality is a greater possibility than having children reach adulthood, lots of children is important. When the best way to get work done in the family business is to have a lot of children, lots of children is important — and necessary.
For many families the idea is to have “one or two [or three] precious children.” to make up the family unit. It is seen as good stewardship of the resources God has given us to keep from overburdening the earth and its resources by limiting the number of children a couple brings into the world. These smaller families also trust God to “build the house,” “guard the city,” and “give “sleep to his beloved.”
There are a lot of ways to trust God. There are a lot of ways to fail to trust God. Tempting as it is to see our own ways as the only ways to live out our trust in God, it does a great disservice to those around us as well as to God to judge others by our own standards. Yes, we will disagree. Yes, we will be wrong sometimes and right others. Yes, we will find ways and make ways to justify our actions through Scripture, among others. Yes, times change, and we are not always willing to change with them, which is sometimes good, sometimes not. The important thing is to trust God to the best of our ability, whether that means standing firm or moving on.
September 4, 2017
LCM
Monday, August 28, 2017
Psalm Meditation 898
Proper 17
September 3, 2017
Psalm 24
1 The earth is the LORD’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it;
2 for he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers.
3 Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?
4 Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully.
5 They will receive blessing from the LORD, and vindication from the God of their salvation.
6 Such is the company of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah
7 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah
(NRSV)
When we bought a new car several years ago we were told that we were the third family in the county to purchase one of this new model vehicle. On our way home from the dealer we saw six of these cars. It is certainly possible that these other cars were from surrounding counties. However it happened our eyes were able to see something we would have missed if we had not bought that particular make and model of car.
I believe it is the same with those who are able to, “ascend the hill of the LORD” Those who are able/allowed to ascend the heights are those who are particularly tuned to the ways of God. Since we exercise no control over the giving of God’s blessings, we don’t get to decide who gets them and who does not. We can only do what we understand God wants us to do and be open to the gifts and benefits of our actions.
Those six cars of the same model we saw as we drove our home were there for all to see. Most people who drove near those other cars saw them but did not notice them as a new model. They were probably nothing more than one more car in the way of them getting to their destination. God is always there for all to see, for all to receive the gifts that God gives so freely. “Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully” are the ones who will notice the gifts being bestowed upon them.
August 28, 2017
LCM
Proper 17
September 3, 2017
Psalm 24
1 The earth is the LORD’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it;
2 for he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers.
3 Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?
4 Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully.
5 They will receive blessing from the LORD, and vindication from the God of their salvation.
6 Such is the company of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah
7 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah
(NRSV)
When we bought a new car several years ago we were told that we were the third family in the county to purchase one of this new model vehicle. On our way home from the dealer we saw six of these cars. It is certainly possible that these other cars were from surrounding counties. However it happened our eyes were able to see something we would have missed if we had not bought that particular make and model of car.
I believe it is the same with those who are able to, “ascend the hill of the LORD” Those who are able/allowed to ascend the heights are those who are particularly tuned to the ways of God. Since we exercise no control over the giving of God’s blessings, we don’t get to decide who gets them and who does not. We can only do what we understand God wants us to do and be open to the gifts and benefits of our actions.
Those six cars of the same model we saw as we drove our home were there for all to see. Most people who drove near those other cars saw them but did not notice them as a new model. They were probably nothing more than one more car in the way of them getting to their destination. God is always there for all to see, for all to receive the gifts that God gives so freely. “Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully” are the ones who will notice the gifts being bestowed upon them.
August 28, 2017
LCM
Monday, August 21, 2017
Psalm Meditation 897
Proper 16
August 27, 2017
Psalm 29
1 Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory of his name; worship the LORD in holy splendor.
3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD, over mighty waters.
4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire.
8 The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the LORD causes the oaks to whirl, and strips the forest bare; and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
10 The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.
11 May the LORD give strength to his people! May the LORD bless his people with peace!
(NRSV)
There are times in which it seems important to figure out what event inspired the psalmist to write a psalm and to write it in this particular way. Scholars want to know the context of the psalm so that it can be more easily interpreted. Yes, scholarship is important in looking to the Scriptures for both information and inspiration. Once we know the details, We can more readily figure out what each word and phrase might mean. When we get the original figured out we can ask what it might meant to us today, because of or despite the original intent.
Other times it seems good to let the psalm speak as it will to the situation in which we find ourselves. We might not be concerned about meaning and context, we simply let a verse jump out at us and give us what we need in that moment. As long as we don’t set that moment in concrete and make that verse guide the rest of our lives, we can be touched by a verse in a way that would make a scholar shudder. We can let the Bible reflect who we are in the moment.
The psalmist gives us a number of reasons to give glory to God. We can study what each of those reasons means and how they play together to paint a picture of the atmosphere in which the psalm is written. We can read the psalm as an invitation to give God glory for reasons of our own. One is not better than the other. Each way has its uses and informs and instructs us along the way.
August 21, 2017
LCM
Proper 16
August 27, 2017
Psalm 29
1 Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory of his name; worship the LORD in holy splendor.
3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD, over mighty waters.
4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire.
8 The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the LORD causes the oaks to whirl, and strips the forest bare; and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
10 The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.
11 May the LORD give strength to his people! May the LORD bless his people with peace!
(NRSV)
There are times in which it seems important to figure out what event inspired the psalmist to write a psalm and to write it in this particular way. Scholars want to know the context of the psalm so that it can be more easily interpreted. Yes, scholarship is important in looking to the Scriptures for both information and inspiration. Once we know the details, We can more readily figure out what each word and phrase might mean. When we get the original figured out we can ask what it might meant to us today, because of or despite the original intent.
Other times it seems good to let the psalm speak as it will to the situation in which we find ourselves. We might not be concerned about meaning and context, we simply let a verse jump out at us and give us what we need in that moment. As long as we don’t set that moment in concrete and make that verse guide the rest of our lives, we can be touched by a verse in a way that would make a scholar shudder. We can let the Bible reflect who we are in the moment.
The psalmist gives us a number of reasons to give glory to God. We can study what each of those reasons means and how they play together to paint a picture of the atmosphere in which the psalm is written. We can read the psalm as an invitation to give God glory for reasons of our own. One is not better than the other. Each way has its uses and informs and instructs us along the way.
August 21, 2017
LCM
Monday, August 14, 2017
Psalm Meditation 896
Proper 15
August 20, 2017
Psalm 122
1 I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD!”
2 Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem—built as a city that is bound firmly together.
4 To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
5 For there the thrones for judgment were set up, the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.
7 Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers.”
8 For the sake of my relatives and friends I will say, “Peace be within you.”
9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good.
(NRSV)
With a central place for worship, everyone was expected to make the trip to Jerusalem at least once a year. So it was a great occasion when so many people gathered into one place for the common purpose of worship. There were smaller weekly gatherings in peoples’ homes, the big deal was the annual gathering. It was exciting, it was something anticipated from the time one returned home one year until time to go again the next.
Certainly there were some for whom the annual trip was a burden and a bore, looked forward to as if it were an onerous task. I can imagine that there were some glares and stares exchanged between people of the two groups as they passed each other on the roads and in the streets. No matter the event or occasion there will be those who long for and those who dread it. Worship, birthdays, dental work just to name a few.
There are events that I dread that turn out to be redemptive experiences. There are events to which I look forward that turn out to be everything I had hoped they would be. Of course a few that are disappointing for a variety of reasons. Know this, boring or blessing, cathartic or catatonic, healing or hellish, God is in the midst of us in every event. Sometimes close, sometimes distant; God is in the midst of us.
August 14, 2017
LCM
Proper 15
August 20, 2017
Psalm 122
1 I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD!”
2 Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem.
3 Jerusalem—built as a city that is bound firmly together.
4 To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
5 For there the thrones for judgment were set up, the thrones of the house of David.
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.
7 Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers.”
8 For the sake of my relatives and friends I will say, “Peace be within you.”
9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good.
(NRSV)
With a central place for worship, everyone was expected to make the trip to Jerusalem at least once a year. So it was a great occasion when so many people gathered into one place for the common purpose of worship. There were smaller weekly gatherings in peoples’ homes, the big deal was the annual gathering. It was exciting, it was something anticipated from the time one returned home one year until time to go again the next.
Certainly there were some for whom the annual trip was a burden and a bore, looked forward to as if it were an onerous task. I can imagine that there were some glares and stares exchanged between people of the two groups as they passed each other on the roads and in the streets. No matter the event or occasion there will be those who long for and those who dread it. Worship, birthdays, dental work just to name a few.
There are events that I dread that turn out to be redemptive experiences. There are events to which I look forward that turn out to be everything I had hoped they would be. Of course a few that are disappointing for a variety of reasons. Know this, boring or blessing, cathartic or catatonic, healing or hellish, God is in the midst of us in every event. Sometimes close, sometimes distant; God is in the midst of us.
August 14, 2017
LCM
Monday, August 7, 2017
Psalm Meditation 895
Proper 14
August 13, 2017
Psalm 79
1 O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.
2 They have given the bodies of your servants to the birds of the air for food, the flesh of your faithful to the wild animals of the earth.
3 They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them.
4 We have become a taunt to our neighbors, mocked and derided by those around us.
5 How long, O LORD? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealous wrath burn like fire?
6 Pour out your anger on the nations that do not know you, and on the kingdoms that do not call on your name.
7 For they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his habitation.
8 Do not remember against us the iniquities of our ancestors; let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low.
9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and forgive our sins, for your name’s sake.
10 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants be known among the nations before our eyes.
11 Let the groans of the prisoners come before you; according to your great power preserve those doomed to die.
12 Return sevenfold into the bosom of our neighbors the taunts with which they taunted you, O Lord!
13 Then we your people, the flock of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise.
(NRSV)
The most widely held view of the presence of God in the time this psalm was written is that God rewards good deeds and punishes sinful deeds. When bad or good happens to a person or a nation, it is because of the actions of the person or group. The psalmist knows that the people of Israel have done things that deserve punishment, in this case having Jerusalem overrun by enemy armies. The psalmist tells God that the city has suffered enough from the hands of adversaries. It is time for God to inflict punishment on those who defiled the city of God in several ways. ‘Yes, we have sinned and paid the price, now punish those who punished us, because they said mean things about you, O God.’
While there will always be those who believe that God punishes sin and rewards good behavior, there is at least one other view. In this other view we are not punished for our sin, we are punished by our sin. In this view God does not give us over to others for punishment while ignoring our cries for help, at least until our punishment is fulfilled. God is with us no matter what comes our way. Holding us up, helping us stand against the adversarial forces that rise against us, perhaps even pointing out a lesson we might learn in the face of the good or bad that comes our way as a part of the choices we make.
Our view of God helps color our perception of what goes on around us. If we see God as angry we will see ourselves and others bearing the brunt of that anger. If we see God as a champion of justice we will see ourselves and others receiving our just deserts at the hand of God. If we see God as loving and merciful we will see ourselves and others benefitting from the presence of God in every situation. God will not cause things to happen but may nudge and prod us to learn something from what does happen to us and others.
August 7, 2017
LCM
Proper 14
August 13, 2017
Psalm 79
1 O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.
2 They have given the bodies of your servants to the birds of the air for food, the flesh of your faithful to the wild animals of the earth.
3 They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them.
4 We have become a taunt to our neighbors, mocked and derided by those around us.
5 How long, O LORD? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealous wrath burn like fire?
6 Pour out your anger on the nations that do not know you, and on the kingdoms that do not call on your name.
7 For they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his habitation.
8 Do not remember against us the iniquities of our ancestors; let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low.
9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and forgive our sins, for your name’s sake.
10 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants be known among the nations before our eyes.
11 Let the groans of the prisoners come before you; according to your great power preserve those doomed to die.
12 Return sevenfold into the bosom of our neighbors the taunts with which they taunted you, O Lord!
13 Then we your people, the flock of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise.
(NRSV)
The most widely held view of the presence of God in the time this psalm was written is that God rewards good deeds and punishes sinful deeds. When bad or good happens to a person or a nation, it is because of the actions of the person or group. The psalmist knows that the people of Israel have done things that deserve punishment, in this case having Jerusalem overrun by enemy armies. The psalmist tells God that the city has suffered enough from the hands of adversaries. It is time for God to inflict punishment on those who defiled the city of God in several ways. ‘Yes, we have sinned and paid the price, now punish those who punished us, because they said mean things about you, O God.’
While there will always be those who believe that God punishes sin and rewards good behavior, there is at least one other view. In this other view we are not punished for our sin, we are punished by our sin. In this view God does not give us over to others for punishment while ignoring our cries for help, at least until our punishment is fulfilled. God is with us no matter what comes our way. Holding us up, helping us stand against the adversarial forces that rise against us, perhaps even pointing out a lesson we might learn in the face of the good or bad that comes our way as a part of the choices we make.
Our view of God helps color our perception of what goes on around us. If we see God as angry we will see ourselves and others bearing the brunt of that anger. If we see God as a champion of justice we will see ourselves and others receiving our just deserts at the hand of God. If we see God as loving and merciful we will see ourselves and others benefitting from the presence of God in every situation. God will not cause things to happen but may nudge and prod us to learn something from what does happen to us and others.
August 7, 2017
LCM
Monday, July 31, 2017
Psalm Meditation 894
Proper 13
August 6, 2017
Psalm 72
1 Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to a king’s son.
2 May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice.
3 May the mountains yield prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness.
4 May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor.
5 May he live while the sun endures, and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.
6 May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth.
7 In his days may righteousness flourish and peace abound, until the moon is no more.
8 May he have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.
9 May his foes bow down before him, and his enemies lick the dust.
10 May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles render him tribute, may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts.
11 May all kings fall down before him, all nations give him service.
12 For he delivers the needy when they call, the poor and those who have no helper.
13 He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy.
14 From oppression and violence he redeems their life; and precious is their blood in his sight.
15 Long may he live! May gold of Sheba be given to him. May prayer be made for him continually, and blessings invoked for him all day long.
16 May there be abundance of grain in the land; may it wave on the tops of the mountains; may its fruit be like Lebanon; and may people blossom in the cities like the grass of the field.
17 May his name endure forever, his fame continue as long as the sun. May all nations be blessed in him; may they pronounce him happy.
18 Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things.
19 Blessed be his glorious name forever; may his glory fill the whole earth.
Amen and Amen.
20 The prayers of David son of Jesse are ended.
(NRSV)
This psalm is addressed to God, about the king. It can get confusing since the king was the representative of God on earth. The king was expected to live out the priorities of God as he ruled over the people of God. The concerns are in some kind of order of importance. The top priority is righteousness and justice, especially for the poor. When wealth and prosperity come to the nation, the psalmist knows that the king will distribute it righteously, with a special consideration for those who are poor and in need.
The defense of the nation isn’t mentioned until the middle of the psalm, after a long reign of righteousness and peace, with expanded borders. Once the realm has expanded there is another call for care of those who are not able to care for themselves. The psalmist, at least, sees the care of the poor, needy, and oppressed as being the responsibility of those who have wealth, power and influence.
These days we tend to believe that wealth and poverty are the rewards and punishments of individual behavior; we are rich or poor because we deserve to be. The psalmist tells us that we who have resources have some responsibility to those who don’t. We care for each other as people of God. It is not about what we deserve, it is about what God calls us to do with the resources we have.
July 31, 2017
LCM
Proper 13
August 6, 2017
Psalm 72
1 Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to a king’s son.
2 May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice.
3 May the mountains yield prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness.
4 May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor.
5 May he live while the sun endures, and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.
6 May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth.
7 In his days may righteousness flourish and peace abound, until the moon is no more.
8 May he have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.
9 May his foes bow down before him, and his enemies lick the dust.
10 May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles render him tribute, may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts.
11 May all kings fall down before him, all nations give him service.
12 For he delivers the needy when they call, the poor and those who have no helper.
13 He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy.
14 From oppression and violence he redeems their life; and precious is their blood in his sight.
15 Long may he live! May gold of Sheba be given to him. May prayer be made for him continually, and blessings invoked for him all day long.
16 May there be abundance of grain in the land; may it wave on the tops of the mountains; may its fruit be like Lebanon; and may people blossom in the cities like the grass of the field.
17 May his name endure forever, his fame continue as long as the sun. May all nations be blessed in him; may they pronounce him happy.
18 Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things.
19 Blessed be his glorious name forever; may his glory fill the whole earth.
Amen and Amen.
20 The prayers of David son of Jesse are ended.
(NRSV)
This psalm is addressed to God, about the king. It can get confusing since the king was the representative of God on earth. The king was expected to live out the priorities of God as he ruled over the people of God. The concerns are in some kind of order of importance. The top priority is righteousness and justice, especially for the poor. When wealth and prosperity come to the nation, the psalmist knows that the king will distribute it righteously, with a special consideration for those who are poor and in need.
The defense of the nation isn’t mentioned until the middle of the psalm, after a long reign of righteousness and peace, with expanded borders. Once the realm has expanded there is another call for care of those who are not able to care for themselves. The psalmist, at least, sees the care of the poor, needy, and oppressed as being the responsibility of those who have wealth, power and influence.
These days we tend to believe that wealth and poverty are the rewards and punishments of individual behavior; we are rich or poor because we deserve to be. The psalmist tells us that we who have resources have some responsibility to those who don’t. We care for each other as people of God. It is not about what we deserve, it is about what God calls us to do with the resources we have.
July 31, 2017
LCM
Monday, July 24, 2017
Psalm Meditation 893
Proper 12
July 30, 2017
Psalm 129
1 “Often have they attacked me from my youth”—let Israel now say—
2 “often have they attacked me from my youth, yet they have not prevailed against me.
3 The plowers plowed on my back; they made their furrows long.”
4 The LORD is righteous; he has cut the cords of the wicked.
5 May all who hate Zion be put to shame and turned backward.
6 Let them be like the grass on the housetops that withers before it grows up,
7 with which reapers do not fill their hands or binders of sheaves their arms,
8 while those who pass by do not say, “The blessing of the LORD be upon you! We bless you in the name of the LORD!”
(NRSV)
Enemies are a painful thing. Most of us like to be liked, so knowing that there is at least one person who does not like us hurts us. When that enemy does things that hurt us physically, that is an added weight on body and soul. The psalmist begins by saying that this particular enemy has been on the attack for a long time, beginning at an age in which those of our era at least are particularly vulnerable. When the attacks against us begin before we have time to accumulate the defenses of age and experience, we find ourselves most vulnerable to enemy attacks.
The psalmist rejoices in the saving activity of God. In my imagination the long furrows on the psalmist’s back are the marks and scars of a whip. That God has cut the cords would mean that the cords of the whip and the cords of bondage have both been taken away and the psalmist is freed from a life of punishment and slavery. Because there is mention of the nation this may be rejoicing at the end of a period of enslavement for the nation at the hands of another nation.
Slavery continues. Enemies continue to take advantage of the vulnerable. God continues to be righteous and continues to be present in every time and place. God continues to deliver people from a variety of circumstances in a variety of ways.
July 24, 2017
LCM
Proper 12
July 30, 2017
Psalm 129
1 “Often have they attacked me from my youth”—let Israel now say—
2 “often have they attacked me from my youth, yet they have not prevailed against me.
3 The plowers plowed on my back; they made their furrows long.”
4 The LORD is righteous; he has cut the cords of the wicked.
5 May all who hate Zion be put to shame and turned backward.
6 Let them be like the grass on the housetops that withers before it grows up,
7 with which reapers do not fill their hands or binders of sheaves their arms,
8 while those who pass by do not say, “The blessing of the LORD be upon you! We bless you in the name of the LORD!”
(NRSV)
Enemies are a painful thing. Most of us like to be liked, so knowing that there is at least one person who does not like us hurts us. When that enemy does things that hurt us physically, that is an added weight on body and soul. The psalmist begins by saying that this particular enemy has been on the attack for a long time, beginning at an age in which those of our era at least are particularly vulnerable. When the attacks against us begin before we have time to accumulate the defenses of age and experience, we find ourselves most vulnerable to enemy attacks.
The psalmist rejoices in the saving activity of God. In my imagination the long furrows on the psalmist’s back are the marks and scars of a whip. That God has cut the cords would mean that the cords of the whip and the cords of bondage have both been taken away and the psalmist is freed from a life of punishment and slavery. Because there is mention of the nation this may be rejoicing at the end of a period of enslavement for the nation at the hands of another nation.
Slavery continues. Enemies continue to take advantage of the vulnerable. God continues to be righteous and continues to be present in every time and place. God continues to deliver people from a variety of circumstances in a variety of ways.
July 24, 2017
LCM
Monday, July 17, 2017
Psalm Meditation 892
Proper 11
July 23, 2017
Psalm 22
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; and by night, but find no rest.
3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4 In you our ancestors trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried, and were saved; in you they trusted, and were not put to shame.
6 But I am a worm, and not human; scorned by others, and despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock at me; they make mouths at me, they shake their heads;
8 “Commit your cause to the LORD; let him deliver—let him rescue the one in whom he delights!”
9 Yet it was you who took me from the womb; you kept me safe on my mother’s breast.
10 On you I was cast from my birth, and since my mother bore me you have been my God.
11 Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
12 Many bulls encircle me, strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
13 they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast;
15 my mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.
16 For dogs are all around me; a company of evildoers encircles me. My hands and feet have shriveled;
17 I can count all my bones. They stare and gloat over me;
18 they divide my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots.
19 But you, O LORD, do not be far away! O my help, come quickly to my aid!
20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my life from the power of the dog!
21 Save me from the mouth of the lion! From the horns of the wild oxen you have rescued me.
22 I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
23 You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him; stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
24 For he did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted; he did not hide his face from me, but heard when I cried to him.
25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will pay before those who fear him.
26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the LORD. May your hearts live forever!
27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him.
28 For dominion belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations.
29 To him, indeed, shall all who sleep in the earth bow down; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, and I shall live for him.
30 Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord,
31 and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn, saying that he has done it.
(NRSV)
It is interesting to note that the psalmist is complaining about being forsaken to the one being accused of ignoring the psalmist in the first place. It is good to know that I am not the first to feel as if God has moved away from me and left me to sink or swim on my own. I am actually hoping that more people than not have had the experience of feeling abandoned by God. Not because I think it is a good to feel abandoned, rather because it seems to be part of normal faith development. All the things that gave us a sense of security in our relationship with God begin to disappear at some point and we are left with a feeling of having been abandoned.
My mom used to lay clothes out for my little brother and me to wear, especially on school days. One day we discovered that there were not socks so we ran downstairs to let mom know she had forgotten to lay out socks. She told us she figured were old enough to pick our own socks. Over the course of the next few weeks we were given more and more responsibility in dressing ourselves. I am sure it would not have gone as well if it had fallen to us to begin dressing ourselves all at once.
In some cases our sense of abandonment is God stepping back and letting us take the responsibility for which we are ready, all the while standing at the ready to support us with cheerleading or correction. Other times we are so devastated and caught off guard by situations that we don’t feel God as present even though that is not the way it is. In either case we do well to join the psalmist in going through the process of moving from the feeling of abandonment to the realization that God has been with us all along.
July 17, 2017
LCM
Proper 11
July 23, 2017
Psalm 22
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; and by night, but find no rest.
3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4 In you our ancestors trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried, and were saved; in you they trusted, and were not put to shame.
6 But I am a worm, and not human; scorned by others, and despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock at me; they make mouths at me, they shake their heads;
8 “Commit your cause to the LORD; let him deliver—let him rescue the one in whom he delights!”
9 Yet it was you who took me from the womb; you kept me safe on my mother’s breast.
10 On you I was cast from my birth, and since my mother bore me you have been my God.
11 Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.
12 Many bulls encircle me, strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
13 they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast;
15 my mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.
16 For dogs are all around me; a company of evildoers encircles me. My hands and feet have shriveled;
17 I can count all my bones. They stare and gloat over me;
18 they divide my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots.
19 But you, O LORD, do not be far away! O my help, come quickly to my aid!
20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my life from the power of the dog!
21 Save me from the mouth of the lion! From the horns of the wild oxen you have rescued me.
22 I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
23 You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him; stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
24 For he did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted; he did not hide his face from me, but heard when I cried to him.
25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will pay before those who fear him.
26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the LORD. May your hearts live forever!
27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him.
28 For dominion belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations.
29 To him, indeed, shall all who sleep in the earth bow down; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, and I shall live for him.
30 Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord,
31 and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn, saying that he has done it.
(NRSV)
It is interesting to note that the psalmist is complaining about being forsaken to the one being accused of ignoring the psalmist in the first place. It is good to know that I am not the first to feel as if God has moved away from me and left me to sink or swim on my own. I am actually hoping that more people than not have had the experience of feeling abandoned by God. Not because I think it is a good to feel abandoned, rather because it seems to be part of normal faith development. All the things that gave us a sense of security in our relationship with God begin to disappear at some point and we are left with a feeling of having been abandoned.
My mom used to lay clothes out for my little brother and me to wear, especially on school days. One day we discovered that there were not socks so we ran downstairs to let mom know she had forgotten to lay out socks. She told us she figured were old enough to pick our own socks. Over the course of the next few weeks we were given more and more responsibility in dressing ourselves. I am sure it would not have gone as well if it had fallen to us to begin dressing ourselves all at once.
In some cases our sense of abandonment is God stepping back and letting us take the responsibility for which we are ready, all the while standing at the ready to support us with cheerleading or correction. Other times we are so devastated and caught off guard by situations that we don’t feel God as present even though that is not the way it is. In either case we do well to join the psalmist in going through the process of moving from the feeling of abandonment to the realization that God has been with us all along.
July 17, 2017
LCM
Monday, July 10, 2017
Psalm Meditation 891
Proper 10
July 16, 2017
Psalm 31
1 In you, O LORD, I seek refuge; do not let me ever be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me.
2 Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me.
3 You are indeed my rock and my fortress; for your name’s sake lead me and guide me,
4 take me out of the net that is hidden for me, for you are my refuge.
5 Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.
6 You hate those who pay regard to worthless idols, but I trust in the LORD.
7 I will exult and rejoice in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have taken heed of my adversities,
8 and have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; you have set my feet in a broad place.
9 Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eye wastes away from grief, my soul and body also.
10 For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my misery, and my bones waste away.
11 I am the scorn of all my adversaries, a horror to my neighbors, an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me.
12 I have passed out of mind like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel.
13 For I hear the whispering of many— terror all around!—as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life.
14 But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.
16 Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your steadfast love.
17 Do not let me be put to shame, O LORD, for I call on you; let the wicked be put to shame; let them go dumbfounded to Sheol.
18 Let the lying lips be stilled that speak insolently against the righteous with pride and contempt.
19 O how abundant is your goodness that you have laid up for those who fear you, and accomplished for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of everyone!
20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them from human plots; you hold them safe under your shelter from contentious tongues.
21 Blessed be the LORD, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was beset as a city under siege.
22 I had said in my alarm, “I am driven far from your sight.” But you heard my supplications when I cried out to you for help.
23 Love the LORD, all you his saints. The LORD preserves the faithful, but abundantly repays the one who acts haughtily.
24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD.
(NRSV)
Trusting God can be hard work because God doesn’t always deliver what we want, when we want, and in the way we want it. Some people decide to trust God in spite of this flawed delivery system and claim God as their own. They continue to trust God even when things don’t work out as anticipated. The good thing is that by trusting God folks discover that God can come up with some pretty neat alternatives that had not crossed the minds of those who put their trust in God.
Other people decide that because God is not willing/able to meet their needs as expected, God is not to be trusted. Because they don’t trust God they miss seeing the ways God acts to meet their needs and wants. They are disappointed often enough that they stop looking for or expecting anything from God. Their expectations, that God is not trustworthy, are met because they fail/refuse to see the ways God is at work in their lives.
Someone once pointed out to me that trust is first given and then earned. That is, I have to trust you with my wants and needs, or expectations and responsibilities before you can possibly deliver on them. I have to trust you with a responsibility before you can show yourself trustworthy. The psalmist makes the bold choice to trust in God and to say, “You are my God.” Once that step is taken the psalmist sees God at work in a variety of ways. It is entirely possible that God was already at work in the psalmist’s life and the activity was missed because the psalmist had no eye for the work of God without the companion choice of trust in God.
July 10, 2017
LCM
Proper 10
July 16, 2017
Psalm 31
1 In you, O LORD, I seek refuge; do not let me ever be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me.
2 Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me.
3 You are indeed my rock and my fortress; for your name’s sake lead me and guide me,
4 take me out of the net that is hidden for me, for you are my refuge.
5 Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.
6 You hate those who pay regard to worthless idols, but I trust in the LORD.
7 I will exult and rejoice in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have taken heed of my adversities,
8 and have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; you have set my feet in a broad place.
9 Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eye wastes away from grief, my soul and body also.
10 For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my misery, and my bones waste away.
11 I am the scorn of all my adversaries, a horror to my neighbors, an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me.
12 I have passed out of mind like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel.
13 For I hear the whispering of many— terror all around!—as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life.
14 But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.
16 Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your steadfast love.
17 Do not let me be put to shame, O LORD, for I call on you; let the wicked be put to shame; let them go dumbfounded to Sheol.
18 Let the lying lips be stilled that speak insolently against the righteous with pride and contempt.
19 O how abundant is your goodness that you have laid up for those who fear you, and accomplished for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of everyone!
20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them from human plots; you hold them safe under your shelter from contentious tongues.
21 Blessed be the LORD, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was beset as a city under siege.
22 I had said in my alarm, “I am driven far from your sight.” But you heard my supplications when I cried out to you for help.
23 Love the LORD, all you his saints. The LORD preserves the faithful, but abundantly repays the one who acts haughtily.
24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD.
(NRSV)
Trusting God can be hard work because God doesn’t always deliver what we want, when we want, and in the way we want it. Some people decide to trust God in spite of this flawed delivery system and claim God as their own. They continue to trust God even when things don’t work out as anticipated. The good thing is that by trusting God folks discover that God can come up with some pretty neat alternatives that had not crossed the minds of those who put their trust in God.
Other people decide that because God is not willing/able to meet their needs as expected, God is not to be trusted. Because they don’t trust God they miss seeing the ways God acts to meet their needs and wants. They are disappointed often enough that they stop looking for or expecting anything from God. Their expectations, that God is not trustworthy, are met because they fail/refuse to see the ways God is at work in their lives.
Someone once pointed out to me that trust is first given and then earned. That is, I have to trust you with my wants and needs, or expectations and responsibilities before you can possibly deliver on them. I have to trust you with a responsibility before you can show yourself trustworthy. The psalmist makes the bold choice to trust in God and to say, “You are my God.” Once that step is taken the psalmist sees God at work in a variety of ways. It is entirely possible that God was already at work in the psalmist’s life and the activity was missed because the psalmist had no eye for the work of God without the companion choice of trust in God.
July 10, 2017
LCM
Monday, July 3, 2017
Psalm Meditation 890
Proper 9
July 9, 2017
Psalm 120
1 In my distress I cry to the LORD, that he may answer me:
2 “Deliver me, O LORD, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.”
3 What shall be given to you? And what more shall be done to you, you deceitful tongue?
4 A warrior’s sharp arrows, with glowing coals of the broom tree!
5 Woe is me, that I am an alien in Meshech, that I must live among the tents of Kedar.
6 Too long have I had my dwelling among those who hate peace.
7 I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.
(NRSV)
Peace is hard work. Peace is especially hard in the face of violence. To accept and absorb the violence of those around us and then to return peace in its place is one of the hardest works any of us will do. We have been taught and trained that to receive violence and not respond in kind is a sign of weakness and cowardice. We are expected to lash out as our first reaction to any slight received or implied. It takes much more maturity to react to violence with peace.
I have heard that when Harry Houdini asked an audience member to punch him in the stomach he did not meet the blow with solidly tightened muscles. Instead he took a moment to relax those muscles so the blow met no resistance. Whether the story is true or not, it would be much harder to relax in anticipation of violence than to meet it with solid resistance.
The psalmist is for peace and is surrounded by those who preach and practice violence. It is a difficult situation any time we hold the minority opinion. Being the voice for peace in a group that is on the alert for war has got to be very difficult. In response the psalmist cries out to God for help in being the voice for peace in the face of war and violence.
July 3, 2017
LCM
Proper 9
July 9, 2017
Psalm 120
1 In my distress I cry to the LORD, that he may answer me:
2 “Deliver me, O LORD, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.”
3 What shall be given to you? And what more shall be done to you, you deceitful tongue?
4 A warrior’s sharp arrows, with glowing coals of the broom tree!
5 Woe is me, that I am an alien in Meshech, that I must live among the tents of Kedar.
6 Too long have I had my dwelling among those who hate peace.
7 I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.
(NRSV)
Peace is hard work. Peace is especially hard in the face of violence. To accept and absorb the violence of those around us and then to return peace in its place is one of the hardest works any of us will do. We have been taught and trained that to receive violence and not respond in kind is a sign of weakness and cowardice. We are expected to lash out as our first reaction to any slight received or implied. It takes much more maturity to react to violence with peace.
I have heard that when Harry Houdini asked an audience member to punch him in the stomach he did not meet the blow with solidly tightened muscles. Instead he took a moment to relax those muscles so the blow met no resistance. Whether the story is true or not, it would be much harder to relax in anticipation of violence than to meet it with solid resistance.
The psalmist is for peace and is surrounded by those who preach and practice violence. It is a difficult situation any time we hold the minority opinion. Being the voice for peace in a group that is on the alert for war has got to be very difficult. In response the psalmist cries out to God for help in being the voice for peace in the face of war and violence.
July 3, 2017
LCM
Monday, June 26, 2017
Psalm Meditation 889
Proper 8
July 2, 2017
Psalm 81
1 Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob.
2 Raise a song, sound the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp.
3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our festal day.
4 For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
5 He made it a decree in Joseph, when he went out over the land of Egypt. I hear a voice I had not known:
6 “I relieved your shoulder of the burden; your hands were freed from the basket.
7 In distress you called, and I rescued you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah
8 Hear, O my people, while I admonish you; O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
9 There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god.
10 I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.
11 “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me.
12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels.
13 O that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!
14 Then I would quickly subdue their enemies, and turn my hand against their foes.
15 Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him, and their doom would last forever.
16 I would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
(NRSV)
Humans seem to like the idea of one or more divine beings watching over us and teaching us how to live with each other, and maybe even those who are not like us. Prophets and teachers rise up to show us what it means to live in the presence of the holy ones who desire, and sometimes demand, our love and allegiance. And we are grateful to hear these voices and the advice and admonitions they offer to us as people of faith and practice. Our gratitude does have its limits. There comes a time when we would rather live our lives on our own terms.
In these times we look around for a set of divine beings who ask a little less of us, and in some cases ask more of us. In the case of the psalmist, there comes a realization that the people of Israel have moved away from the God of their ancestors and have taken to doing things their own way. They may continue to say that they are acting in the name of God, however their actions bear no resemblance to the ways they were taught as the ways of their God. The psalmist hears the voice of God saying that if people would return to the ways they were taught in previous generations there would not be the troubles they now face.
If only the Israelites were the only ones who ever rounded the edges and dulled the sharpness of their faith and faithfulness. I hope in most cases these things happen by inaction and inattention. There are times in which people knowingly twist the word and ways of God to suit their fancy. Because it is an easier way, a more agreeable way, no one bothers to mention that it is not God’s way by any stretch of the imagination. And so, God continues to call us back to lives of faith and action based on the word and work of God.
June 26, 2017
LCM
Proper 8
July 2, 2017
Psalm 81
1 Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob.
2 Raise a song, sound the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp.
3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our festal day.
4 For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
5 He made it a decree in Joseph, when he went out over the land of Egypt. I hear a voice I had not known:
6 “I relieved your shoulder of the burden; your hands were freed from the basket.
7 In distress you called, and I rescued you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah
8 Hear, O my people, while I admonish you; O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
9 There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god.
10 I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.
11 “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me.
12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels.
13 O that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!
14 Then I would quickly subdue their enemies, and turn my hand against their foes.
15 Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him, and their doom would last forever.
16 I would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
(NRSV)
Humans seem to like the idea of one or more divine beings watching over us and teaching us how to live with each other, and maybe even those who are not like us. Prophets and teachers rise up to show us what it means to live in the presence of the holy ones who desire, and sometimes demand, our love and allegiance. And we are grateful to hear these voices and the advice and admonitions they offer to us as people of faith and practice. Our gratitude does have its limits. There comes a time when we would rather live our lives on our own terms.
In these times we look around for a set of divine beings who ask a little less of us, and in some cases ask more of us. In the case of the psalmist, there comes a realization that the people of Israel have moved away from the God of their ancestors and have taken to doing things their own way. They may continue to say that they are acting in the name of God, however their actions bear no resemblance to the ways they were taught as the ways of their God. The psalmist hears the voice of God saying that if people would return to the ways they were taught in previous generations there would not be the troubles they now face.
If only the Israelites were the only ones who ever rounded the edges and dulled the sharpness of their faith and faithfulness. I hope in most cases these things happen by inaction and inattention. There are times in which people knowingly twist the word and ways of God to suit their fancy. Because it is an easier way, a more agreeable way, no one bothers to mention that it is not God’s way by any stretch of the imagination. And so, God continues to call us back to lives of faith and action based on the word and work of God.
June 26, 2017
LCM
Monday, June 19, 2017
Psalm Meditation 888
Proper 7
June 25, 2017
Psalm 70
1 Be pleased, O God, to deliver me. O LORD, make haste to help me!
2 Let those be put to shame and confusion who seek my life. Let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who desire to hurt me.
3 Let those who say, “Aha, Aha!” turn back because of their shame.
4 Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. Let those who love your salvation say evermore, “God is great!”
5 But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay!
(NRSV)
At times in our lives we feel as if everyone is out to get us; and sometimes they really are. The temptation is to curl up in a ball to protect ourselves from the onslaught of evil that seeks to do us in, and from that position to cry out for help and rescue. The psalmist cries out for the deliverance that only God can bring. The hope is that God will settle down next to us, scoop our balled up body of fear and anxiety into the divine lap to offer a moment of comfort, relief, and deliverance.
In the lap of God we may find sufficient comfort to uncurl ourselves enough to realize that we are not alone. We are not the only ones suffering, we are not even the only ones suffering these particular slings and arrows. We are surrounded by folks who love and care for us. They are waiting with a mix of patience and anxiety as we find ourselves able to rejoin this community and ask for what we want and need.
It starts with God who has the ability to hear our hearts and to meet us where we are; in our brightest and best as well as our darkest and worst. “O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay!”
June 19, 2017
LCM
Proper 7
June 25, 2017
Psalm 70
1 Be pleased, O God, to deliver me. O LORD, make haste to help me!
2 Let those be put to shame and confusion who seek my life. Let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who desire to hurt me.
3 Let those who say, “Aha, Aha!” turn back because of their shame.
4 Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. Let those who love your salvation say evermore, “God is great!”
5 But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay!
(NRSV)
At times in our lives we feel as if everyone is out to get us; and sometimes they really are. The temptation is to curl up in a ball to protect ourselves from the onslaught of evil that seeks to do us in, and from that position to cry out for help and rescue. The psalmist cries out for the deliverance that only God can bring. The hope is that God will settle down next to us, scoop our balled up body of fear and anxiety into the divine lap to offer a moment of comfort, relief, and deliverance.
In the lap of God we may find sufficient comfort to uncurl ourselves enough to realize that we are not alone. We are not the only ones suffering, we are not even the only ones suffering these particular slings and arrows. We are surrounded by folks who love and care for us. They are waiting with a mix of patience and anxiety as we find ourselves able to rejoin this community and ask for what we want and need.
It starts with God who has the ability to hear our hearts and to meet us where we are; in our brightest and best as well as our darkest and worst. “O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay!”
June 19, 2017
LCM
Monday, June 12, 2017
Psalm Meditation 887
Proper 6 (Father’s Day)
June 18, 2017
Psalm 131
1 O LORD, my heart is not lifted up, my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.
2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; my soul is like the weaned child that is with me.
3 O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time on and forevermore
(NRSV)
There is nothing quite like the sensation of curling up on mom’s lap. For those for whom this is a pleasant memory, it is love, comfort, security, acceptance, and a host of other positive feelings all in one moment. It may be a distant memory of having fit on mom’s lap completely or a fairly recent experience of being in mom’s lap and spilling into the space next to her. The psalmist says this is what it can be like to be in the presence of God.
The first verse recognizes that we can come striding in as if we are equal to God, expecting our needs to be met on our orders and timeline. When this is our approach to God we will know what needs to be done, when it needs to done, and what to expect when God finally sees things in the proper light and does things our way. Most of the time we can expect to be disappointed for a variety of reasons. God seldom works on our timeline in the exact way we expect.
It is often when things don’t work out the way we hoped and planned that we find ourselves seeking the comfort of mom’s lap. We may or may not want mom to fix things. What we want is to know that we are loved and cared for despite and because of what is going on around us. God can be, is, that source of hope and comfort for us throughout our lives, as individuals all the way up through all of humanity.
June 12, 2017
LCM
Proper 6 (Father’s Day)
June 18, 2017
Psalm 131
1 O LORD, my heart is not lifted up, my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.
2 But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; my soul is like the weaned child that is with me.
3 O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time on and forevermore
(NRSV)
There is nothing quite like the sensation of curling up on mom’s lap. For those for whom this is a pleasant memory, it is love, comfort, security, acceptance, and a host of other positive feelings all in one moment. It may be a distant memory of having fit on mom’s lap completely or a fairly recent experience of being in mom’s lap and spilling into the space next to her. The psalmist says this is what it can be like to be in the presence of God.
The first verse recognizes that we can come striding in as if we are equal to God, expecting our needs to be met on our orders and timeline. When this is our approach to God we will know what needs to be done, when it needs to done, and what to expect when God finally sees things in the proper light and does things our way. Most of the time we can expect to be disappointed for a variety of reasons. God seldom works on our timeline in the exact way we expect.
It is often when things don’t work out the way we hoped and planned that we find ourselves seeking the comfort of mom’s lap. We may or may not want mom to fix things. What we want is to know that we are loved and cared for despite and because of what is going on around us. God can be, is, that source of hope and comfort for us throughout our lives, as individuals all the way up through all of humanity.
June 12, 2017
LCM
Monday, June 5, 2017
Psalm Meditation 886
Trinity Sunday
June 11, 2017
Psalm 20
1 The LORD answer you in the day of trouble! The name of the God of Jacob protect you!
2 May he send you help from the sanctuary, and give you support from Zion.
3 May he remember all your offerings, and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices. Selah
4 May he grant you your heart’s desire, and fulfill all your plans.
5 May we shout for joy over your victory, and in the name of our God set up our banners. May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.
6 Now I know that the LORD will help his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with mighty victories by his right hand.
7 Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses, but our pride is in the name of the LORD our God.
8 They will collapse and fall, but we shall rise and stand upright.
9 Give victory to the king, O LORD; answer us when we call.
(NRSV)
There are lots of ways to get into the ‘my dad can beat up your dad’ argument. We can argue that my dad is stronger, or smarter, or richer, or faster, or more experienced, or better at this or that. We can make the same arguments about our mothers, and siblings, and aunts and uncles. In some circles we can make the argument about deities. The reasoning behind the arguments is the claim to a champion, one who will stand with us, even stand up for us, in every situation in which we may find ourselves.
The psalmist points out that in a match-up between armaments our God is stronger than any weapon of war. While chariots and horses, guns and bombs can kill people in large numbers, God can save people in unprecedented numbers. It may be good to be able to beat up the bad guys and that is what the psalmist is asking God to do. It is also good to see the power of God at work in bringing enemies to the point of seeing a common humanity that draws us to live and work together with differences and similarities intact and appreciated.
Yes, the psalmist is asking for a military victory for us, the good guys. It is possible for us to read this as a reminder that God is neither as parochial nor mean spirited as we can be. God may well be calling us to rise and stand upright as our hearts long for victory in the name of God. Victory based in mercy, love, and justice more than in brute force.
June 5, 2017
LCM
Trinity Sunday
June 11, 2017
Psalm 20
1 The LORD answer you in the day of trouble! The name of the God of Jacob protect you!
2 May he send you help from the sanctuary, and give you support from Zion.
3 May he remember all your offerings, and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices. Selah
4 May he grant you your heart’s desire, and fulfill all your plans.
5 May we shout for joy over your victory, and in the name of our God set up our banners. May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.
6 Now I know that the LORD will help his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with mighty victories by his right hand.
7 Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses, but our pride is in the name of the LORD our God.
8 They will collapse and fall, but we shall rise and stand upright.
9 Give victory to the king, O LORD; answer us when we call.
(NRSV)
There are lots of ways to get into the ‘my dad can beat up your dad’ argument. We can argue that my dad is stronger, or smarter, or richer, or faster, or more experienced, or better at this or that. We can make the same arguments about our mothers, and siblings, and aunts and uncles. In some circles we can make the argument about deities. The reasoning behind the arguments is the claim to a champion, one who will stand with us, even stand up for us, in every situation in which we may find ourselves.
The psalmist points out that in a match-up between armaments our God is stronger than any weapon of war. While chariots and horses, guns and bombs can kill people in large numbers, God can save people in unprecedented numbers. It may be good to be able to beat up the bad guys and that is what the psalmist is asking God to do. It is also good to see the power of God at work in bringing enemies to the point of seeing a common humanity that draws us to live and work together with differences and similarities intact and appreciated.
Yes, the psalmist is asking for a military victory for us, the good guys. It is possible for us to read this as a reminder that God is neither as parochial nor mean spirited as we can be. God may well be calling us to rise and stand upright as our hearts long for victory in the name of God. Victory based in mercy, love, and justice more than in brute force.
June 5, 2017
LCM
Monday, May 29, 2017
Psalm Meditation 885
Pentecost
June 4, 2017
Psalm 33
1 Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous. Praise befits the upright.
2 Praise the LORD with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings.
3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
4 For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.
5 He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.
6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of his mouth.
7 He gathered the waters of the sea as in a bottle; he put the deeps in storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.
10 The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
11 The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
12 Happy is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage.
13 The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all humankind.
14 From where he sits enthroned he watches all the inhabitants of the earth—
15 he who fashions the hearts of them all, and observes all their deeds.
16 A king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
17 The war horse is a vain hope for victory, and by its great might it cannot save.
18 Truly the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,
19 to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and shield.
21 Our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.
22 Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.
(NRSV)
It seems part of the human condition to believe that ‘might makes right.’ Whoever is the strongest, whichever side gets the most support, whoever gets the most votes must be the strongest, brightest, and best. When we are not in the majority we discover that the one who wins is not always the best. Of course this is always the case, however we notice when our group is not on the winning side. Sometimes the majority gets it right and sometimes they don’t. The point is, that being in the majority is no guarantee of being right, accurate, and good. My father told of a rabbit that had been taken into a classroom for ‘show and tell.’ One of the students asked if the rabbit was a boy or a girl. When there was no quick answer from the one who had brought in the rabbit, a student in the back shouted out, ‘Let’s vote on it.”
Scripture reminds us that those who appear to be the strongest don’t always win the day. The first two kings of Israel would have been passed over by human choice. Saul and David were afterthoughts as far as the people were concerned, however God had plans for each of them. As long as they stayed true to the leading of God they were effective rulers of the people of God. These are two of many examples in which God chooses one who seems unfit to the task in order to make a difference in the lives of the people of God and beyond.
I am sure that the majority will continue to rule, that the strongest will continue to control, and that skilled and lucky people will continue to win contests. I am just as sure that there will be times in which the majority, the strong and the lucky will not take the will of God into consideration and the cost of the decision will outweigh the promise of it.
May 29, 2017
LCM
Pentecost
June 4, 2017
Psalm 33
1 Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous. Praise befits the upright.
2 Praise the LORD with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings.
3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
4 For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.
5 He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.
6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of his mouth.
7 He gathered the waters of the sea as in a bottle; he put the deeps in storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.
10 The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
11 The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
12 Happy is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage.
13 The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all humankind.
14 From where he sits enthroned he watches all the inhabitants of the earth—
15 he who fashions the hearts of them all, and observes all their deeds.
16 A king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
17 The war horse is a vain hope for victory, and by its great might it cannot save.
18 Truly the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,
19 to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and shield.
21 Our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.
22 Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.
(NRSV)
It seems part of the human condition to believe that ‘might makes right.’ Whoever is the strongest, whichever side gets the most support, whoever gets the most votes must be the strongest, brightest, and best. When we are not in the majority we discover that the one who wins is not always the best. Of course this is always the case, however we notice when our group is not on the winning side. Sometimes the majority gets it right and sometimes they don’t. The point is, that being in the majority is no guarantee of being right, accurate, and good. My father told of a rabbit that had been taken into a classroom for ‘show and tell.’ One of the students asked if the rabbit was a boy or a girl. When there was no quick answer from the one who had brought in the rabbit, a student in the back shouted out, ‘Let’s vote on it.”
Scripture reminds us that those who appear to be the strongest don’t always win the day. The first two kings of Israel would have been passed over by human choice. Saul and David were afterthoughts as far as the people were concerned, however God had plans for each of them. As long as they stayed true to the leading of God they were effective rulers of the people of God. These are two of many examples in which God chooses one who seems unfit to the task in order to make a difference in the lives of the people of God and beyond.
I am sure that the majority will continue to rule, that the strongest will continue to control, and that skilled and lucky people will continue to win contests. I am just as sure that there will be times in which the majority, the strong and the lucky will not take the will of God into consideration and the cost of the decision will outweigh the promise of it.
May 29, 2017
LCM
Monday, May 22, 2017
Psalm Meditation 884
Seventh Sunday of Easter
May 28, 2017
Psalm 118
1 O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the LORD say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”
5 Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me in a broad place.
6 With the LORD on my side I do not fear. What can mortals do to me?
7 The LORD is on my side to help me; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.
8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to put confidence in mortals.
9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.
10 All nations surrounded me; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
11 They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
12 They surrounded me like bees; they blazed like a fire of thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
13 I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the LORD helped me.
14 The LORD is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation.
15 There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous: “The right hand of the LORD does valiantly;
16 the right hand of the LORD is exalted; the right hand of the LORD does valiantly.”
17 I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD.
18 The LORD has punished me severely, but he did not give me over to death.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD.
20 This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it.
21 I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.
22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.
23 This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Save us, we beseech you, O LORD! O LORD, we beseech you, give us success!
26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD. We bless you from the house of the LORD.
27 The LORD is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God, I will extol you.
29 O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.
(NRSV)
I assume that the psalmist and I are not the only people who have ever felt rejected by those around us. Additionally, I hope I am not the only one who has found comfort in the words of this psalm. Recognizing that rejection is neither universal nor eternal is a great source of comfort in those times when we feel as if we are on the outside looking in. The feeling of rejection is an isolating experience. We think, ’Not only have I been rejected, I am the only one out here.’ Because we feel so left out we don’t look around to see the others whose faces are also pressed against the glass looking in on the ‘cool kids.’
At some point we realize that being ignored or attacked by a group is not all life has to offer. There is more. For the psalmist, and many of us, the direction to turn for the more life has to offer is toward God. As we turn to God we see ourselves not as the stone that has been rejected; we see ourselves as God sees us, as the chief cornerstone. We have value not because we have done or will do something magnificent so much as because God sees us as a singularly important and impressive child of God. That is the nature of God.
Having found our place as the chief cornerstone in the building God is building around us we have the freedom to look around and see all the others whose unique size, shape, color, and style has suited them for the building God is constructing on their lives. Allowing our particular uniqueness to be used by God we come to appreciate those around us as companions rather than competitors. As companions we see each other as recipients of the steadfast love of God.
May 22, 2017
LCM
Seventh Sunday of Easter
May 28, 2017
Psalm 118
1 O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the LORD say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”
5 Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me in a broad place.
6 With the LORD on my side I do not fear. What can mortals do to me?
7 The LORD is on my side to help me; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.
8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to put confidence in mortals.
9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.
10 All nations surrounded me; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
11 They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
12 They surrounded me like bees; they blazed like a fire of thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
13 I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the LORD helped me.
14 The LORD is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation.
15 There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous: “The right hand of the LORD does valiantly;
16 the right hand of the LORD is exalted; the right hand of the LORD does valiantly.”
17 I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD.
18 The LORD has punished me severely, but he did not give me over to death.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD.
20 This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it.
21 I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.
22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.
23 This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Save us, we beseech you, O LORD! O LORD, we beseech you, give us success!
26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD. We bless you from the house of the LORD.
27 The LORD is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God, I will extol you.
29 O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.
(NRSV)
I assume that the psalmist and I are not the only people who have ever felt rejected by those around us. Additionally, I hope I am not the only one who has found comfort in the words of this psalm. Recognizing that rejection is neither universal nor eternal is a great source of comfort in those times when we feel as if we are on the outside looking in. The feeling of rejection is an isolating experience. We think, ’Not only have I been rejected, I am the only one out here.’ Because we feel so left out we don’t look around to see the others whose faces are also pressed against the glass looking in on the ‘cool kids.’
At some point we realize that being ignored or attacked by a group is not all life has to offer. There is more. For the psalmist, and many of us, the direction to turn for the more life has to offer is toward God. As we turn to God we see ourselves not as the stone that has been rejected; we see ourselves as God sees us, as the chief cornerstone. We have value not because we have done or will do something magnificent so much as because God sees us as a singularly important and impressive child of God. That is the nature of God.
Having found our place as the chief cornerstone in the building God is building around us we have the freedom to look around and see all the others whose unique size, shape, color, and style has suited them for the building God is constructing on their lives. Allowing our particular uniqueness to be used by God we come to appreciate those around us as companions rather than competitors. As companions we see each other as recipients of the steadfast love of God.
May 22, 2017
LCM
Monday, May 15, 2017
Psalm Meditation 883
Sixth Sunday of Easter
May 21, 2017
Psalm 83
1 O God, do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still, O God!
2 Even now your enemies are in tumult; those who hate you have raised their heads.
3 They lay crafty plans against your people; they consult together against those you protect.
4 They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more.”
5 They conspire with one accord; against you they make a covenant—
6 the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites,
7 Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8 Assyria also has joined them; they are the strong arm of the children of Lot. Selah
9 Do to them as you did to Midian, as to Sisera and Jabin at the Wadi Kishon,
10 who were destroyed at En-dor, who became dung for the ground.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 who said, “Let us take the pastures of God for our own possession.”
13 O my God, make them like whirling dust, like chaff before the wind.
14 As fire consumes the forest, as the flame sets the mountains ablaze,
15 so pursue them with your tempest and terrify them with your hurricane.
16 Fill their faces with shame, so that they may seek your name, O LORD.
17 Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever; let them perish in disgrace.
18 Let them know that you alone, whose name is the LORD, are the Most High over all the earth.
(NRSV)
We may spend more time and energy worrying about how our enemies see us and think about us than they actually spend thinking about us at all. It is within the realm of possibility that we while are fretting over their plans for our destruction they are thinking about our plans for their destruction or not thinking about us at all. At some point in the Cold War with the, then, Soviet Union someone realized that we were not building and stockpiling bombs and armaments to destroy each other but to protect ourselves from the other. Each time one side got a new weapon the other side felt the need to get one too; a bigger, newer, more powerful weapon than ‘those people’ had. We got to the point of mutually assured destruction by attempting to protect ourselves. Both sides had demonized and dehumanized each other to the point that we could not see each other as anything other than enemies.
Is that what was happening in the psalmist’s mind? I am sure that there was real animosity between the various nations listed in the psalm. It was likely based in fact and experience of confrontations with ‘those people.’ Since each nation had their own set of deities and divinities it was easy to add those divine powers to the array of weapons to use against our foes. If it was a pretty even match of size and strength both sides may have worried about the intentions of the other. If it was a serious power imbalance, the side with the greater strength may have nearly forgotten the other side existed and let the small nations eat themselves up with worry over the intentions of the powerful group.
No matter the conflict or the size of the other side, we may be tempted to give ‘them’ more power than they actually have, or more interest in us than they possess. And while it is always good to turn to God in times of trouble, it seems to be a misunderstanding of the type of power God wields for us to spend time and energy calling on God to destroy our enemies in a series of calamitous events. The question may not be how to destroy our enemies so much as how to live with those with whom we disagree, including those who really do intend to wipe us from the face of the earth for any number of reasons.
May 15, 2017
LCM
Sixth Sunday of Easter
May 21, 2017
Psalm 83
1 O God, do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still, O God!
2 Even now your enemies are in tumult; those who hate you have raised their heads.
3 They lay crafty plans against your people; they consult together against those you protect.
4 They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more.”
5 They conspire with one accord; against you they make a covenant—
6 the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites,
7 Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8 Assyria also has joined them; they are the strong arm of the children of Lot. Selah
9 Do to them as you did to Midian, as to Sisera and Jabin at the Wadi Kishon,
10 who were destroyed at En-dor, who became dung for the ground.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 who said, “Let us take the pastures of God for our own possession.”
13 O my God, make them like whirling dust, like chaff before the wind.
14 As fire consumes the forest, as the flame sets the mountains ablaze,
15 so pursue them with your tempest and terrify them with your hurricane.
16 Fill their faces with shame, so that they may seek your name, O LORD.
17 Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever; let them perish in disgrace.
18 Let them know that you alone, whose name is the LORD, are the Most High over all the earth.
(NRSV)
We may spend more time and energy worrying about how our enemies see us and think about us than they actually spend thinking about us at all. It is within the realm of possibility that we while are fretting over their plans for our destruction they are thinking about our plans for their destruction or not thinking about us at all. At some point in the Cold War with the, then, Soviet Union someone realized that we were not building and stockpiling bombs and armaments to destroy each other but to protect ourselves from the other. Each time one side got a new weapon the other side felt the need to get one too; a bigger, newer, more powerful weapon than ‘those people’ had. We got to the point of mutually assured destruction by attempting to protect ourselves. Both sides had demonized and dehumanized each other to the point that we could not see each other as anything other than enemies.
Is that what was happening in the psalmist’s mind? I am sure that there was real animosity between the various nations listed in the psalm. It was likely based in fact and experience of confrontations with ‘those people.’ Since each nation had their own set of deities and divinities it was easy to add those divine powers to the array of weapons to use against our foes. If it was a pretty even match of size and strength both sides may have worried about the intentions of the other. If it was a serious power imbalance, the side with the greater strength may have nearly forgotten the other side existed and let the small nations eat themselves up with worry over the intentions of the powerful group.
No matter the conflict or the size of the other side, we may be tempted to give ‘them’ more power than they actually have, or more interest in us than they possess. And while it is always good to turn to God in times of trouble, it seems to be a misunderstanding of the type of power God wields for us to spend time and energy calling on God to destroy our enemies in a series of calamitous events. The question may not be how to destroy our enemies so much as how to live with those with whom we disagree, including those who really do intend to wipe us from the face of the earth for any number of reasons.
May 15, 2017
LCM
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