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