Psalm Meditation 933
Sixth Sunday of Easter
May 6, 2018
Psalm 17
1 Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry; give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit.
2 From you let my vindication come; let your eyes see the right.
3 If you try my heart, if you visit me by night, if you test me, you will find no wickedness in me; my mouth does not transgress.
4 As for what others do, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent.
5 My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.
6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me, hear my words.
7 Wondrously show your steadfast love, O savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand.
8 Guard me as the apple of the eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings,
9 from the wicked who despoil me, my deadly enemies who surround me.
10 They close their hearts to pity; with their mouths they speak arrogantly.
11 They track me down; now they surround me; they set their eyes to cast me to the ground.
12 They are like a lion eager to tear, like a young lion lurking in ambush.
13 Rise up, O LORD, confront them, overthrow them! By your sword deliver my life from the wicked,
14 from mortals—by your hand, O LORD—from mortals whose portion in life is in this world. May their bellies be filled with what you have stored up for them; may their children have more than enough; may they leave something over to their little ones.
15 As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness
(NRSV)
Most of us can read and claim this psalm with a clear conscience. We see ourselves as above reproach in our faith practice. We are convinced that the only people who could disparage our faithfulness are those who are evil and vindictive in the first place. Anyone who lives their faith in a public way has likely received some kind of judgment for it. Maybe it was nothing more than a glare in your direction as you paused for a word of prayer before a meal out. People of faith who have any kind of audience for an online presence are going to find trolls coming out of the woodwork and circuit boards to question their particular brand of faithfulness.
When our faith is questioned, when we feel persecuted, we find ourselves joining the psalmist in the plea in vs. 14. We want God to give all those who stand against us the terrible things they have coming to them. And while these punishments are being heaped on them save up enough to punish their children and grandchildren too. Once we open the floodgates to our own vindictiveness we are willing to pile it onto others three generations deep. When we jump into this battle by asking God to defend us through punishment of our adversaries, have we lost any claim to being above reproach?
As we live out our faithfulness we do well to be aware that there are those inside and out of our religious tradition who will be troubled by the way we live out our faith. While it is important to participate in open conversation and connection, there is little gained by taking shots at each other with the intent of destroying another. May God continue to, “Wondrously show your steadfast love, O savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand.”
April 30, 2018
LCM
Monday, April 30, 2018
Monday, April 23, 2018
Psalm Meditation 932
Fifth Sunday of Easter
April 29, 2018
Psalm 134
1 Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the house of the LORD!
2 Lift up your hands to the holy place, and bless the LORD.
3 May the LORD, maker of heaven and earth, bless you from Zion.
(NRSV)
At shift change in some companies there is a group meeting in which someone reminds those coming on that this is a great company and we do well to give our best, especially on this shift. If that is the case here, people are coming on to the night shift. They don’t need any instruction as to their duties on their shift, that has already been done. They do need a reminder of why and for whom they are at work tonight.
If the company for which we work does not have a cheerleading session as we start the day, and even if it does, we can take a moment on our own to bless God for all that God is and does with and for us. And we can ask God to continue to bless us as we go about all that is before us as we work. May we be a blessing to those with whom we work, for whom we work, and may our work being a blessing to the end user of our work.
This psalm is a simple reminder to work in the presence of God, to be a servant of God, and to receive the blessings God gives to us in this particular time. The company for which we work may not have service to God as their prime directive; that does not mean that we can’t serve God through our work.
April 23, 2018
LCM
Fifth Sunday of Easter
April 29, 2018
Psalm 134
1 Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the house of the LORD!
2 Lift up your hands to the holy place, and bless the LORD.
3 May the LORD, maker of heaven and earth, bless you from Zion.
(NRSV)
At shift change in some companies there is a group meeting in which someone reminds those coming on that this is a great company and we do well to give our best, especially on this shift. If that is the case here, people are coming on to the night shift. They don’t need any instruction as to their duties on their shift, that has already been done. They do need a reminder of why and for whom they are at work tonight.
If the company for which we work does not have a cheerleading session as we start the day, and even if it does, we can take a moment on our own to bless God for all that God is and does with and for us. And we can ask God to continue to bless us as we go about all that is before us as we work. May we be a blessing to those with whom we work, for whom we work, and may our work being a blessing to the end user of our work.
This psalm is a simple reminder to work in the presence of God, to be a servant of God, and to receive the blessings God gives to us in this particular time. The company for which we work may not have service to God as their prime directive; that does not mean that we can’t serve God through our work.
April 23, 2018
LCM
Monday, April 16, 2018
Psalm Meditation 931
Fourth Sunday of Easter
April 22, 2018
Psalm 67
1 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
2 that your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among all nations.
3 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
5 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
6 The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us.
7 May God continue to bless us; let all the ends of the earth revere him.
(NRSV)
We like the idea of equity of judgment until it appears that someone else receives a benefit at our expense. When I was in college I was asked to referee a volleyball game at church camp. It happened that one of the teams that day was the group for whom I was youth pastor. In an attempt not to be accused of bias I ended up calling a lot more faults and fouls on my own team. And while it may seem to work that way with God sometimes, it is not the case. God is fair and equitable among us.
We may be aware of times God calls faults and fouls on us more often than we are when it happens to others. Life is more complex than a volleyball game. Since we are aware of the rules we are conscious of the fouls being called. Since it happens to us we are conscious of the call being made where we may miss it when called against others. On top of that life fouls are rarely called at the moment of the infraction. The effect of a foul committed in this moment may take weeks or even generations to make itself known and felt.
The psalmist reminds us that God is fair in judgment even as blessings come to us beyond our ability to earn, acknowledge, or even recognize them. God judges fairly, each according to our actions. God blesses unfairly, each according to the love God has for us without regard to our earning or deserving those blessings in any way. “May God continue to bless us; let all the ends of the earth revere him.”
April 16, 2018
LCM
Fourth Sunday of Easter
April 22, 2018
Psalm 67
1 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
2 that your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among all nations.
3 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
5 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.
6 The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us.
7 May God continue to bless us; let all the ends of the earth revere him.
(NRSV)
We like the idea of equity of judgment until it appears that someone else receives a benefit at our expense. When I was in college I was asked to referee a volleyball game at church camp. It happened that one of the teams that day was the group for whom I was youth pastor. In an attempt not to be accused of bias I ended up calling a lot more faults and fouls on my own team. And while it may seem to work that way with God sometimes, it is not the case. God is fair and equitable among us.
We may be aware of times God calls faults and fouls on us more often than we are when it happens to others. Life is more complex than a volleyball game. Since we are aware of the rules we are conscious of the fouls being called. Since it happens to us we are conscious of the call being made where we may miss it when called against others. On top of that life fouls are rarely called at the moment of the infraction. The effect of a foul committed in this moment may take weeks or even generations to make itself known and felt.
The psalmist reminds us that God is fair in judgment even as blessings come to us beyond our ability to earn, acknowledge, or even recognize them. God judges fairly, each according to our actions. God blesses unfairly, each according to the love God has for us without regard to our earning or deserving those blessings in any way. “May God continue to bless us; let all the ends of the earth revere him.”
April 16, 2018
LCM
Monday, April 9, 2018
Psalm Meditation 930
Third Sunday of Easter
April 15, 2018
Psalm 84
1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!
2 My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.
3 Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God.
4 Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise. Selah
5 Happy are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
6 As they go through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength; the God of gods will be seen in Zion
8 O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
9 Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed.
10 For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than live in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the LORD withhold from those who walk uprightly.
12 O LORD of hosts, happy is everyone who trusts in you.
(NRSV)
I don’t recall ever have been in an ugly place of worship. I have been in buildings that are plain and ones that are ornate. I have been in buildings and rooms that did not suit my fancy as well as ones that filled me with a sense of awe and wonder. I do not remember being in a place of worship that was not the best the particular worship community had to offer. There is something compelling and important about worship space that draws us to want to offer our very best to the one we worship in that space. When it is the kind of space that attracts non-human creatures, it is a good space.
The Temple was mostly open courts and spaces surrounded by walls making it very easy for birds especially to make nests in the Temple confines. Many of the big box hardware stores have a few birds who have taken up residence in the building. There are opportunities to sneak in and probably enough stray material to build a nest. I am sure there are conflicts between birds and humans from time to time, however both groups are able to co-exist peacefully inside the walls of the building. The psalmist makes a point of mentioning that even birds are comfortable in the presence of God.
There is something comfortable and comforting about being in worship space. They have been designed to speak to our hearts with a sense of the mix of awe and majesty, and the presence and accessibility of God within the space. The important part of every worship space is the ability to feel the presence of God in the space and in the community that gathers into that space. The psalmist reminds us that being in the presence of God is a wonderful place to be. “For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than live in the tents of wickedness.”
April 9, 2018
LCM
Third Sunday of Easter
April 15, 2018
Psalm 84
1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!
2 My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.
3 Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God.
4 Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise. Selah
5 Happy are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
6 As they go through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength; the God of gods will be seen in Zion
8 O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
9 Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed.
10 For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than live in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the LORD withhold from those who walk uprightly.
12 O LORD of hosts, happy is everyone who trusts in you.
(NRSV)
I don’t recall ever have been in an ugly place of worship. I have been in buildings that are plain and ones that are ornate. I have been in buildings and rooms that did not suit my fancy as well as ones that filled me with a sense of awe and wonder. I do not remember being in a place of worship that was not the best the particular worship community had to offer. There is something compelling and important about worship space that draws us to want to offer our very best to the one we worship in that space. When it is the kind of space that attracts non-human creatures, it is a good space.
The Temple was mostly open courts and spaces surrounded by walls making it very easy for birds especially to make nests in the Temple confines. Many of the big box hardware stores have a few birds who have taken up residence in the building. There are opportunities to sneak in and probably enough stray material to build a nest. I am sure there are conflicts between birds and humans from time to time, however both groups are able to co-exist peacefully inside the walls of the building. The psalmist makes a point of mentioning that even birds are comfortable in the presence of God.
There is something comfortable and comforting about being in worship space. They have been designed to speak to our hearts with a sense of the mix of awe and majesty, and the presence and accessibility of God within the space. The important part of every worship space is the ability to feel the presence of God in the space and in the community that gathers into that space. The psalmist reminds us that being in the presence of God is a wonderful place to be. “For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than live in the tents of wickedness.”
April 9, 2018
LCM
Monday, April 2, 2018
Psalm Meditation 929
Second Sunday of Easter
April 8, 2018
Psalm 117
1 Praise the LORD, all you nations! Extol him, all you peoples!
2 For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD!
(NRSV)
Love means so much to so many that at times it comes across as nearly meaningless. We can love a comfortable pair of shoes, a favorite food, a piece of machinery, a pet, and a spouse or friend. When one word is asked to do so much there can be difficulty figuring out which meaning it conveys at which time.
So when we read about the steadfast love of God toward us, we can be tempted to see God’s love as that directed to a pet or a possession. We have difficulty imagining that God can love any of us as intensely as the Hebrew word means. We are too tempted to believe that God’s love is conditioned by a variety of factors, being totally unprepared for the depth, the intensity, the perseverance, and the unwavering quality of the love that comes to each one of us. We can be particularly tempted to see God’s love as conditional when we consider other people, people who aren’t like us.
However, God’s love is unconditional. When it dawns on us that the love of God is ours, no matter what, we join the psalmist in praising God every time we make the time to consider how much God loves each one of us.
April 2, 2018
LCM
Second Sunday of Easter
April 8, 2018
Psalm 117
1 Praise the LORD, all you nations! Extol him, all you peoples!
2 For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD!
(NRSV)
Love means so much to so many that at times it comes across as nearly meaningless. We can love a comfortable pair of shoes, a favorite food, a piece of machinery, a pet, and a spouse or friend. When one word is asked to do so much there can be difficulty figuring out which meaning it conveys at which time.
So when we read about the steadfast love of God toward us, we can be tempted to see God’s love as that directed to a pet or a possession. We have difficulty imagining that God can love any of us as intensely as the Hebrew word means. We are too tempted to believe that God’s love is conditioned by a variety of factors, being totally unprepared for the depth, the intensity, the perseverance, and the unwavering quality of the love that comes to each one of us. We can be particularly tempted to see God’s love as conditional when we consider other people, people who aren’t like us.
However, God’s love is unconditional. When it dawns on us that the love of God is ours, no matter what, we join the psalmist in praising God every time we make the time to consider how much God loves each one of us.
April 2, 2018
LCM
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