Psalm Meditation 1228 ¶First Sunday After Christmas ¶December 31, 2023 ¶Psalm 82 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+82&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶We do like to get the good things we deserve almost as much as we enjoy deciding why it is that ‘those’ people don’t really deserve any good things. If they do get them, it is a fluke, an injustice, a travesty. Of course, no one deserves good things as much as we do because we are the faithful, and righteous. According to the biblical texts we follow, we have earned all the good things and none of the bad things going around these days. It is kinda sad that so many people outside of our group would even consider getting all of our good things. ¶Except that the psalmist reminds us that God doesn’t judge, reward, or punish according to our standards. God has a bias for the weak, the orphan, the lowly, and the destitute. They are aware that they do no deserve any good things, so they are grateful for every good thing that comes their way. It isn’t being on the outside of ‘polite’ society that gets them any of the good things, it is the gratitude. Being grateful opens our hearts and minds to see other things for which we can be grateful and allows us to become more deeply grateful for all that we do have. ¶Entitlement breeds entitlement and gratitude breeds gratitude. We can walk through our lives in the fog of entitlement, always knowing that we deserve more of the good things and less of the bad things that come our way. Or we can walk in the light of gratitude knowing that it is not about earning or deserving anything we get, it is about being grateful to God and those around us for the good things. It is also about being grateful for the support we can give and get from each other in the rough times. ¶December 26, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1227 ¶Fourth Sunday of Advent/Christmas Eve ¶December 24, 2023 ¶Psalm 111 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+111&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶Do we get good things because we fear, are in awe of, God, or does our awe allow us to notice that the good things are gifts from God? All sorts of people get good things whether they are faithful to God or not. God is good, loving, and generous to us because it is the nature of God to do that. We don't earn or deserve good things from God, we get them no matter what. Our praise and gratitude don’t entitle us to God’s good gifts, praise and gratitude allow us to see all the ways that God works in our lives. ¶When things go well, and when they don’t, God is with us, accompanying us on our journey. God is present to celebrate with us in good times, to mourn and suffer with us in bad times, and to be with us in the day to day times. Whether we know it or not, or notice it or not, God is with us. There are folks who can recite long sections of Scripture. God is present with them. There are folks who know little more than a sentence about the love of God for the world and all that is in it. God is present with them. The hierarchy of the love of God is about how much we notice rather than about how much we receive from God. ¶When we offer thanks and praise to God we find ever richer and deeper reasons to offer them. As we look to God with gratitude, we see more simple and profound reasons to thank God for all that goes on in and around us. The more we experience and dwell on the wonders of God’s love at work in the world, the more we see the heights and depths of God’s involvement in all the rich variety of life in the world. “Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them.” ¶December 18, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1226 ¶Third Sunday of Advent ¶December 17, 2023 ¶Psalm 104 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+104&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶When you ask a group of preschoolers how many of them can sing, or dance, or draw, they will each say, and perhaps show, that they can do all of those things and more. Creativity and confidence in our ability to create seems to be innate in us. These preschoolers know that they can do all sorts of creative things, and look for ways to demonstrate their willingness and ability to do any number of things that call on their imagination and creativity to do all sorts of wonder-full activities. ¶Somewhere along the line many of us lose confidence in our creativity for any number of reasons. Someone is bound to make fun of us as we begin to polish our skills and abilities. If we are sensitive to that kind of pressure, we will hide that talent from others and eventually from ourselves so that we forget about our ability to create in some form. We reach a point in our development in which it is important to fit in with those around us. When we are told that there is someone much better at a skill than we are, we set it aside and let the ‘expert’ take over. ¶God creates confidently. If we like what God does we can give thanks. If we don’t like what God does we can complain. Either way, God continues to act in creative ways grateful for our thanks, saddened by our complaints, creating newness in a variety of ways as gifts for those who choose to enjoy them. The psalmist is glad to be in the presence of God’s creative energy and sings out praise to God. It is possible to continue to use our gifts even if there are people whose offerings are more to the liking of a majority. “I will sing praise to my God while I have being.” ¶December 11, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1225 ¶Second Sunday of Advent ¶December 10, 2023 ¶Psalm 97 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+97&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶There are folks who long for the day of YHWH, knowing that on that day all the people who have ever annoyed them for any reason will suddenly cease to be. The judgement of God will come and destroy all who have stood against God, and we will finally be free of those evil doers. It will be a glorious day for us when we are finally free of all those who have harassed and tempted us throughout our lives. We will be able to relax and enjoy the presence of God in the fullness of glory. ¶Except that, each of us has had a time in which our faithfulness has been questionable, and we have made ourselves as liable to judgment as anyone else. Through our lives we have made someone or something the top priority in our lives, turning it into an idol. We have made ourselves guilty of the very thing for which we have wished God’s judgment on others. Even though we can justify our actions, we are still guilty. If the day of YHWH comes as we have hoped, we will be swept away in the same judgment we have wished on others. ¶The good thing is that God is not as vindictive as we can be. Though we long for fire, flood, and famine for all of ‘those’ people, God is loving and patient with them and with us. The love of God keeps calling us into a relationship, not only with God, with all people everywhere. God loves the people who have hurt us, who hate us, who ignore us because we mean so little to them. God loves us even though we have hurt people, hate people, and ignore people either purposely or carelessly. God loves us, simple as that. ¶December 6, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1224 ¶First Sunday of Advent ¶December 3, 2023 ¶Psalm 90 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+90&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶As a child, I thought anger was based in dislike, distaste, hate, all of those negative relationship markers. If someone was angry with me, it was best to avoid them so as not to give them any more reasons to dislike me more than they already did. I was not particularly aware of the concept of apology at the time I have conjured up in my memory. So, the best plan of action against anger was avoidance, and not a little fuming and pouting about the anger directed toward me. ¶As an adult, I have discovered that most, if not all, anger is based in fear. (It is a simplified way of dealing with emotions, that works for some of us.) When I am afraid a loved one is on the verge of doing something different, foolish or dangerous my first reaction is anger. When I am able to discern what it is that I am afraid of, I can let go of the anger and deal with the fear in a more helpful way. ¶The psalmist knows that God is a long time place of refuge from the hurts of daily living, and in this moment knows that things are not going according to plan. In that case, God has pushed us away in anger for some misdeed of ours, and we have to live with the knowledge that God, out of anger, will place limits on our lives, and we will be helpless to change that. Giving God the same emotional baggage that many of us carry is not a very helpful view of God’s stability among us. God does get angry, upset, irritated with us, but never to the point of pushing us away. God loves us beyond measure, simple as that. ¶November 27, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1223 ¶Reign of Christ ¶November 26, 2023 ¶Psalm 83 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+83&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶Aesop has a fable of the sun and the north wind arguing over which is stronger. To settle the question they agree to see which of them can get a man’s cloak off. The wind goes first and attempts to blow the cloak off of the man. In response he pulls it more tightly around himself. When the sun takes a turn, it sends warmth to the man so that he takes off his cloak, and the sun is declared the winner. It is Aesop’s way of reminding us that use of force is not an effective way to get things done. ¶The psalmist wants God to behave the way human rulers do by using force to accomplish a goal. We like to believe that the use of force works. While force may keep enemies at bay for a time, it is rarely a permanent solution. Eventually, the use of force turns into bullying and we have lots of enemies and very few friends, except those we have bought and paid for in some way. Lucky for us, God does not behave the way human rulers do, and is amazingly patient with each and all of us. ¶Psalms like this one are helpful when we are angry with others and, for now, want them to be destroyed and swept from the earth and everyone’s memory. They let us get the anger out of our system as they let us know that we are not the first or only ones to ever want an enemy destroyed. As the anger dissipates we are better able to see the more positive way that God is at work in our lives and in the world. ¶November 21, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1222 ¶Proper 28 ¶November 19, 2023 ¶Psalm 76 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+76&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶There is something powerful about anger, especially when we can call it righteous indignation. Righteous anger is both good and justifiable. When God is acting in righteous indignation we know that the focus of God’s anger is really going to get it, and is really going to deserve it. We like the image of the protagonist, God in this case, striding into the conflict slashing all those who deserve it while protecting and rescuing all the innocents and underdogs caught up in this mortal combat. ¶Is that really the God we want? The one who holds in the wrath and rage until it breaks free and wreaks havoc on all the bad guys while leaving the good people stunned, afraid, and maybe a little excited that our God can wipe the ground with our enemies. My preference is for one who can stop the conflict with a word. If the word does not put a stop to the conflict, I want a God who is willing to be the sacrifice that draws us all up short. The one whose sacrifice draws all sides to stop in horror at what we have done to each other. ¶These war psalms are a great adrenaline rush as we watch YHWH vanquish our foes, leaving us to praise God for this decisive victory on our behalf. God is not content with the short, violent resolution. God is more intent on the long view, what it takes to get every side to see others as persons of sacred worth. We can let our hearts thrill, and our pulses quicken with this view of a warrior God, however, it is not the God of Scripture or experience. YHWH is the God who uses anger as an energizer for healing our hurts. ¶November 13, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1221 ¶Proper 27 ¶November 12, 2023 ¶Psalm 105 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+105&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶When things are going well and it would be easy to give thanks to God we tend to forget how great a hand God has in providing all the goodness with which we are surrounded. All these good things were earned through our own effort, we owe nothing to anyone, all the while forgetting that it is God who created the things we have worked so long and hard to achieve. When we are surrounded by all sorts of good things we really don’t need anyone else, including God. Or so we think. We need workers to build and support the product. We need customers and consumers to make our product necessary. These are just a few of the people we need in order to be self-made successes. ¶When things are rough and giving thanks to God for all the good things we need and want would be a good thing, we let a touch of bitterness creep in. All those good things are a stumbling block between us and God. ‘If only God were more responsive to my needs I could have nicer stuff.’ We may have times of need in which the extras of life are beyond our grasp. We can still be grateful for all the intangibles that cannot be bought and sold. We can be grateful that God is with us in every time and place. ¶The psalmist calls us to give thanks for all of God’s gifts and actions in every time. The psalm continues with the story of the exodus from captivity to freedom and the ways in which God was active through it all. When things seem dark and bleak, God is with us, loving us and giving us the courage to move forward. When things are bright and cheery, God is with us, loving us and rejoicing with us in our good fortune. It is our gratitude that keeps us focused on the good things that are available to us. ¶November 7, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1220 ¶Proper 26 ¶November 5, 2023 ¶Psalm 98 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+98&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶When our son was in Cub Scouts, I was the cubmaster for a year or so. When I went to training, one of the activities that was suggested was having an outside scout leader come in to do a uniform inspection. I invited a member of the district council, who happened to be in our area to do the inspection. We announced the inspection and boys showed up for the meeting in their Cub Scout finest. Our inspector let the boys know that when he did an inspection each of the boys would begin with a perfect score. He also let them know that when he inspected the adults we would start at zero and work our way up. ¶It seems to me that in every situation in which we find ourselves judged we want the judge who starts by believing that each of us is a great example of our craft. The job of this kind of judge is to offer us pointers on how to improve our work and presentation to make our best even better. This is in stark contrast to the judge who starts by believing that no one is as good as they believe themselves to be. The job of this kind of judge is to criticize every fault and inconsistency in a display of superior knowledge, and by extension skill. Most of us would rather have the judge who believes in us. ¶The psalmist encourages us to celebrate the fact that our God, YHWH, began by seeing each of us as very good. That kind of belief in us and encouragement for us allows us the freedom to excel, to continue to grow into the best selves we can possibly become. The creativity of God, visible all around us, encourages and emboldens us to reach for the heights and plumb the depths of our own creativity. As we participate in the acts and adventures of creation we can approach every task with a sense of joy. ¶October 31, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1219 ¶Proper 25 ¶October 29, 2023 ¶Psalm 91 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+91&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶Imagine if it were true that people of God will never be hurt or killed and no evil will befall them/us. There would be lines around the block to sign up for that kind of benefit. Interestingly, there are a lot of folks who have stood in crowds and lines to be a part of that kind of faith. The trouble is that it is not any of the three Abrahamic faiths. Oh, it may have the name but not the ideals and practices of any of the faiths that trace roots back to Abraham. Adherents of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have each suffered greatly at the hands of others. ¶The important part for faithful adherents to the faith is that there are always those willing to risk their lives for the things they hold dear, even when their sacrifice serves to benefit those who are not in the same camp as themselves. They work for justice for each and all, they work for peace knowing they will have to give up some things to provide for others, they work for the rights and privileges of others because of their relationship with God more than any other reason. ¶The presence of God does not protect us from harm as much as it protects us from being separated from the love of God. That love draws us into relationship with all the people of God and strengthens our resolve to bring peace and justice to all people regardless of their practices and beliefs. God is with us and holds us in powerful, loving hands. We will be hurt, we will be killed, however we will not be separated from God’s love for us, no matter what. ¶October 24, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1218 ¶Proper 24 ¶October 22, 2023 ¶Psalm 84 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+84&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶When I was old enough to have some say in whether or not I went to worship or some other activity at the church I would ask my dad if I had to go. His answer was, “No, you get to go.” It is amazing how much difference it makes to have a choice, even if it is, like mine probably was, a false choice. I imagine that I was still going to go, no matter what my stated choice would have been, however being given the impression of the choice to go was amazingly liberating. The most important part was that it changed my attitude from being forced to go and sulking and pouting through the whole event to being engaged in the activity. ¶To go into the presence of God, in a worship service for instance, with a sense of willingness and anticipation opens us more fully to the experience. We are better able to be with God who is waiting to welcome us with open, loving heart and arms. As we see God, we find ourselves more open to the presence of others who are there for their own reasons and with their own needs. We can even feel at home with those we might otherwise believe don’t belong there, the sparrows for instance. ¶The psalmist is deeply excited to be in the presence of God in the Temple. Along with the excitement comes the knowledge that those who are present with a kindred attitude are strengthened by the experience, even the anticipation, of meeting God in the worship gathering. The excitement, anticipation, even the desire are not always there for us, and the psalmist offers no judgment for those times. When excitement, anticipation, and desire are present the psalmist knows that the experience will be excellent. ¶October 16, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1217 ¶Proper 23 ¶October 15, 2023 ¶Psalm 77 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+77&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶When we are surrounded by chaos and catastrophe it is easy to lose sight of God, at least to lose sight of God’s positive characteristics. We feel lost, unloved, and abandoned as if we will never again see the light of day. We find ourselves questioning the motives and actions of God in our lives. So many thoughts and feelings rise up within us that we feel as if we are beginning to shrivel up and turn to dust. There must be something that can be done to pull us out of this pit that has become our lot. ¶The psalmist determines to change focus from the doldrums of the present to the wonders of the past. By remembering that each time God has seemed to abandon the chosen people there comes a time of renewed blessing into their lives. What appears to be the darkness of a grave, may be the darkness of a cocoon from which a new and beautiful creature will emerge. The bringers and carriers of chaos and destruction are put to rout and we are able to see glimmers of hope sparkle around us. ¶When we find the first glimmer of hope, it opens our eyes to the next one and the next one. Our actual circumstances and situation may not have changed at all, yet knowing that God is present within and among us allows us to see that the darkness is not as dark as it seems when we peer into it alone. We often discover that in the presence of God we are not alone. Not only is God with us, there are other companions for the journey who will stand with us as we offer mutual support in the name of God. ¶October 9, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1216 ¶Proper 22 ¶October 8, 2023 ¶Psalm 70 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+70&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶An old joke tells of a farmer on top of his barn repairing a bad patch of roof. Suddenly, he begins to slide off and prays, “Oh God, save me!” Instantly the clasp of his bib overalls catches on a nail stopping his fall. He takes a couple of deep breaths and prays again, “Never mind God, I got this one myself.” There are times in which there is no one to turn to, except God. Even when that is the case we will often find a way to take credit for what God is doing in our lives. ¶The psalmist is under no such illusion. “But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God!” There are no extra resources available to the psalmist so the only recourse is to turn to and to depend on God for any salvation that will come in this drastic and dire situation. Any rejoicing and gladness will be because of the active, positive presence of God in this and every moment. Deliverance will come from God. At our best we will see the hand of God at work in our lives for all sorts of good. ¶When we reach the point at which there is nowhere else to turn, we can turn to God, who is always ready to help, deliver, and save us. God does not act on our behalf because we ask for it or deserve it. God acts because it is the nature of God to love us and look out for us. Our asking is more a way to open our eyes to what God is already doing in our lives and to be thankful for the loving presence that is a part of all creation. ¶October 2, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1215 ¶World Communion Sunday ¶October 1, 2023 ¶Psalm 99 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+99&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶To have a nation run by a god, gods, or God is called a theocracy. The trouble with a theocracy is that it needs at least one person to be the intermediary between the divine on the one hand and humans on the other. It works best when the intermediary is a faithful interpreter of the divine will. And there’s the rub. We rarely relay information from source to recipient without throwing in our own point of view. When multiple people are asked to describe an event to which they were each witnesses, there will be as many versions of the event as there are witnesses. ¶When we do wish for a theocracy, we want the one that follows our own particular spin on the laws, by-laws, and rules. I want all the ‘others’ around me to pay a heftier price for their actions than I do, because, of course, I cling more closely to the divine rules as I have received them. If a dispute arises between your way and mine, my way is superior to yours; with the understanding that ‘my’ and ‘mine’ belong to the person currently reading. It is hard enough to follow God as an individual without having a whole nation follow God through one interpretation. ¶While a nation ruled by God is a laudable goal, it is not very practical. Even two people can find reason to argue over what it means to follow God as a faithful adherent to God’s word and will for us in the world. The best we can do is to follow God as closely as we can as individuals, while being open to teaching and correction from others. God loves justice, righteousness, and forgives us freely and wholeheartedly. Most important, God loves each one of us. ¶September 25, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1214 ¶Proper 20 ¶September 24, 2023 ¶Psalm 92 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+92&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶Two furniture designers were having a conversation and one of them said that we as people are turning more and more toward negativity and that one of the tasks of designers is going to be to find ways to put a more positive spin on the world in which we find ourselves. The topic resonated with me as well. It is so easy take the downward spiral in attitude and opinion that we have to choose to be positive especially in the face of the negatives that bombard us on a daily basis. ¶The psalmist offers us a way to meet the negativity in our own lives at least. When we push ourselves to be thankful to and for those around us we find the world taking an upward swing. As we express our gratitude to others we find ever more for which to be grateful and gratitude becomes a habit and a lifestyle. When we add gratitude to God, or begin with it, we are uplifted, buoyed up by the awareness of the presence of God in our lives and in the world around us. ¶As we find ourselves being lifted by thankfulness and gratitude, we may still have a negative and cynical streak within us. It is not a good idea to hold negative thoughts and feelings in, so find a friend or two with whom to vent your cynicism. Have the venting session and leave it to dissipate on its own. Having vented, we can rejoin the world in thankfulness and gratitude. So even our negativity, and especially the friends with whom we share it can give us new reason to be grateful to God, and each other. ¶September 18, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1213 ¶Proper 19 ¶September,17 2023 ¶Psalm 85 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+85&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶The people we love and care for can annoy and upset us to the point that we have to take some time away from them. It might be a few minutes and sometimes a few days. This does not mean we love these people any less, it means that we are close enough to each other that we know what buttons to push to get a serious reaction from the other. At best, taking time apart reminds us what it is we love about the other and brings us back together with a renewed intention to refrain from pushing the annoyance buttons, at least on purpose. At worst we discover that there is not enough energy from one or both of us to sustain our relationship. ¶The psalmist is convinced that God has reached the point at which there is no more energy available to be with the people previously chosen as special and set apart. This psalm sets out to convince God that there is a relationship worth salvaging, as well as convincing us that God is the source of our peace and salvation for enough us to make the effort on God’s part worth the time and energy required to love us as steadfastly as previous generations have been loved and cared for by God. ¶According to God, the steadfast love in which we are held does not waver or disintegrate at the slightest stumble on our part. And God is left to wonder why we keep asking to be let back into God’s heart and good graces when we have never been anywhere else. God is always ready to scoop us up as a loving parent scoops up a frightened, injured child to offer comfort, safety, and calm in a gentle embrace. God loves us, we can relax and be at peace. ¶September 13, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1212 ¶Proper 18 ¶September 10, 2023 ¶Psalm 78 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+78&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶‘Remember back in the good old days when everyone was in worship on Sunday morning and people were good to their neighbors?’ It is a nostalgic look back at the world as we remember it. Nostalgia is looking back to the happy times in the past and longing to be there. Just because we remember it doesn’t mean it happened that way, or that it was as good as we think it was. There were more people in Sunday worship in the US during the 1950s. It was not as good as we remember it. ¶The psalmist has a different form of nostalgia in which God has always been good, while we, “flattered him with their [our] mouths; they lied to him with their [our] tongues. Their [our] heart was not steadfast toward him; they [we] were not true to his covenant.” We were not, and according to the psalmist, and have never been the good people we pretended to be. As God continues to love us, care for us and provide for us, we continue to take advantage of that love by believing that God believes what we believe, loves what we love and is willing to destroy what we want destroyed. ¶The good thing is that the love of God is not dependent on our words, actions, or beliefs. God loves us by choice and no matter what. We can’t make God love us more and we certainly can’t make God love us less. We do better to accept that we can’t earn or deserve God’s love, we can accept it and let it work in us to bring us ever closer to being people who act out of the love of God. ¶September 4, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1211 ¶Proper 17 ¶September 3, 2023 ¶Psalm 71 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+71&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶I see the path to God as a bicycle wheel with spokes that come from all directions moving toward the center hub. We can be going different directions, crossing paths all while heading for the same goal. If we are not careful or kind we can see those coming from different directions as being wrong rather than simply different. And while it seems everyone else is headed in the wrong direction, we each have our own way to go to support the work of holding hub to rim. ¶The psalmist feels picked on for going about things differently than those who feel that their way is the only right way. The psalmist feels like a portent, a warning of an upcoming calamity due to going the ‘wrong’ way. We are more aware of other people doing things ’wrong’ than we are of ourselves doing things that don’t fit in with those around us. We see those we love and care about as being right and everyone else being wrong. A band parent commented on the band marching a parade saying, “Did you notice that everyone in the band was out of step except my child?” ¶It is possible to be different from those around us, and for each of us to be on the right path. When the pressure becomes great to get everyone moving in the same direction think of a bicycle wheel and the differences required for that wheel to work. And look to God who is faithful to us and does not forsake us as we move through the world doing the work to which we feel called and led. ¶August 30, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1210 ¶Proper 16 ¶August 27, 2023 ¶Psalm 64 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+64&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶When we complain it is to two very different types of people. We complain to those we believe share our opinion of the object of our complaint. These folks are not in a position to do anything about our complaint except to nod and join in the conversation with their own complaints about the subject. It becomes an increasingly intense conversation as we dig deeper into our wells of disgust regarding this object of our shared ire. There is a hidden hope that the other will take our common concerns to the proper authorities to get it fixed to our satisfaction. ¶The psalmist takes the other course of action, taking the complaint to one who has the power and authority to do something about the source of our complaint. God can’t keep people from scheming against us or plotting our destruction in some form. God can open the hearts and minds of good people to see the inherent evil in the actions and intentions of those around us. When enough people see the evil in the actions and ideas of the selfish, greedy people of an area they can stand in opposition to that evil and expose it to the ridicule it deserves. ¶As much fun as the first choice can be, to talk about the faults and flaws of others with those who share our view—to gossip, It is not a productive way to solve a problem. If we are not in a position to deal with the concern directly we can go to the person or group who does have the authority to address the concern. God is certainly one to whom we can go for help and support. It is possible God will work in the life of the other in such a way that our concern is dealt with. It is just as possible that God will work within us to show us how we can live in harmony with the other, or live with the dissonance that is our relationship. “Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in [God]. Let all the upright in heart glory.” ¶August 21, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1209 ¶Proper 15 ¶August 20, 2023 ¶Psalm 93 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+93&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶Oceans, seas, lakes, and other large bodies of water were fearful places for the people of early biblical times. They were disordered, unruly, and dangerous places for people to venture. Large bodies of water were home to the chaos monster who brought calamity and confusion to people who ventured out into the angry waves. In the act of Creation, God had made a place that was usually safe from the wilds of the waters of chaos. Every now and then the waters would cross into the dry land to bring flooding and its resulting difficulties. ¶When I would be frightened by thunder in nighttime storms, my dad would calm me by telling me to imagine that it was potatoes rolling down the stairs. That image was enough to allow me to take a deep breath or two and drift back to sleep. Perhaps that was the psalmist’s thinking as well. By offering the image of the flood waters roaring out their praise to God, it offered people an opportunity to redirect their fear of the flood to the praise of God for protection from the floodwaters. ¶The world has a lot of scary things in it these days. I imagine the world has always had plenty of things about which people can fret and stress. Through it all, people of faith have lived and died as people of God. They have faced their fears, avoided danger, kept loved ones as safe as possible in any given situation. Those who find and make ways to offer praise and thanksgiving to God have an easier time facing their trials than those who give in to the fear of anything and everything in the world around them. ¶August 14, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1208 ¶Proper 14 ¶August 13, 2023 ¶Psalm 86 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+86&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶In some cultures, including that of ancient Israel, it is understood that surrounding cultures have their own deities that share space with those of other groups. This is why it is important to know the name/names of those who reign over our particular people group. It is the task of our divinity to push others out of the way to show that our group is bigger, faster, and stronger than yours. Our human wars, battles, and conflicts are extensions of the divine battle for supremacy. ¶In this psalm, the psalmist makes the bold claim “For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.” (86:10.) One way of hearing this statement is that our God is the most powerful of all the pantheon. My preference is to hear it as a statement of monotheism, that there is only one God. For those who worship numerous deities, it is dividing the attributes of God into several parts for ease of petitioning the one who is in charge of my particular concern. We each have moments in which we need a particular attribute of God in order to face what lies before us. Some choose to have a separate deity, others choose to approach a particular characteristic of God knowing that all of YHWH will be present with us. ¶The psalmist continues with a request to be taught the way of God in a way that is clear along with the ability and willingness to follow with an undivided heart. The psalmist also reminds us that there are always folks out to get us, who do not see eye to eye with us on questions including how and even if God is present among us. It is the grace and mercy of God that will finally bring us into the steadfast love and faithfulness of God. In the strength of God’s gifts to us we too will be able to live out the steadfast love of God toward all those around us. ¶August 8, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1207 ¶Proper 13 ¶August 6, 2023 ¶Psalm 79 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+79&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶At least one of my seminary professors told us that we are not so much punished for our sin as we are by our sin. As an addition from experience, we can be punished by the sins of another. Yet another addition is that the definition of sin can be broad. We have probably experienced being punished by our sin and owned up to it with a ‘Yeah, I deserved that.’ And we have probably been hurt by the actions of others by being in their presence as they did something that someone was going to have to pay for. There are some things that do not seem to be sinful, and yet there is a price to pay for those actions and deeds. ¶The psalmist is aware that there are many deaths to be mourned in the city of Jerusalem. It may have been due to the actions of the residents of the city, and just as likely that it is due to the selfishness and greed of those who attacked and destroyed the city. The most true part of the psalmist’s prayer is that only God can bring the city back into its former glory as the City of God. The God whose love continually draws us together in love does not seem to be one who would send one group to destroy another, especially in anger. God aches with us in our pain and grief rather than being the cause of it. ¶God is not one to pick sides based on right and wrong since there is usually some of each on every side of a conflict. God is most likely to side with the poor, oppressed, and powerless. Those who have resources, freedom, and power do not need help in winning the conflicts in which they embroil themselves. God offers help and hope to the downtrodden in such a way that even if they are defeated and nearly destroyed, they know that they are loved by God. ¶August 1, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1206 ¶Proper 12 ¶July 30, 2023 ¶Psalm 72 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+72&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶For most of us, our first thought is for ourselves and those close to us. The psalmist prays that the ruler of Israel give first thought to those who do not have the power, money, or other resources to fend for themselves. As the poor, needy, and oppressed prosper so do all the other people in the nation. The psalmist knows that when those of the lowest degree are able to thrive and prosper, those of all other groups find their resources increase as well. When the people of a nation prosper, the nation becomes a model and magnet for other nations and peoples. ¶When we live with a scarcity mindset we find ourselves hoarding, storing up for ourselves, just in case the shortage we sense gets worse and worse. Many years ago, probably mid 1980s, a study was done to determine the best way to increase the food supply so that everyone would have enough food to meet their dietary needs. The results of the study were that there was already enough food being produced to feed the people of the world. It was not a scarcity problem, it was a distribution problem. ¶While we have years of experience living with the belief that there can’t possibly be enough of whatever it is to go around, the truth is there is more than enough of all the important resources to take care of all the people of the world. When we join the psalmist in praying and asking that our rulers seek and follow the will of God rather than declaring that God blesses what they desire, we will find ourselves in a peaceable realm that touches each person as a child and heir of God. ¶July 25, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1205 ¶Proper 11 ¶July 23, 2023 ¶Psalm 65 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+65&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶The psalmist points to the awesome deeds that God performs for the sake of delivering the faithful. God does creative things like making mountains and seas. God does restorative things like send rain to water the earth and renew the flow of river waters. God does provident things like provide grain and other bounty for the sustenance of creation. God does artistic things like color the earth with a variety of colorful plants. And by looking on all of this we find great joy in God and the world. ¶This does not mean that people who do not acknowledge the presence of God in the world do not see the beauty that surrounds us all. They see the awesomeness that is the world, and beyond that to the wonders of the universe. That they do not see God at work, does not mean that they do not see beauty, it means they don’t see the work as that of God. Some folks do not see the cycles of time as awesome, they are simply ordinary. God does not get any credit from them for all the wonders that surround us, especially if they do not see the wonder that is present in creation. ¶We ask the question, ‘How can people look at the universe and not see God?,’ rather than acknowledging that not everyone sees the world through the same set of eyes. For some it is a dull and dismal place, for others it is a series of random gifts of beauty that come from somewhere beyond ourselves. For the psalmist and many of us, the world is a gift from God full of rich variety, pain and pleasure, ordinary and sublime, beauty and ugliness all for the sake of leading us deeper into the presence of God. ¶July 17, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1204 ¶Proper 10 ¶July 16, 2023 ¶Psalm 58 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+58&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶There is something deeply satisfying about revenge fantasies. ‘If only I could watch as the teeth of my enemies are broken in their mouths, as their fangs are ripped out while they scream in pain. That would be so satisfying.’ Except that it isn’t. It may be fun or satisfying for a moment but it does not undo any damage they may have done to us and our loved ones. Revenge is like so many other responses to injuries, it is better to imagine it than to experience it. In our imagination we can leave out all the loud, stinking, sticky, gory parts and simply enjoy the suffering from a distance. ¶The psalmist longs for the day in which ‘the wicked’ get what’s coming to them. There will be dancing and shouting in celebration of the suffering of those who heaped suffering on us. The psalmist longs to join others in bathing their feet in the blood of the wicked. I don’t know if that kind of thing actually happened, however I can’t imagine wanting to dip a toe or finger into a pool of blood, let alone soak my feet in it. ¶I know there are those who relish the experience of revenge, and I wonder how long the good feeling lasts. In a tit for tat society, an act of revenge simply opens the door for a bigger, action on the part of the original perpetrator. And it becomes a spiral of action and reaction that digs an evil hole into which all parties can bury themselves. God calls us to loving action to break the cycle of evil that is so easy and tempting to fall into. The ’reward’ for the need for revenge is the downward spiral of acts of revenge. The reward for the righteous is living a life of love in the presence of God. ¶July 10, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1203 ¶Proper 9 ¶July 9, 2023 ¶Psalm 87 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+87&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶When the starting lineup of a professional sports team is introduced the announcer will include the most recent school a particular player attended. I often wondered why that is, until I read this psalm today. We like to know where a person is from in the event that we might have a connection with them. For those of us who will not play professional sports the question is, ‘Where were you born?’ or ‘Where are you from?’ Do we have a connection, positive or negative, on which to build a relationship? ¶Human beings appear to thrive on connection with others. After the extended period of COVID isolation, we find ourselves longing for renewed connection with those from whom we have been separated. We might also look for new connections in hopes of making up for some of our time in isolation. We like to know that we are not alone and that we have a place to belong with others like us. I find that it is just as important to have some who think and act differently in our circle so that we are exposed to a variety of opinions and activities. ¶The psalmist is celebrating the connection and comradery that comes from living in Jerusalem/Zion, the city of YHWH. In an era of city states, rather than full nations, it is important to know that we are among our own people. We have enough similarities to hold us together and enough tensions to keep ourselves interesting. To know that we are in the city established through divine influence sets us apart from those around us. We are set apart as servants of YHWH more than for some sort of privilege and glory. ¶July 4, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1202 ¶Proper 8 ¶July 2, 2023 ¶Psalm 80 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+80&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶When the most common style of leadership is an alpha male warrior, that becomes the image of your deity as well. So our God, YHWH, is seen as a warrior king who can be pouty and turn his back on us when we do anything to raise his ire. When we annoy or anger God, he leaves us to fend for ourselves against our neighboring enemies. God must then be appeased with compliments along with reminders that letting us get beat up makes him look weak and unable to defend his people. ¶That is the psalmists view. I hold a different opinion on how God is present among us. YHWH is the God of steadfast love who is present with us in every time and place, and stands among us at our strongest, our weakest, and all the points between. Through priests and prophets, God points us to a life of patient and steadfast love for people all around us. The way of steadfast love is more dangerous than the way of war and conflict. We will be hated for being different even as we love those who hate us. ¶Our human nature will move us in the direction of wanting to win as our adversaries lose. God will continue to move us in the direction of wanting to win our adversaries over to the way of steadfast love for all people. As people of God, we strive to grow deeper in love, to love those who love us, as well as those who hate us. It is a difficult task that God has set before us, one with which we have struggled for thousands of years. And yet, it continues to be a path worth the striving. “Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.” ¶June 26, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1201 ¶Proper 7 ¶June 25, 2023 ¶Psalm 73 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+73&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶We like to look at those who are wealthy and well connected and dream about what we would do if we were in their position. ‘If only I had that kind of wealth and power I would …’ One of the long standing icons of that position is Elvis Presley. He began with very little and with talent and excellent management he rose to the heights of wealth and fame. It is the American Dream story. It is also a cautionary tale. As his fame grew he began to hear only good things about himself, and surrounded himself with people who would not question him even as he fell into addiction. ¶The psalmist looked at the rich and powerful and saw how tempting it is to envy that kind of wealth, influence, and isolation from the troubles of the world. Despite the temptation, the psalmist was able to remain focused on God and the people of God. That constantly renewing attention to God allowed for a refocusing on the final act of the rich and famous. They each fall to ruin, brought about by their riches in some way. Even those who are willing to share their wealth with others can fall prey to the dangers of wealth and fame. ¶While it is fun to dream about what we would do with riches beyond count, we also have to be aware of the damage that wealth can do to anyone. The true riches are not money, prestige, and power. True wealth is in friends, family, and healthy relationships based in mutual love. For many of us that includes a relationship with God who watches over us and guides us in ways that lead to a wholeness that money and power cannot provide. “...for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, to tell of all your works.” ¶June 19, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1200 ¶Proper 6 ¶June 18, 2023 ¶Psalm 66 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+66&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶My psychology teacher my senior year in high school gave us a test, the first day, at least the first week. She wanted to know what we knew about psychology before she began teaching. If we all knew the same things she could brush past that area and spend more time on what we didn’t know. I may have had pre-tests before and after that, however this is the only time I remember a teacher giving a rationale for that kind of test. Maybe, even probably, teachers explained the reasoning behind a pre-test, I simply don’t remember anyone else doing it. ¶Pre-testing is a part of quality control in product design. A friend of ours was in product development for medical equipment. Quality Control sent them a report that they had dropped a 200-300 pound weight from 6 feet above onto a medical exam table and the table did not survive the test. I wondered how often a person of that size falls onto an exam table from that height. Our friend agreed, as did the rest of the development team, so they decided to wait for a more realistic test to be run. While it may be important to test for worst case scenarios, it is not always necessary to design for them; that’s what warning stickers are for. ¶When God tests us, it can certainly seem as if we are in a worst case scenario. Most of us know that the adage, “God won’t give us more than we can handle.” is nowhere near true. The truth is closer to, God is with us no matter what, pointing us in the direction that will bring us closer to reflecting the image of God in ourselves as we see it in those around us. As people with free will, we get ourselves into all sorts of messy and dangerous situations which some folks see as God testing us. The important part is knowing that the steadfast love of God is with us no matter where our choices lead us. “Blessed be God, who has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me.” ¶June 12, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1199 ¶Proper 5 ¶June 11, 2023 ¶Psalm 59 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+59&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶There is something about the cover of darkness that makes things a bit more frightening than in the light of day. Night hours are usually a little more quiet than day time, so sounds are more noticeable. It is more difficult to identify features of objects in the darkness, so shadowy sights hold more potential for fear and danger. If we already have reason to be afraid in the daytime, it is magnified in the dark. ¶The psalmist is aware that people are watching in order to determine the movements of those within the house, including David. They seem to make themselves visible enough to be detected without being identifiable to those being watched. But at night the watchers make a lot of noise as a reminder that it is not safe anywhere near where David is. Disturbing and disrupting the routines of the day effectively add to the fear that the watchers are there to cause. ¶The psalmist calls on God to be present in this scary series of events. Knowing that God is in the mix allows those around David, as well as us, to relax, knowing that the steadfast love of God will sustain us no matter what else may happen. The psalmist asks God to drain the fearfulness from the folks on the prowl to show everyone how utterly powerless they are in the face of the steadfast love and presence of God. “O my strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love.” ¶June 6, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1198 ¶Trinity Sunday ¶June 4, 2023 ¶Psalm 52 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+52&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶The chances are good that this psalm is addressed to people in positions of power. There may be a person like this in our circle of friends and acquaintances, however in the whole scope of human history their influence is extremely small. People in power who lie, cheat, and act treacherously can change the course of history with a well chosen word in the ear of one already primed to listen and believe. These are the people to whom this psalm issues a warning. ¶This psalm does not excuse this kind of behavior on the smaller scale of a friend group, it simply does not deal with dishonesty and treachery at that level. The warning stands for any who get giddy tearing people apart through lies, innuendo, and treachery. The psalmist warns that these folks will be found out, and the personal damage will be catastrophic. While it may give one a feeling of power to destroy a person or group from the inside, the price that is paid will hardly be worth the effort. ¶While a psalm may not address us or a situation in which we find ourselves directly, we can take a lesson from it. This psalm addresses lying etc. on a national political scale. While we may never have that kind of influence on a national leader, we can be aware that no good comes from treachery. We are much better off trusting in the steadfast love of God for joy and meaning in our lives. By trusting in steadfast love we can be resilient in the face of all the challenges that will come to us from within and without. ¶May 29, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1197 ¶Pentecost ¶May 28, 2023 ¶Psalm 81 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+81&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶Though most of us hate to be punished for anything, we are okay with God punishing us as long as it also means that our enemies suffer humiliations galore at some point in the future, and we are back to being God’s favorites once again. We like to know that God is really on our side. Anything bad that may happen to us is punishment for some sin we may have committed inadvertently, or even purposefully. We want to know that we are special, and that all the people we don’t like are on God’s naughty list. ¶We conveniently forget that God is not our special property. If we are set apart, it is not something we have earned it is something that God has chosen to do for us. My guess is that every faith and religion is of the opinion that God has a special claim on them/us, and has a special mission for them/us. We each want our relationship with God to be exclusive, that we are the only ones to have God’s attention and affection. What if, God loves each and all of us as if we were unique and specially set apart for some task and purpose? Like spokes in a bicycle wheel, we come from and go to separate places in order to fulfill the special function we have. ¶It would be good if we could see each other as companions on the journey with wide variations in our relationship with God and with each other. God does want to subdue our enemies, however not in the way we are used to having that happen. God wants us to submit to the power of relationship that allows us to get along even as we disagree in all manner of things. Rather than vying to destroy each other, I believe God would like to gather us at the table of companionship where, “I would feed you[d] with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” ¶May 23, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1196 ¶Seventh Sunday of Easter ¶May 21, 2023 ¶Psalm 74 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+74&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶We like to believe that we want what God wants, or more accurately, that God wants what we want. When we feel oppressed, or even slightly put upon by others, we want to know that God is there to deliver us from that pressure. God has to be on our side, because that is how this is supposed to work. If we do all the right things God does what we want. If we mess up sometimes, God forgives us and still does what we want. Maybe sometimes we deserve to be punished for crossing the line too far, but after a suitable time of punishment God forgives us and goes back to doing what we want. ¶So what if, instead of God doing what we want, we discover that God wants us to be more like God? What if God wants us to love even the people who hate us, or worse, are totally indifferent to us? Our resistance to violence becomes non-violence, our desire for justice goes beyond a concern for ourselves and those like us, our wants and desires take the wants and desires of others into consideration. If we were to strive to be in the constant process of making and remaking ourselves in the image of God, we could and would change the world. ¶It is tempting to see these psalms as permission to expect God to meet human violence with even greater and far more destructive violence. We relish the idea of those who have hurt us being more deeply and permanently scarred by God in retaliation for our injuries. It may be that the people we call our enemies also await the punishment that God will inflict on us for our years of hatred or indifference toward them. Sometimes psalms and other Scriptures can teach how not to behave. We can use these psalms to gauge how far we have come and how much farther we need to go to be the people God calls us to be. ¶May 15, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1195 ¶Sixth Sunday of Easter/Mothers Day ¶May 14, 2023 ¶Psalm 67 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+67&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶While it seems like a good idea to have all the peoples of the earth praise God, I wonder if it is. There have been a number of people who have had great ideas which most people have rejected as stupid because those ideas did not allow folks to stay in their comfort zone. A lot of those ideas have gone on to be generally accepted as great ideas and innovations, once given a chance to come to full bloom. For all the peoples of the earth to praise God may mean that no one is threatened by the newness and novelty of the things that God encourages us to do, to say, to think, and be. ¶Perhaps what the psalmist wants if for everyone to believe the same things, that is the things with which the psalmist is already comfortable. We like that God judges people with equity until that equity gets in the way of the punishment we believe should be showered onto the people we don’t like and with whom we seriously disagree. It would be fine if God were to punish those we believe need to be punished, and let us off with a warning, because we really are good people. ¶The adage, ‘Be careful what you wish/pray for, you just might get it.’ certainly applies here. When we discover that God is as just and forgiving with other groups as with us, we may get our feelings hurt. We would like to know that we are called and set apart as a special case, given plenty of slack in matters of morals and behavior, rather than called to be the example of the kind of behavior God wants and expects from each person. If we lived as if God is a God of equity rather than of punishment, perhaps more people would want to follow that God, with singing and joy. ¶May 11, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1194 ¶Fifth Sunday of Easter ¶May 7, 2023 ¶Psalm 60 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+60&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶It will be a good day when we realize that God has a different agenda than many of us have. We want God to do our bidding, to get rid of our enemies, to punish the folks with whom we disagree, and to make us victorious over the whole world. One of the difficulties is that there are multiple countries and cultures who are praying that God will put them in first place among the peoples of the earth. As long as we expect to be in first place because we are people of God, we can’t appreciate what God is actually calling us to do and be. ¶God calls us to be servants of those around us. This does not mean we let folks walk over us, it means we serve willingly, humbly, and wholeheartedly. God loves us because that is the nature of God. As with anyone, God’s love is not something we can earn. God loves us by choice, rather than because we have completed the proper number of good deeds in the allotted amount of time. A person can, perhaps, drive people away by their actions, however, no one can make anyone stop loving them. ¶When we read a psalm such as this one, let it serve as a reminder that what we want is not the same as what God wants for us. We can ask God to ride ahead and kill all the folks who annoy us and stand against us, but that does not mean that God will cater to our whims, especially when those whims involve the defeat and destruction of another person or group of those loved by God. God would much rather we learn to live together, with our differences intact, than that we destroy each other for the sake of ‘winning.’ ¶May 1, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1193 ¶Fourth Sunday of Easter ¶April 30, 2023 ¶Psalm 53 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+53&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶It is easy to pass judgement on those with whom we disagree. These days we can find folks on any side of a question ready to brand those with whom they disagree as fools, and worse We brand others as deluded sheep who follow along innocently behind leaders we see as wrong. One way to look at this is to imagine a favorite book, play, or movie as if it were told from the other side of the action. Suddenly, your favorite protagonist is now the villain when the story is told from the perspective of those we have so readily despised in the original version. As we are able to do this, we begin to see that things are not always as cut and dried as we would like them to be. ¶The psalmist says that God looks on us and wonders if there is any wisdom at all among those made in God’s image. The psalmist sees ’those people’ as the ones God plans to reform or destroy, however we each have attitudes and behaviors that could use adjustment, especially in our dealings with those with whom we disagree. It is interesting that we see ourselves as on the side of God and ’those people’ on the side of evil. In a play about the American Civil War, there is a scene in which two generals readying to face each other on the battlefield pray the same prayer that God will be will ’us’ and help us to destroy ’them.’ ¶As we begin to cast judgement on those with whom we disagree, we do well to pause and ask ourselves if they have any goodness on their side. Are we guilty of some sin in the past that they are finally in a position to avenge? Have we judged someone as evil when they are simply different? Is God on our side alone or does God love them as intensely as God loves us? Is it possible that God would rather teach us to wring the evil out of ourselves than pick which one of us deserves to be eradicated from the presence of God? ¶April 24, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1192 ¶Third Sunday of Easter ¶April 23, 2023 ¶Psalm 46 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+46&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶There are times in which I am overwhelmed with fear for all that is going on around me. When that happens I am grateful for the folks who can calm me by their example of trust in God. When I am able to be that calming presence people tell me how glad they are that I was with them in their time of trial. Whether on the giving or receiving end it is good to know that someone can lead others to remember that God is a place of, to use the alternate translation, “refuge and strength, a well proved help in trouble.“ ¶Because we are human, with our foibles and frailties, we can’t always be the one to remain calm in crisis. We each have our fears that make us nearly useless in the face of them. It is good that God has made us in such a way that most of us enjoy the company of others. When one falters, another can buoy up the group until such time that it falls to another to be the one to hold us in the presence of God. We each in turn lead the way as we make our way ever closer to, “the holy habitation of the Most High.” ¶If I believe that I am the only one who can be in the lead, I am bound to fail, as is any one of us who believes the same thing. Sometimes the best gift we can give another is to admit our weakness and depend on the strength they may or may not know they have to lead us forward. While we may often need a loud and forceful person in the lead, the psalmist reminds us that just as often we need to, “Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations; I am exalted in the earth.” ¶April 17, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1191 ¶Second Sunday of Easter ¶April 16, 2023 ¶Psalm 75 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+75&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶Sometimes we pass judgment on others based on something besides what is just, right, and fair. We let our opinions be swayed by how well we know those on one side or another, how much we agree with one side or the other, or some arbitrary characteristic of those on one side or the other. I know that it is a good idea to make the best impression possible when going to court. I was part of a court case to determine fault in an automobile wreck in which I was involved. I wore a suit, the folks on the other side wore torn jeans. The other driver was found at fault, not just because of how we were each dressed. I don’t believe it hurt to be well dressed and polite to the judge. ¶God is not as influenced by our looks and behavior. God sees much more deeply than surface appearance and our behavior in a given moment. Also, God is not out to punish us when we slip or jump off the ‘straight and narrow.’ God is much more interested in teachable moments that help us get back on track than berating us for each and every misstep along the way. The psalmist uses the examples of the boastful and wicked to let us know that neither is a good choice for those who wish to follow God. In these cases in particular, boasting and wickedness contain their own punishment as folks discover that those who boast rarely have room to do so, and the wicked will be caught up in their wickedness eventually. ¶We are free to judge each other in whatever way we see fit. However, ours is not the final judgment. It is God who has the last word; the word that puts down or lifts up. It is God’s intent to lift us up as much as possible. ¶April 10, 2023 ¶LCM lcmanifold@gmail.com http://psalmmeditations.blogspot.com/

Psalm Meditation 1190 ¶Easter ¶April 9, 2023 ¶Psalm 68 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+68&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶A friend and I walked home from a youth group activity in the dark, without telling anyone we were leaving. As we walked our conversation turned to not being frightened because we were together. He was comforted by height, and I was comforted by his scrappy nature. Between the two of us, we were a force to be reckoned with. Until we got home, of course. Then we had to answer for our foolishness of going away without telling anyone that we were leaving. The important part here is that we felt safe in each other’s company. ¶The psalmist is grateful for the company that God offers to those who need it most. There were no systems in place to care for those with no family. To know that each person was a part of the family of God gave the community a reason to help. As a part of the same family, each was responsible for every other person. To know that the greatest to the least were children of God meant that we were, and are, answerable to God for the way we treated or ignored our brothers and sisters God gave us. ¶When we treat each person in our community as a member of the family of God, we make peoples’ heads explode in wonder and awe, that we take seriously our responsibility for each other. As we treat others as God treats us, we help usher in a world in which we can walk fearlessly, knowing that we are surrounded by those who love and care for us because we are all children of the one God. “Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation.“ ¶April 7, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1189 ¶Palm/Passion Sunday ¶April 2, 2023 ¶Psalm 61 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+61&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶There are a couple of good things about being on the highest point in an area. For one, we can look down on people and things, and by look down I mean we can stand in judgement of them as if being higher somehow makes us superior to them. In a favorite movie quote an admiral snaps at a captain, “You are addressing a superior officer.” to which the captain responds, “No, just a higher ranking one.” Standing over someone does not automatically make you superior. ¶The other good point about being on the highest point is the ability to look on a grand vista in awe of all that God has created and assembled into this one wonder-filled place. Knowing that we are in the presence of God keeps us from believing that any height makes us better than anyone or anything that is currently in a lower place. When God is our refuge we are prevented from letting a high position of any kind give us permission to look down on anyone with whom we come in contact. ¶If all those in high places allow God to appoint steadfast love and faithfulness to keep watch the world would be a different place. Folks would not rule, legislate, or administer in order to get their own way. They would use their high positions to see that the rights of as many people as possible are respected and protected. The faint of heart could be lifted up and the overly proud could be kept in check by God’s steadfast love and faithfulness at work in the lives of each of us. ¶March 27, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1188 ¶Fifth Sunday in Lent ¶March 26, 2023 ¶Psalm 54 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+54&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶It would be easier to tell the good people from the bad if we were purely one or the other, and even if we could agree on what is good and what is bad for everyone. The difficulty is that something that is bad as far as I am concerned is perfectly acceptable for some that I know and love. And the opposite is also true, something I think is acceptable is a bad thing for people who love me. There are things we would not do to each other that are okay to do to people we see as ‘other.’ ¶The psalmist is being picked on for being an outsider to those in a particular group. Because there is no connection between them it is acceptable behavior to insult and threaten the life of the psalmist. Those of us reading this psalm are on the side of the author, and join the call for God to destroy these ‘insolent’ for their words and behavior directed toward the psalmist. We are also aware that being in the same situation as our psalmist we too would be threatened by the words and actions of ‘those’ people. ¶Though the psalm is about being picked on we can learn that it is not good to pick on others when we are in the position of power and influence. We can go through the motions of offering God the best we have to offer and giving thanks for all the ways God delivers us from the evils around us. If we turn around and participate in those same evils we lump ourselves in with the folks we are grateful that God is going to destroy. ¶March 20, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1187 ¶Fourth Sunday in Lent ¶March 19, 2023 ¶Psalm 47 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+47&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶We like to think of God as a powerful warlord who destroys adversaries with a blast of weaponry that wipes them out entirely. We want to know that when God finishes with the people who oppose us there will be no trace left of them and we can take over the spaces previously occupied by ‘those people,’ who had always been the bad guys to our good guys. We relish the idea of lording it over them as they were happy to do to us before God stepped in and changed the course of history to run in our favor. ¶Our experience is the opposite. God is more likely to achieve victory over adversaries by winning them over as friends. Rather than allowing us to dance on the graves of the bad guys, God reminds us that we too are guilty of some of the same sins we see in our foes. God would much rather we find the positives in each other than harp on the bad and troubling things ‘those people’ are always doing to us and our people. ¶There will always be people like the psalmist, who see God as one who rules with an iron fist and follows strict and stringent rules. Folks who have the goal in life to be in charge of a large group of people will tell us that the way of God is to take charge over people. Those whose goal is to serve others in ways that bring them to God are more likely to see God as the champion of the poor and downtrodden. These folks will lead with humility rather than by force. ¶March 13, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1186 ¶Third Sunday in Lent ¶March 12, 2023 ¶Psalm 40 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+40&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶There are people who make a lifelong impression on us because they were there for us at a critical time in our lives. It may be someone we know, an acquaintance, or a total stranger who reaches out with what we need at the time. We look for ways to pay them back only to realize it is a debt that can never be repaid. The closest we can come to repaying the debt is to pass on acts of kindness to others in similar situations. We may find ourselves more willing to offer a listening ear, a helping hand, or a financial help to the best of our ability. ¶The psalmist has a need that God is willing and able to meet. God offers a helping hand which leads to a change in attitude. As a part of the change of attitude and its expression a number of people find their lives changed for the better. There is something uplifting about seeing a friend released from a burden of any kind. As the psalmist tells the story of God’s redeeming work others open themselves to the changes God works in their lives as well. In many cases it is not that God suddenly acts it is that folks are open to seeing that it is God who has been acting in their lives for quite some time. ¶God rarely works in flashes of light and puffs of smoke as if by magic. The ways of God are subtle as God uses us to meet the needs of those around us. It may have been an actual person who pulled us out of the desolate pit, however, it is God at work through that person who gave us a new sense of hope and a new lease on life. God’s touch of steadfast love on a person’s heart can set off an avalanche of random acts of kindness, consideration, and compassion. ¶March 6, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1185 ¶Second Sunday in Lent ¶March 5, 2023 ¶Psalm 69 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+69&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶It only takes a small group of people who hate you to make you feel as if it is everyone. Many of us will experience and remember negatives much more deeply than we do positives. If it gets intense and prolonged we even begin to believe all the negative hype and gossip that floods our psyches. This is probably why bullied teens, especially, can be pushed to suicidal thoughts if not actions. Without a solid support system, intense bullying becomes dangerous to the point of being deadly. ¶Once one person succumbs to the onslaught of bullying, it emboldens the bullies to focus on another of a similar group. If someone can be separated from their support system by luring them into the bully group they become susceptible to the same abuse as the previous victim. The psalmist is feeling the strain of being pulled from a group of God seekers to the vulnerable position of having no support from the seekers or the bullies. The psalmist does not want any of the seekers group to be shamed into leaving the group for the sake of the false friendship and support of the bully group. ¶When the people of God can continually offer our support to those who are vulnerable, we may be able to save them from the abusive bullying that is becoming prevalent in so many areas of the country, and perhaps the world. As we are willing and able to offer the steadfast love of God to all those around us we may be able to keep people safe by loving both bullies and victims. Surviving victims of bullying may want their bullies to be destroyed by violent means. God offers what is always offered, to destroy our enemies by making them allies in some form. “For the Lord hears the needy and does not despise his own who are in bonds.” ¶February 27, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1184 ¶First Sunday in Lent ¶February 26, 2023 ¶Psalm 62 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+62&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶One of the most difficult things to do is to wait for God, especially to wait in silence. Our inclination is to jump in wanting to fix things ourselves. We are not very patient when it comes to our own pain and suffering. We want it all to go away immediately, if not sooner. So we rant and rave and maybe even yell at God to keep the promise to protect us from all harm and pain of any kind. We do not want to be shaken from our confident security for even a moment. ‘It must be a test because I have done nothing to deserve this kind of suffering.’ ¶And yet, we do suffer. We suffer losses, failures, headaches, heartaches, as well as the physical pains that are a part of any kind of active life. What we do with our suffering tells more about us than the sufferings we endure. Some people are ground down and eroded by their suffering; every incident takes a toll on them that presses them more deeply into their pain. Others are able to lean into the presence of God in a way that keeps them from collapsing into the pit of despair. Yes, it is painful and yet there seems to be a light at the end of every tunnel. ¶It is the awareness of the abiding, steadfast love of God that offers the glow of hope in the lives of these people. They are rattled, and they are supported by God and the people of God so that they do not collapse into hopelessness. It isn’t the amount of ‘stuff’ they have, or what they lack that helps them stand firm, it is the beloved community that holds them up in even the deepest trial or tragedy. ¶February 20, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1183 ¶Transfiguration Sunday ¶February 19, 2023 ¶Psalm 55 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+55&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶There are a lot of situations in which we would like to run and hide, run as far as we can and hide as deeply in some safe place as we can. It is not a permanent solution, however it can give us the chance to collect ourselves, get some distance and perspective, and search for ways to meet this obstacle in some helpful, hopeful way. The choice to escape is a compelling one, and a helpful one, as long as it is not the final choice. ¶Eventually we have to face the fear, and the cause of it, especially if that cause is a friend/former friend. The psalmist begins that confrontation with the former friends and then hopes to lurk in the background shadows as God does the real dirty work of consigning everyone to Sheol. They have turned so maliciously and unexpectedly on our psalmist that giving them over to God seems the best way to deal with the situation at hand. ¶The good thing is that God is not as mean spirited as we can be. God will treat our enemies with the same love given to us. It isn’t right or fair to our minds, however God is the one who wants to lead us in the paths of righteousness. When we call for fire and brimstone, God shows light and love to our enemies. When we ask for mercy, God reminds us that we are not without guilt, and then shows us mercy. In every situation God will sustain us and love us beyond measure. ¶February 13, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1182 ¶Sixth Sunday After the Epiphany ¶February 12, 2023 ¶Psalm 48 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+48&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶Verse 9 jumps out for me today. God’s love has been a theme in my reading and thinking recently, so “We ponder your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of your temple.” captures my psyche today. A one word definition of steadfast is ‘unwavering.’ Our puritanical roots would have us believe, in the words of a Jonathan Edwards sermon, ‘Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,’ “God is hanging you like a spider over the pits of Hell…” It is so deeply ingrained in us that we have trouble believing anything other than that God is angrily watching and waiting for us to sin so that we can be punished. ¶What if God actually loves us gently and unwaveringly, more intent on teaching, leading, and loving us rather than punishing us? The God of steadfast love wants to cradle and comfort us in times of our biggest and most shame-filled errors and realizations. God wants us to know that we are neither the first nor the last to make this mistake, or to be this kind of person, and that we are loved for who we are rather than in spite of who we are. What difference would it make in the way we treat ourselves, and others, to know that we are loved by God no matter what. ¶Ponder how our lives would be radically different if we knew deep down that the love of God is a gift rather than something we earn by our thoughts, words, and deeds. And what if God did not intend for each of us to fit into the same mold, rather that we are made to be parts of a jigsaw puzzle that fit together to make a picture of our little piece of creation. “...tell the next generation that this is God, our God forever and ever.” ¶February 6, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1181 ¶Fifth Sunday After the Epiphany ¶February 5, 2023 ¶Psalm 41 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+41&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶Have you ever gone to visit someone as a sympathetic listener only to go out and tell everyone all that you have just heard in confidence? Or have you ever had someone act as the sympathetic listener for you so that they can spread that information to their network? If both have happened I will hazard a guess that you remember the second as more deeply painful than the first. We can justify the breaking of received confidences with the most trivial of rationalizations. However, having our own secrets scattered about like feathers in the wind is quite memorable. ¶God is called upon to forgive the psalmist, who is very aware of the need to be forgiven. In a time in which illness is equated with sinfulness, it seems obvious that the psalmist is in need of forgiveness in order to bring about healing. There are those waiting impatiently for the psalmist’s death. They may be waiting for some kind of inheritance, or they could be waiting for the satisfaction of knowing that they have outlived an enemy. Either way, the psalmist is hoping to recover to spite those enemies at the very least. ¶Gossip, at its worst, is telling stories, that may or may not be true, in order to put someone in a bad light among the hearers. The psalmist has been the object of this kind of gossip and has grown weary of it. Owing to the ongoing and ever improving health, it is obvious that the psalmist has found favor with God and is not likely to die as quickly as so many seem to hope. To be in the presence of God helps us to rise above this worst type of gossip as object or perpetrator of these tales. ¶January 30, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1180 ¶Fourth Sunday After the Epiphany ¶January 29, 2023 ¶Psalm 34 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+34&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶We like to think that it is God’s job to save us from everything unpleasant about life in this world. We want to be saved from sitting next to people we don’t like, especially when everyone is in close quarters. We want to be protected from people who are scary to us, folks we are afraid will do us some kind of lasting harm. It may not occur to us that some of those people are praying to be protected from us, and whatever it is about us that fills them with fear and dread. ¶God is not going to save us from every scary person, event, or situation. God may even push, prod, and cajole us into some of those as teachable moments. The salvation that will come to us in fearful situations is the reminder that God is with us in this and every time and place. Even if we are injured or die, the presence of the God is there to hold us in every circumstance. We may not even be aware of the ways that God is present among us. It could be a person, a breeze, a spark of imagination, and any number of other ways of being present. ¶God is far beyond our ability to imagine and comprehend. Just as God can be all places at once, so can God be with folks on every side of a fearful situation. God loves us beyond measure and redeems us from all manner of trouble. It may not be the way we would expect or appreciate being loved and redeemed, however God is with us as a loving presence in every time and place. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord rescues them from them all.” ¶January 23, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1179 ¶Third Sunday After the Epiphany ¶January 22, 2023 ¶Psalm 63 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+63&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶The first line of this psalm has been my prayer phrase for most of my adult life. Sometimes it is a statement of fact, I am currently seeking God so that I can come closer to serving God with my whole heart and life. Other times it is and aspirational statement. When I feel as if I have wandered away, it is a reminder to reconnect to God. In dark times it serves as a challenge. I want God to be my God, and I want to seek God, however I feel so far away that it is a nearly impossible task. ¶The rest of the psalm fills in the spaces of my attitude and energy. I find reason to praise God, to feel as if I am the guest at a rich feast of delicious, sweet and savory things that fill me to contentment. I may be close to or far away from my host, however I am present at the banquet. Other times I feel as if I am being chased down for destruction by adversaries and enemies. At those times I call on God to turn the tables on my pursuers so that they are the prey in God’s hunt. Even then, I am reminded in some way that God does not feed my enemies to the jackals, any more than I am fed to the jackals to satisfy them. The love of God is steadfast, not just for me and people like me, the steadfast love of God is for each of us. ¶God is good, and God is with us. When we seek God as a source of love, comfort, and inspiration to do and be our best God is there. When we wander off in pursuit of our own way God is present, inviting us into the way of life, love, and wholeness. God is with us when we know it and when we don’t. God is with us when we like it and when we don’t. God is with us when we believe it and when we don’t. “O God, you are my God; I seek you.” ¶January 16, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1178 ¶Second Sunday after the Epiphany ¶January 15, 2023 ¶Psalm 56 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+56&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶When we are the object of the animosity of a person group of powerful people, that is all we can feel. It is a constant barrage of pressure and attacks on us that flood every one of our senses. There may be people around us, supporting us, loving and caring for us, but we have no room to let them in. It is devastating and draining. Even when there is no active attack, we feel the pressure that has been exerted on us. It feels as if there is no relief in sight, and we will be crushed under the weight of those who are out to get us. ¶The psalmist wants us to remember to turn to God in those times. If we can, when we can, we find ourselves able to lift our heads enough to see that we are not alone. If no one else is present, we can feel the presence of God. If others are present, we can begin to feel their support as well. With the support we feel we can move from despair to anger. The anger will move us to call on God to destroy our adversaries, leaving no trace of their existence. From anger we move to a more merciful place and a deeper trust in the ways of God. ¶Rising above anger and resentment is not an easy or instant process. As we rediscover the grace and mercy of God, we discover a deeper peace in every part of life. Yes, people will continue to set themselves against us, with or without justification. In God we will find the wherewithal to face those challenges and continue to “walk before God in the light of life.” ¶January 9, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1177 ¶First Sunday After the Epiphany ¶January 8, 2023 ¶Psalm 49 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+49&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶It seems that those who brag most loudly about their abilities and accomplishments are the ones who are least likely to be accurate in their self assessment. Any number of performers who are top in their field are humble about their craft. Yep, there are exceptions, people who are the best and will say so at any opportunity. For the most part though, the folks who brag the loudest are deluded about their abilities, want to delude others, or a combination of the two. ¶The psalmist knows that those who make a big deal about themselves are not going to last long in the public sphere. There is no reason to be afraid of those folks, except those who have hitched their star to the braggart’s wagon. Those folks will fall just as hard. The rest of us do not need to be afraid of any of them. They will not be remembered for very long at all, except perhaps as a bad example. There are examples of the kind of folk the psalmist deals with in many realms from athletes, to pastors, to politicians, and performers. No endeavor is exempt from those who want to intimidate through braggadocio. ¶When we are tempted to brag about ourselves and our deeds, we do well to consider this psalm and its reminder that greatness is not in bragging and bravado; greatness is in humility and service. A bit of sincere humility is much better than convincing ourselves and others that we are something we are not. Learn to lean on God, who will redeem us from the slings and arrows of our lives and set us on a path to joy and peace. ¶January 4, 2023 ¶LCM