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