Psalm Meditation 1371 ¶Proper 21 ¶September 27, 2026 ¶Psalm 77 ¶https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2077&version=NRSVUE ¶Sometimes children get so frightened that they cannot do the simplest things. A parent reaches out and the child is unable to move enough to grasp the proffered hand. In the child’s mind it is somehow the parent’s fault that the saving connection doesn’t happen. The psalmist appears to be in that same frozen state; hands are stretched out, eyes are open, yet no contact is possible. The psalmist’s best comfort is that God has been active and present in the past, so there is hope that this feeling of abandonment will not last forever. ¶In times like these we want to know that we are not alone in our suffering. Doris Jones authored a book, And Not One Bird Stopped Singing, dealing with the death of her husband. As of this writing, the book is out of print. The title comes from her realization that though her world stopped turning, the rest of the world went on as if nothing had happened. She was not the only one facing the death of a loved one, however, that is how it felt to her, how it feels to the psalmist, how it feels to each of us who faces tragedy, even if we are surrounded by a supportive community of friends and family. ¶Though it feels as if we are abandoned and alone in the world as we go through tragedy and grief, we are never alone. God is with us every step of the way whether we realize it or not. As God has been present with those who have gone before us, God is with us in all times and places. “You are the God who works wonders; you have displayed your might among the peoples. With your strong arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.” ¶September 21, 2026 ¶LCM