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

Psalm Meditation 1370 ¶Proper 20 ¶September 20, 2026 ¶Psalm 81 ¶https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2081&version=NRSVUE ¶One of my seminary professors told us that if we wanted to stop the conversations around us we could use one or more of these words: money, sex, death. People will stop to listen to what anyone has to say about any of these three words because they are somehow sacred in US culture. Pastors are often cautioned not to preach about money, mostly because it is an uncomfortable topic. We are not supposed to talk to each other about money because it is personal/private/secret. Sex and death fall into the same category of taboo subjects. ¶Are we not to talk about these things because they have a type of divine power over us? Have we turned these topics into golden calves that we use as substitutes for the power and presence of God in our lives? God tells us through the psalmist that no good comes from turning our attention to things that are not God. If only we would submit to God instead of chasing after things that seem to satisfy but do not, we would be open to the blessings, help and presence of God in our lives. Being open to God’s presence allows us to see and experience the whole range of God’s activity in our lives. ¶As we find ourselves scrambling for more of any number of things that are not God, as if those things had ultimate value and worth, we do well to remember this psalm. We can remind ourselves that as we submit to God we may find ourselves heirs of much that we sought after on its own. “O that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways! Then I would quickly subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes. Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him, and their doom would last forever. I would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” ¶September 16, 2026 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1369 ¶Proper 19 ¶September 13, 2026 ¶Psalm 85 ¶https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2085&version=NRSVUE ¶We like the idea of God being in charge of our lives because it takes a lot of the responsibility away from us. When things are going well, it must be because God is pleased with us. Good things are happening, so God must be happy with us. When that changes, we see God as disappointed about something we have done, said, or thought. In the psalmist’s time, it was not so much about individual behavior as it was the nation as a whole. Since things that were going well have started to disintegrate, it is time to ask God to look on us with favor once again. ¶‘Yes, we may not have been on our best behavior, however it is God who has turned our world upside down in retaliation. Other nations are doing stupid, selfish things and getting away with them, so why do we have to be punished for being like everyone else?’ God is not one who reacts according to our behavior; God acts out of love for us and faithfulness to us. When we feel as if God has turned against us, it is often because we have put up a barrier to God’s activity in our lives. ¶We do well to remember that God is always with us, offering us peace and salvation. All we have to do is open our hands and hearts to receive it. We will continue to come face to face with adversity, and we will continue to be in the presence of God, who loves us beyond measure. “Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky.” ¶September 7, 2026 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1368 ¶Proper 18 ¶September 6, 2026 ¶Psalm 96 ¶https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2096&version=NRSVUE ¶Ask a group of pre-school children, ‘How many of you can sing?’ and all of their hands will go up. The same with dancing, drawing, and any number of arts and crafts. As they get older and people around them judge the quality of their work, they begin to question their abilities and stop practicing the ones in which those judges found them to be less than skilled. There are people with beautiful voices who were told not to sing so they don’t, as well as people who need a bucket to carry a tune, who sing anyway. ¶The psalmist does not put a caveat in the psalm; the invitation is to sing. There is nothing about full volume, or a whispered song; the invitation is to sing. Sing in your best voice, recognizing that there may be a difference between your best and the best. Most importantly, the focus is not on you and your voice, the focus is on God. God has done wonderful things that, once we have noticed do well to be lifted up in thanks with praise. Does God need our praise? No. None of us needs to be praised, however it does give us a boost to be noticed and thanked for what we do. ¶Stay focused on God. The more we lift our hearts and voices in praise and thanksgiving, the more we notice, and the more thankful we can be. Our thankfulness will lead us to join the psalmist in lifting our hearts and voices in thankful song. “Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar and all that fills it; let the field exult and everything in it.” ¶August 31, 2026 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1367 Proper 17 August 30, 2026 Psalm 93 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2093&version=NRSVUE If you say a word or phrase that is remotely similar to a song or poem that I know, I will break into song or recite the relevant snippet of that poem, It will be brief, may or may not be loud, and may annoy folks for whom that is not normal practice. Some people can come up with an original song or poem with the same amount of prompting. It isn’t something that anyone plans to do, it is a spontaneous reaction to what is going on around them and within them. This brief psalm may well be one of those kinds of poems. Seeing the waves crashing on a shoreline, perhaps with a bit more ferocity than usual, leads the psalmist to be reminded of the power of God at work in the world. Those same waves don’t hold a candle to the full majesty of God’s presence in the world. The psalmist celebrates that God is a present and able ruler in the world, capable of stirring up waves with their accompanying thunderous crashes. Whether you are one who breaks into song, breaks out a poem, or one who wonders what possesses a person to do such a thing, may you see that God is filled with loving holiness for all of creation, including each one of us. “Your decrees are very sure; holiness befits your house, O Lord, forevermore.” August 24, 2026 LCM

Psalm Meditation 1366 ¶Proper 16 ¶August 23, 2026 ¶Psalm 90 ¶https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2090&version=NRSVUE ¶At least once in my life, my dad asked me to come up with my own punishment for a fairly serious misdeed on my part. I came up with what seemed a suitably harsh set of sanctions. Almost immediately, he rejected my plan and went on about his day. I, on the other hand, was left to fret over what other options there might be. It turns out that the only repercussions were the ones I placed on myself. Since I remember our exchange all these years later I am thinking that having me imagine a set of punishments only to be forgiven was much more effective than if I had actually had to do the things I thought seemed appropriate. ¶My guess is that the psalmist is dealing with a similar scenario between the nation and God. The people were aware that they had done something that required punishment, so they began to see everything through the filter of their own assumption of impending punishment. When anything happened that fit their idea of punishment, they received it as coming from God. After awhile they began to pray that God would once again treat them kindly and lovingly. ¶Since we can be vindictive and mean spirited, we tend to see God that way as well. Even though God spends a lot more energy telling us how loved we are, we tend to see God in the light of our expectation of punishment for any misdeed, be it big or small. So, God lets us stew in our own vindictiveness, even when it is directed at ourselves, until we are ready to be loved and cherished again. “Turn, O Lord! How long? Have compassion on your servants! Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.” ¶August 17, 2026 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1365 ¶Proper 15 ¶August 16, 2026 ¶Psalm 73 ¶https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2073&version=NRSVUE ¶In the biblical era, resources that indicated wealth were considered to be very limited. Due to those limits, the only way someone could be rich was by taking resources from someone else. For every rich person, there would be a large number of poor people. Being rich was synonymous with being wicked and arrogant. Even knowing that, it is tempting to want to be one of the rich folks. From the perspective of those in poverty, the rich seem to be trouble free. They are healthy, happy, well fed – totally trouble free. ¶Many of us are aware that, while the rich ‘are not in trouble as others are’ they have their own set of worries. Wealth can disappear much more quickly and easily than it can be made, so one of the plagues of wealth is fear; fear that it will all be lost or taken by those around them. Everyone becomes a potential adversary, a threat to wealth and to life itself. The fear can be lived out as arrogance, convincing themselves, and those around them, that they are the most important part of the universe. It can also be expressed in reclusive miserliness. ¶The psalmist realizes that something more important than material wealth is a rich relationship with God, and the people of God. Relationships give us the ability to see those around us as people with needs as well as resources. We can use our gifts for the sake of the community, as we call on the gifts of the community to meet our needs. ¶August 10, 2026 ¶LCM lcmanifold@gmail.com http://psalmmeditations.blogspot.com/

Psalm Meditation 1364 ¶Proper 14 ¶August 9, 2026 ¶Psalm 76 ¶https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2076&version=NRSVUE ¶We tend to be quick to give God credit for the big things, and some of the small things we specifically asked for, like national victories, protections of family and neighborhood during various storms, and the return to health of a local or national figure. A sunrise over the ocean can bring gasps of praise from those of us who do not live near the ocean, even though those who live on beach front properties are just as likely to sleep through the sunrise as the rest of us when we are in our familiar spaces. ¶The little things like growing grass, dropping leaves, or pesky bugs that feed some of our favorite birds and critters are not usual subjects of our praise to God. If we stop to consider, we know that God is at work in these little things and we will give a heartfelt thanks for the daily blessings that are a part of God’s providence among us. As we take that moment to consider, we will remember that God is indeed awesome, and we are fortunate to realize that God is an active participant in our daily lives, watching over us with steadfast love and care. ¶The psalmist praises God for a big event in the life of the community, which is a great thing to do. While we read this we can also be grateful for the little, often unnoticed places in which God is active in and around us. ¶August 3, 2026 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1363 ¶Proper Thirteen ¶August 2, 2026 ¶Psalm 80 ¶https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2080&version=NRSVUE ¶The past seems to have been so much better than the present. Everything was good back then; people cared about quality over profit, food was tastier, children were all good and respectful of their elders, and money went farther and lasted longer than it does now. It isn’t true, of course. We simply idealize the past because we are not living in it. If we lived through the times we are longing for now, we are leaving out some of the rough spots, either because others protected us from them or we blocked them out as painful or traumatic. ¶The psalmist is voicing the hurt of the nation and using the past as an indicator of what the world ‘should’ be because that is the way we have chosen to remember it. God did bring a vine out of Egypt and planted it, and we remember that God did all the heavy lifting of driving out all of ‘those’ people who had usurped ‘our’ land in the several generations we were exiled in Egypt. And not that things have gotten hard for us again, we long for the past we have in our idealized memory. The ideal and the reality are rarely the same. What we think we remember and long for, is imperfect and much more difficult than we care to admit. ¶Yet, we can wholeheartedly join the psalmist in asking God to do what God is already actively doing – to be with us. The request we would do better to make is that we be open to seeing the ways that God is with us in this and every time. We can pray that God ‘restore’ us to the future that can be rather than to a past that is nowhere near as good as the one anyone remembers. “Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.” ¶July 27, 2026 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1362 ¶Proper 12 ¶July 26, 2026 ¶Psalm 84 ¶https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2084&version=NRSVUE ¶Many of us long for the presence of God as if there is place where God lives, an actual location that can be accessed in this lifetime. At the same time, we may have a place where our experience of God was so powerful, so present that we can go there on a regular basis and recall, sense, and experience that presence all over again. It is not that it is the only place where God can be experienced, it is that we associate that place with the presence of God in our lives. ¶For the psalmist, that place is the Temple. The psalmist feels at home there and notices that other people and creatures also feel themselves to be at home in that place. The bird songs feel like hymns of praise and thanksgiving as they raise their young in the house of YHWH. One of the ways to approach the Temple is to go through the valley of Baca, a dry and desolate place. Those who feel as if they are going home to the Temple, are able to bring joy to the valley of Baca rather than being worn down by the dark, desolation of the area. ¶The psalmist ends with “I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than live in the tents of wickedness.” It is a reminder that it is better to be at the outer limits of God’s dwelling than to be in the middle of a place in which God’s presence is not felt. When we are attuned to God in our lives we feel the favor and honor of God washing over us and through us. We feel whole and holy with all those who know God’s presence in every part of life. ¶July 20, 2026 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1361 ¶Proper 11 ¶July 19, 2026 ¶Psalm 91 ¶https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2091&version=NRSVUE ¶People who know they are children of God have a joy and peace about them that is beyond compare. They know that God is with them in any and all situations, even when they cannot feel God’s presence. While the psalmist goes a bit overboard in stating how God watches over each of us, they know that God is active in our lives in wholesome and healing ways, even in the face of devastation and destruction. The psalmist uses hyperbole to let us know that God is with us in the most dire circumstances whether we survive or not. ¶Now, we see the punishment of the wicked on a daily basis. Every time something happens to people or groups we don’t like, we know that God is the one punishing them. When hurricanes, tornados, and other natural disasters strike areas full of any of ‘those’ kind of people, we know that God’s hand is at work wreaking vengeance on sinners. However, when those same calamities fall on us and those we love, it is simply a natural disaster caused by random weather phenomena. ¶God is active in our lives. Those who choose to see God’s hand at work will see a lot of God’s activity and influence. Those who can’t or won’t see God in those same activities, may be just as grateful, without giving credit to God. I have heard, and said, “How can people look at a beautiful sunrise or sunset and not see God at work in that?” I have become aware that not everyone does see God at work in the cycles of the day, and many of them continue to marvel at that same beauty. And God is at work whether we acknowledge it or not. ¶July 13, 2026 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1360 ¶Proper 10 ¶July 12, 2026 ¶Psalm 89 ¶https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2089&version=NRSVUE ¶A standard piece of management advice is to start any critique with something positive, and then mention the negative. The psalmist follows this advice by reminding God of all the good things that God has done for David and the people under David’s rule. The psalm starts more broadly than God’s care for the people, with a list of things God has done and continues to do for the whole area and world. As the psalmist brings in a more narrow focus, the emphasis is still on the good things God has done for and through David. ¶David has been crowned, anointed, and strengthened to serve as the one who leads the people victoriously into battle, crushing foes and striking down those who hate David, and by extension, God and the people of God. The promise to David of God’s steadfast love forever has been given, and God has reaffirmed that steadfast love over time. The promise is given to David and to all David’s heirs who also follow the ways of God. Those promises become void for any ruler who does not walk in the footsteps of David, even though the promise to David stands. ¶God is great, and God’s steadfast love is a permanent fixture for each of us. However, those who turn away from God’s path will find themselves farther away from that love, even though the love still stands firm. Though we may feel abandoned by God and taunted by those around us, the love of God surrounds us even when we have difficulty feeling it. ¶July 7, 2026 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1359 ¶Proper 9 ¶July 5, 2026 ¶Psalm 69 ¶https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2069&version=NRSVUE ¶When we find ourselves in times of trouble our first thought is for ourselves. We want to be rescued, we want to know ‘why me,’ and we want everyone who is picking on us to stop and be punished for having done so. We have trouble believing that we deserve the bad treatment we are getting, even if we can think of some reasons why we would. They are minor infractions that are of little consequence unless someone uses them to paint all my people with the same broad brush. ¶After bemoaning the current situation, the psalmist calls on God to offer redemption and comfort from suffering. It is often the case that once one person begins to pick on us, we see the actions of others as participating in the same behavior, even if that is not what they are doing. Even otherwise helpful words and actions can be heard and felt as if they are a part of the problem. When we turn to God in prayer and fasting, our adversaries see us as appeasing the wrong person. Our actions seem to make things worse for us. ¶Prayer and fasting is not a substitute for looking at a situation with clear heart, mind, and eyes. We may discover that we have done something to hurt those who appeared to attack us unprovoked. If that is what we see, we can make the effort to apologize and make amends. If we discover that we are being targeted for being different, we can turn to God for comfort and strength in moving away from those who do not see us in a kindly light. “For the Lord hears the needy and does not despise his own who are in bonds.” ¶June 29, 2026 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1358 ¶Proper 8 ¶June 28, 2026 ¶Psalm 72 ¶https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2072&version=NRSVUE ¶This is a good way to pray for a leader. To pray that the leader be attuned to the people, especially the poor and needy. Yes, we want someone who can lead us to victory over our adversaries; however, our first concern is for the people. While our leader cares for those within our borders, we pray a long and prosperous life. In a time and place in which the ruler owns everything and cares for people as a responsible steward of national wealth, we pray that wealth and prosperity flow from the leader all the way to the most needy. ¶Throughout history leaders have been deposed and killed when they forget that they are stewards of the nation’s wealth and reputation. All those who have forgotten their responsibility to the whole nation have suffered the consequences of their forgetfulness. Kings, queens, military dictators, and elected officials have all paid the price for ignoring the plight of all of the people in their care. It has not always been through violence, however, the reckoning does come. ¶We may have difficulty praying for a particular ruler, leader, or official, so this psalm gives us a template for our prayers. We can pray that they rule and lead from a concern for the people first, then for the nation as a whole, and having done those things, for their own legacy and happiness. ¶June 22, 2026 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1357 ¶Proper 7 ¶June 21, 2026 ¶Psalm 75 ¶https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2075&version=NRSVUE ¶When we think of judgment, we often think in terms of punishment and reward, that, however, is not how the judgment of God works. It is more akin to a time of teaching than handing out rewards and punishments. The psalmist has God speaking to the boastful and the wicked to remind them that boasting and blowing your own horn are not how people of God are to behave. They are more a sign of rudeness and disrespect than a way to make ourselves look good. ¶The psalmist reminds us that God gives us all sorts of good things out of love for us, rather than to reward us for exceptional behavior. The psalmist then implies that God’s judgment does include punishment for those who do not listen to sound teaching. The foaming wine is not sparkling, it is poisoned. This seems a contradiction to me. Since God is more likely to teach us than reward us, it follows that God would also teach us rather than punish us. That may not be the way we want the world to work; however God’s ways are not our ways. ¶Because God is so willing to teach us, even when we learn slowly or not at all, we can give thanks to God for all the wondrous deeds from which we benefit. Rather than saying, “Well, praise the Lord anyway” we can say “Thank you God for all of your wondrous deeds throughout your creation. ¶June 17, 2026 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1356 ¶Proper 6 ¶June 14, 2026 ¶Psalm 79 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2079&version=NRSVUE ¶I don’t know what it is to be in an active war zone, however, I do have experience with being under attack. It is very scary not knowing what kind of changes will be foisted onto us, how long they may last, or what kind of damage will be done to our loved ones, possessions, and ourselves. There is a sense of abandonment and loss, alongside the blank looks from those we thought were our friends, as if we have been left out to fend for ourselves, even if we are surrounded by others in the same situation. ¶Our only recourse is to cry out to God for help and comfort. The psalmist first asks if God is also angry with the people, or is they can depend on the help and comfort that we so often depend on God to offer and provide. We ask God to pour out, at least, the same depth of attack we feel on those who have led us to feel this way. If God is angry, the psalmist asks that the people not be harshly judged at this time of need. We need your compassion, salvation, deliverance, and forgiveness to get us through this time of upheaval in our lives. ¶While God is not likely to visit all the punishments onto our adversaries, it is just as likely that God is not the source of our calamity. God is already holding all the help and comfort we want and need, and is offering it to us when we are open and ready to receive it. God stands with us in our fear, holding us in a gentle embrace that we may not even feel until we realize that we are not alone, ever. “Then we your people, the flock of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise.” ¶June 7, 2026 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1355 ¶Proper 5 ¶June 7, 2026 ¶Psalm 83 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2083&version=NRSVUE ¶It is difficult to fathom what it is like to have national gods who are bound to the borders of the nation as those expand and contract through various wars and conflicts with neighboring nations. However, that is the situation here. Every attack on the nation is also an attack on YHWH. While the people are called upon to defend the physical borders, God is called on to help the people as well as to preserve the spiritual integrity of the nation. Any international conflict becomes a test of whose deity is more powerful than the other. ¶While we may not know what it is like to have our God vying against another, we do know what it is like to be picked on, even ganged up on in order to make us feel small in comparison to all those around us. We still find ourselves calling on God to watch over us as we are attacked by individuals and groups who believe they can use us as pawns and punching bags in their attempts to feel good about themselves. Whether we see ourselves going against flesh and blood or spiritual forces of some kind, we can call on God to bring those others to their knees. ¶Wanting God to come and beat down our enemies does not mean that it is going to happen. God is loving, forgiving, and generous to each of us and all of us. Waiting for God to smite our enemies, leaving us unscathed rarely happens. God comes to us, to those of us who are faithful, to move us in the direction of love, forgiveness, and generosity. ¶June 15, 2026 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1354 ¶Trinity Sunday ¶June 2, 2026 ¶Psalm 88 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2088&version=NRSVUE ¶Recently, I was introduced to a concept called Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria. It happens when someone takes any comment or action as a sign of rejection from the person who made the remark. The rejection may or may not be real, however that does not alter the reaction of the person with RSD. Since the person feels rejected, they are not likely to ask if they really have been rejected by the person, and if there is a reason. They simply walk away knowing that this particular relationship has ended. ¶The psalmist feels as if God has been the one doing the rejection, since things are not going as the psalmist had expected. In a display of courage, the psalmist goes to God for clarification on the relationship. ‘Are you out to get me, God, or have I misread your unwillingness to get me out of this set of circumstances that has me beaten down?’ The psalmist feels rejected and abandoned by God and by all the people one can usually depend on for help and support. In desperation, the psalmist turns to the one whose promised include never abandoning us. ¶Though the psalm ends on the same note of rejection and abandonment with which it began, it also begins and ends addressed to God. ‘Even if you have rejected me, I have no one to turn to and I depend on your promise not to leave us or forsake us.’ The psalm does seem to be one of the most depressing psalms in the whole book, however, it is addressed to God. The relationship the psalmist has with God is strong enough to turn to God in a time of deep need. ¶May 25, 2026 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1353 ¶Pentecost ¶May 24, 2026 ¶Psalm 66 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2066&version=NRSVUE ¶I know there are people who see me as stupid or deluded because I believe in God, and God’s willingness and ability to provide for us as a gift of loving generosity. I am, mostly, okay with that. I am also aware that there are folks who will not be happy until everyone believes and practices the way they do. Some of those folks are staunch believers in God, while others are just as firm in their different, even opposite beliefs. I am not okay with those who press their beliefs as the one and only true way to believe and practice. ¶The psalmist wants people to offer praise to God for all of the awesome things that God has done and is doing in the world for the psalmist’s people. It is likely that the psalmist is inviting ‘my kind of people’ to join in these acts of praise and worship. The people outside of ‘our’ circle are free to worship their own way. The outsiders have punished us just as we would do to them given the opportunity. Through it all, the psalmist calls all those who will to worship, to hear the ways God has been with one person, and will also be present with each person who seeks to follow the ways of God. ¶God has been among us in many ways throughout salvation history and those who see divine activity in the world have been giving thanks for many years and in many ways. We offer our worship, thanks, and praise from our own hearts in gratitude for God’s presence among us. As we live out our gratitude to the best of our ability, others will notice and perhaps ask what we have that is missing in them. At our best, we can walk with them as they find their way to God. ¶May 18, 2026 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1352 ¶Seventh Sunday of Easter ¶May 17, 2026 ¶Psalm 68 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2068&version=NRSVUE ¶The footnote for verse 11 jumped out at me today after seeing several posts of a related nature on the internet over the past few weeks. The text reads, “great is the company of those who bore the tidings:”. The footnote offers an alternate translation of, “company of the women” which piqued my interest. There are many instances of texts in which women and women’s voices have been muted or erased in Scripture. That ‘the company of the women’ has been changed to ‘those’ is intriguing. ¶In the next verse, the word women is included since it involves dividing spoil rather than bearing tidings of victory over enemy kings. For male translators, it seems to be fine for women to do tasks, even important tasks, as long as they don’t involve having information that men would not have without them. Fortunately, women are doing the scholarly work of finding the places in the Bible where women were originally prominent participants in salvation history and restoring them to their rightful place. ¶Some are scandalized that people are messing about with the sacred texts that we have become used to, without considering that those texts are more sacred when the participants of both/all genders are given their proper and original place in the story of the people of God. Uncomfortable as it may be for some of us, it is important to see that each of us has a place in the realm of God. ¶May 12, 2026 ¶LCM