Psalm Meditation 1270 ¶Proper 24 ¶October 15, 2024 ¶Psalm 124 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+124&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶Something about knowing we are not alone makes it easier to get through hard things. One who encourages us to face our fears and challenges reminds us that we have the support of at least one person. That person believes in us, encourages us, and stands with us through it all. That person does not usually appear suddenly in our time of need. It is hard to trust someone who appears out of nowhere to be our cheerleader. It does happen, however it is pretty rare. ¶That means, it is a good idea to have a relationship with at least one person who can be your sounding board, listening to, adding to, and advising about ideas, projects and prospects for the future. That cheerleader will be the one who stands next to you in some form or another in every troubling situation in which you find yourself. In a best case scenario, that person may depend on you for that same kind of support in their trials and troubles. It will be a different kind of support, even though the effect will be the same. ¶For the psalmist, one of those supportive people is God. All variety of good things come when God is present in times of need. At the same time that the psalmist offers thanks to God for being present in this most recent conflict, there is a companion invitation to each of us to become one who looks to God in times of trouble and need. God is broad enough and deep enough to give each of us the support we need in every time and place. “Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. “ ¶October 15, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 823
Easter
March 27, 2016

Psalm 124
1 If it had not been the LORD who was on our side —let Israel now say—
2 if it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when our enemies attacked us,
3 then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us;
4 then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us;
5 then over us would have gone the raging waters.
6 Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as prey to their teeth.
7 We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
(NRSV)

This enemy of Israel is compared to the power of the sea; floods, torrents and raging waters. The psalmist describes Israel as a bird trapped in a snare. There is no contest between a trapped bird and a raging sea, except when the presence of God is factored in. When God is present the trap is broken open and Israel is able to escape the sure destruction awaiting them. The victory is not in defeating the enemy, it is in escaping the battle and surviving. Survival is something for which to give God thanks.

For most of us, our daily battles are not against armies in full combat gear marching against us. Our battles tend to be with our fears and doubts that rise up against us from the inside. These fears know our weaknesses and look for ways to exploit them in ways that make us feel weaker and less prepared than we need to given our skills and abilities. The fears trap us and threaten to overwhelm us like the trapped bird of the psalm.

The presence of God in our lives frees us from the traps set by fear and doubt. We may not be able to rise to full scope of our skills and abilities but we can escape the doubts and fears in a way that allows us to see ourselves as survivors in the face of all that might come our way. God is with us to use our doubts and fears to push us forward. God is with us to quiet our doubts and fears to allow us to move forward. God is with us despite our doubts and fears to move us forward. God is with us to allow us to escape our doubts and fears. “Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.”

March 21, 2016
LCM