Psalm Meditation 1273 ¶Proper 27 ¶November 10, 2024 ¶Psalm 142 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+142&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶One of the prayers of my younger days was to complain to God about being abandoned by everyone around me. It took a wise youth pastor to point out that I was talking to God, and to this youth pastor about having no one to talk to. It took awhile to sink in, however I did grow into the realization that God is with me all the time and no matter the circumstance. When it did feel as if I had been abandoned by God I had only to look around to see all the ways that God was present in my life. It may not have been the exact way that I thought would be best, and yet, God was with me through it all. ¶The psalmist is dealing with a feeling of abandonment as well as a sense that everyone is looking, maybe even staring as we would stare at any not quite human creature. We see in a way that carries no concern for the plight of the psalmist. It is a demoralizing feeling, especially for one who feels lost to begin with. ‘Surely, at least one of these people is only pretending to ignore me so that when I let down my guard they can hurt me in one of the many ways that I have imagined countless times.’ ¶Any of us who have been in the position of feeling abandoned and pursued for evil ends, can perhaps see that sensation in others and reach out to let them know that they are not alone, and that most of us are not out to get them. Those who haven’t experienced the sensation of the psalmist and many others can become more sensitive to the hurts of those around them. Together we can be the presence of God with each other, to be among the righteous who surround those who need what we have to offer. ¶November 5, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1272 ¶Proper 26 ¶November 3, 2024 ¶Psalm 137 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+137&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶Music is an essential part of life, it gives us rhythm, melody, and harmony that captures our wide variety of moods. It is our way of letting others know what we are thinking and feeling about the emotions in our hearts and the events in the world around us. “I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free…” We also sing because we are sad, oppressed, and any number of other emotions that make up the world around us and within. It is a gift we can share with each other to build community with those who share our feelings about the world in which we find ourselves. ¶There are times in which our music becomes a weapon used against us. When an oppressor demands that we sing only happy songs in the midst of our captivity and oppression we find ways to make the happiest of songs into an act of rebellion against those who seek to demoralize us. If nothing else, our songs can be used to remind us that since God is with us, this oppressive time is not the end. It is important to realize, that some of us have no real experience of oppression on the receiving end, and too much on the perpetrating end. ¶We all have some experience with feeling left out and abandoned, so we can take comfort in the psalms, hymns, and songs that remind us that God is with us as a comforting presence in the worst of times. Music gives us the ability to express our frustration and anger against others in ways that most of us will never act on in the real world. Singing it out loud can help us realize that cruelty in response to cruelty is rarely as fulfilling as it seems in our imagination. ¶October 28, 2024 ¶LCM

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 1269 ¶Proper 23 ¶October 13, 2024 ¶Psalm 147 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+147&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶Singing praises or simply speaking them is a good thing to do and a good habit to encourage in our lives. When we offer praise to God, we acknowledge that God is good to us, and that much of what we have comes from and is the result of the presence of God in and around us. A definition of praise that I learned several years ago is that praise is for who God is, while thanksgiving is for what God does. The psalmist does not seem to use that definition, seeing the being and doing of God as all being praiseworthy. ¶As we get into the habit of giving praise to God, we will, hopefully, find that we are seeing more and more that is praiseworthy in the people and things around us. While many of us find humor and camaraderie in insulting each other in a light hearted way, I wonder how different our lives and attitudes would be if we found and made ways to praise each other for the good things that we do well, even the attempts we make at doing quality work in our lives. Praising God and those around us makes a positive contribution to the world in which we are blessed to live. ¶As we sing or recite our hymns, songs, and psalms of praise to God we will discover that the world is a much less scary place to live. There will still be evil in all of its forms, and it will always want to overpower us with fear and hatred for everything we don’t fully understand. By tuning our hearts and lives to praise, we will see all of the positives Paul lists in Philippians 4:8, “ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” ¶October 7, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1268 ¶Proper 22 ¶October 6, 2024 ¶Psalm 143 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+143&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶A time of trial, even desperation, is a fitting time to contemplate our relationship with God. When our spirits are at the lowest point, we can take time to consider whether or not we trust, or even need, a higher power of some kind. Some will decide that there is no God, and if there is, that God has no concern for us in this trial or any other time. At the other extreme, some will discover that God is in charge, we have no place to question God’s activity, or anyone else’s in our lives since God has every part of our lives scripted to the smallest detail and we are simply along for the ride. In the middle is where most of us find ourselves. ¶In the middle we find that God has given each of us the gift of free will. That means we not only live with the consequences of our own actions, we also live with the consequences of the actions of others. In times of trial, we turn to God for answers, for relief, to pluck us out of our current trouble, and to be present with us. God has chosen to allow us to make our own choices, and to live with the results for good or ill. Through it all, God also chooses to be with us no matter what. ¶The psalmist looks to God in desperation, asking for relief and deliverance. More importantly, the psalmist is asking God for help, moving in the direction of God, and being willing to accept whatever relief, comfort, and deliverance to presence of God has to offer in this particular situation. As is the case with most of us, the psalmist has some definite ideas of what kind of help God might offer, however, there is also a willingness to accept all that God has to offer. “Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning, for in you I put my trust.” ¶October 1, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1267 ¶Proper 21 ¶September 29, 2024 ¶Psalm 138 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+138&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶The psalmist begins with a word of thanks and praise. As a part of that, the psalmist mentions the gods. The psalmist was aware that surrounding cultures had divine beings of their own. While these groups might argue over which group was watched over and protected by the best divinities they did not argue over the need to worship mine over yours. It was as if each area was watched and protected by a particular set of beings within a geographic area. There was no overlap or interference from one region to another. ¶Israel was the first to recognize that their God, YHWH, served as guardian and guide wherever they went. When Abram and the rest of the family sojourned, it was in the presence of God. When the people cried out from exile in Egypt, it was YHWH who heard them and led them back into the land from which they had gone in search of food. In all of their journeys as a people and as individuals, they knew that they travelled in the presence of YHWH. ¶While there will always be people willing to point out all the scary and treacherous parts of the world around us, we can rest assured that we are in the presence of YHWH. As long as we keep ourselves humble in each part of our lives we know that YHWH is keeping a close watch over us. Even if we get a little too full of ourselves, thinking we deserve all sorts of special treatment because of who we are, we can be sure that YHWH has an eye on us even if it is from a place that leans toward humility, steadfast love, and mercy. ¶September 23, 2024 ¶LCM