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