Psalm Meditation 696
Twenty second Sunday of Ordinary Time
October 20, 2013

Psalm 48
1 Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised in the city of our God. His holy mountain,
2 beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north,
the city of the great King.
3 Within its citadels God has shown himself a sure defense.
4 Then the kings assembled, they came on together.
5 As soon as they saw it, they were astounded; they were in panic, they took to flight;
6 trembling took hold of them there, pains as of a woman in labor,
7 as when an east wind shatters the ships of Tarshish.
8 As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God, which God establishes forever. Selah
9 We ponder your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of your temple.
10 Your name, O God, like your praise, reaches to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is filled with victory.
11 Let Mount Zion be glad, let the towns of Judah rejoice because of your judgments.
12 Walk about Zion, go all around it, count its towers,
13 consider well its ramparts; go through its citadels, that you may tell the next generation
14 that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will be our guide forever.
(NRSV)

Jerusalem was built in a wonderfully strategic place that made it difficult to attack and easy to defend. The psalmist could have celebrated the ingenuity of the folks who founded the city on such a great spot. The psalm could have praised the folks who formulated the military strategies that went with the excellent positioning of the city. The psalmist chose instead to give the praise to God.

It was the inspiration and direction of God that led folks to build the city in this place. It was the creative genius and power of God to make a place on which the city could be founded. It was the steadfast love of God that chose this people to live in this place over anyone else. It was God who had the first and final say in the choices that made Jerusalem an advantageous spot for a variety of activities.

In our emphasis on individuality we play up the skills of people and down play the contribution God has made to who we are and what we do. It is the gifts of God at work in the lives of individuals and groups that makes it possible for folks to do what they do. There is likely a happy median between taking all the credit for our skills and actions and giving the credit to God and keeping none for ourselves. God gives us gifts and we use them to the best of our willingness and ability. We do well to acknowledge our abilities and accomplishments even as we give thanks to God.

October 14, 2013