Psalm Meditation 709
Second Sunday After Epiphany
January 19, 2014

Psalm 105
1 O give thanks to the LORD, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples.
2 Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wonderful works.
3 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
4 Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually.
5 Remember the wonderful works he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he has uttered,
6 O offspring of his servant Abraham, children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
7 He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth.
8 He is mindful of his covenant forever, of the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,
9 the covenant that he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac,
10 which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant,
11 saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan as your portion for an inheritance.”
12 When they were few in number, of little account, and strangers in it,
13 wandering from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people,
14 he allowed no one to oppress them; he rebuked kings on their account,
15 saying, “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.”
16 When he summoned famine against the land, and broke every staff of bread,
17 he had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
18 His feet were hurt with fetters, his neck was put in a collar of iron;
19 until what he had said came to pass, the word of the LORD kept testing him.
20 The king sent and released him; the ruler of the peoples set him free.
21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his possessions,
22 to instruct his officials at his pleasure, and to teach his elders wisdom.
23 Then Israel came to Egypt; Jacob lived as an alien in the land of Ham.
24 And the LORD made his people very fruitful, and made them stronger than their foes,
25 whose hearts he then turned to hate his people, to deal craftily with his servants.
26 He sent his servant Moses, and Aaron whom he had chosen.
27 They performed his signs among them, and miracles in the land of Ham.
28 He sent darkness, and made the land dark; they rebelled against his words.
29 He turned their waters into blood, and caused their fish to die.
30 Their land swarmed with frogs, even in the chambers of their kings.
31 He spoke, and there came swarms of flies, and gnats throughout their country.
32 He gave them hail for rain, and lightning that flashed through their land.
33 He struck their vines and fig trees, and shattered the trees of their country.
34 He spoke, and the locusts came, and young locusts without number;
35 they devoured all the vegetation in their land, and ate up the fruit of their ground.
36 He struck down all the firstborn in their land, the first issue of all their strength.
37 Then he brought Israel out with silver and gold, and there was no one among their tribes who stumbled.
38 Egypt was glad when they departed, for dread of them had fallen upon it.
39 He spread a cloud for a covering, and fire to give light by night.
40 They asked, and he brought quails, and gave them food from heaven in abundance.
41 He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it flowed through the desert like a river.
42 For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham, his servant.
43 So he brought his people out with joy, his chosen ones with singing.
44 He gave them the lands of the nations, and they took possession of the wealth of the peoples,
45 that they might keep his statutes and observe his laws. Praise the LORD!
(NRSV)

In an account of history, the important events are highlighted and lifted out. For many groups, the list includes the wonderful things we have done. In this list, the important events are the things that God has done. It was God who sent Joseph ahead to make provision for the people of Egypt and the people of God. It was God who used Moses and Aaron to secure the freedom of the chosen people through plagues visited on Egypt. It was God who led folks in their return to the land they had been given by God. In this psalm, the important details are not about the people because it is God who moves the action forward in each situation.

How would our lives and histories be different if we made the effort to see God at work in us rather than listing our own accomplishments? I don’t mean mentioning God before mentioning all the great things we have done, I mean seeing how God has been at work in our lives. That might mean noticing that we have not always gone in the directions God would have chosen for us, noticing that we have made choices based on selfish motives rather than on what God has called us to be or do. We might notice that as we made selfish choices the work of God went on without us until we made the choices God pointed to.

God provides for us and invites us to receive those provisions. This psalm ends with God providing a place where, “they might keep his statutes and observe his laws.” We know that didn’t always happen. It serves as a reminder that God does not force us to accept, receive or follow any of the laws or providence offered to us. God lovingly invites us to participate in the way of life offered to us. There are not a lot of promises or strings attached to the invitation. Following God is its own reward.

January 13, 2014