Psalm Meditation 747
Eighteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time Children’s Sabbath
October 12, 2014

Psalm 140
1 Deliver me, O LORD, from evildoers; protect me from those who are violent,
2 who plan evil things in their minds and stir up wars continually.
3 They make their tongue sharp as a snake’s, and under their lips is the venom of vipers. Selah
4 Guard me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; protect me from the violent who have planned my downfall.
5 The arrogant have hidden a trap for me, and with cords they have spread a net, along the road they have set snares for me. Selah
6 I say to the LORD, “You are my God; give ear, O LORD, to the voice of my supplications.”
7 O LORD, my Lord, my strong deliverer, you have covered my head in the day of battle.
8 Do not grant, O LORD, the desires of the wicked; do not further their evil plot. Selah
9 Those who surround me lift up their heads; let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!
10 Let burning coals fall on them! Let them be flung into pits, no more to rise!
11 Do not let the slanderer be established in the land; let evil speedily hunt down the violent!
12 I know that the LORD maintains the cause of the needy, and executes justice for the poor.
13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name; the upright shall live in your presence.
(NRSV)

Having never lived in a war zone, I have to compare my experience with what I imagine it would be like to be this close to a battle. Today, that means dealing with the internal struggles of being human. As the various parts of the day come to mind I hear the conflicting opinions of my abilities rise up to do battle. On the one side are the voices that wonder, “How could you have possibly thought that you were capable of pulling this off. You are going to ruin your day and waste the time of everyone present.” On the other side the voices remind me that I am not in this alone and that I have what it takes to make a difference. Interestingly, the voices of calm assurance are drowned out by the shouting voices of doom and despair.

The raging war is confined to one side. This is probably true more often than not for the conflicts between our doubts and abilities. The doubts cry out with the volume and pitch of fear. Streaming hoards of panicked creatures run rough shod over my preparations. The calm, reassurance of those preparations seems to be lost in the din of doubts. And then I take a deep breath and recognize that while silence will never overwhelm volume, there is a spot in the presence of God that covers my head in the day of battle and quiets the doubts.

Certainly, some days the doubts win and overrun the assurance and preparation. I go down in a flaming ball of defeat. Even then, the presence of God touches me with the assurance that this need not be the end, this need not be the last word. No matter what, God is with us, giving us a peace that is greater than anything life can send our way. At our best, we give thanks and rejoice in the presence of God.

October 6, 2014
LCM