Psalm Meditation 884
Seventh Sunday of Easter
May 28, 2017

Psalm 118
1 O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the LORD say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”
5 Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me in a broad place.
6 With the LORD on my side I do not fear. What can mortals do to me?
7 The LORD is on my side to help me; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.
8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to put confidence in mortals.
9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.
10 All nations surrounded me; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
11 They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
12 They surrounded me like bees; they blazed like a fire of thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
13 I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the LORD helped me.
14 The LORD is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation.
15 There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous: “The right hand of the LORD does valiantly;
16 the right hand of the LORD is exalted; the right hand of the LORD does valiantly.”
17 I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD.
18 The LORD has punished me severely, but he did not give me over to death.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD.
20 This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it.
21 I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.
22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.
23 This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Save us, we beseech you, O LORD! O LORD, we beseech you, give us success!
26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD. We bless you from the house of the LORD.
27 The LORD is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God, I will extol you.
29 O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.
(NRSV)

I assume that the psalmist and I are not the only people who have ever felt rejected by those around us. Additionally, I hope I am not the only one who has found comfort in the words of this psalm. Recognizing that rejection is neither universal nor eternal is a great source of comfort in those times when we feel as if we are on the outside looking in. The feeling of rejection is an isolating experience. We think, ’Not only have I been rejected, I am the only one out here.’ Because we feel so left out we don’t look around to see the others whose faces are also pressed against the glass looking in on the ‘cool kids.’

At some point we realize that being ignored or attacked by a group is not all life has to offer. There is more. For the psalmist, and many of us, the direction to turn for the more life has to offer is toward God. As we turn to God we see ourselves not as the stone that has been rejected; we see ourselves as God sees us, as the chief cornerstone. We have value not because we have done or will do something magnificent so much as because God sees us as a singularly important and impressive child of God. That is the nature of God.

Having found our place as the chief cornerstone in the building God is building around us we have the freedom to look around and see all the others whose unique size, shape, color, and style has suited them for the building God is constructing on their lives. Allowing our particular uniqueness to be used by God we come to appreciate those around us as companions rather than competitors. As companions we see each other as recipients of the steadfast love of God.

May 22, 2017
LCM