Psalm Meditation 895
Proper 14
August 13, 2017

Psalm 79
1 O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.
2 They have given the bodies of your servants to the birds of the air for food, the flesh of your faithful to the wild animals of the earth.
3 They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them.
4 We have become a taunt to our neighbors, mocked and derided by those around us.
5 How long, O LORD? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealous wrath burn like fire?
6 Pour out your anger on the nations that do not know you, and on the kingdoms that do not call on your name.
7 For they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his habitation.
8 Do not remember against us the iniquities of our ancestors; let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low.
9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and forgive our sins, for your name’s sake.
10 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants be known among the nations before our eyes.
11 Let the groans of the prisoners come before you; according to your great power preserve those doomed to die.
12 Return sevenfold into the bosom of our neighbors the taunts with which they taunted you, O Lord!
13 Then we your people, the flock of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise.
(NRSV)

The most widely held view of the presence of God in the time this psalm was written is that God rewards good deeds and punishes sinful deeds. When bad or good happens to a person or a nation, it is because of the actions of the person or group. The psalmist knows that the people of Israel have done things that deserve punishment, in this case having Jerusalem overrun by enemy armies. The psalmist tells God that the city has suffered enough from the hands of adversaries. It is time for God to inflict punishment on those who defiled the city of God in several ways. ‘Yes, we have sinned and paid the price, now punish those who punished us, because they said mean things about you, O God.’

While there will always be those who believe that God punishes sin and rewards good behavior, there is at least one other view. In this other view we are not punished for our sin, we are punished by our sin. In this view God does not give us over to others for punishment while ignoring our cries for help, at least until our punishment is fulfilled. God is with us no matter what comes our way. Holding us up, helping us stand against the adversarial forces that rise against us, perhaps even pointing out a lesson we might learn in the face of the good or bad that comes our way as a part of the choices we make.

Our view of God helps color our perception of what goes on around us. If we see God as angry we will see ourselves and others bearing the brunt of that anger. If we see God as a champion of justice we will see ourselves and others receiving our just deserts at the hand of God. If we see God as loving and merciful we will see ourselves and others benefitting from the presence of God in every situation. God will not cause things to happen but may nudge and prod us to learn something from what does happen to us and others.

August 7, 2017
LCM