Psalm Meditation 933
Sixth Sunday of Easter
May 6, 2018

Psalm 17
1 Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry; give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit.
2 From you let my vindication come; let your eyes see the right.
3 If you try my heart, if you visit me by night, if you test me, you will find no wickedness in me; my mouth does not transgress.
4 As for what others do, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent.
5 My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.
6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me, hear my words.
7 Wondrously show your steadfast love, O savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand.
8 Guard me as the apple of the eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings,
9 from the wicked who despoil me, my deadly enemies who surround me.
10 They close their hearts to pity; with their mouths they speak arrogantly.
11 They track me down; now they surround me; they set their eyes to cast me to the ground.
12 They are like a lion eager to tear, like a young lion lurking in ambush.
13 Rise up, O LORD, confront them, overthrow them! By your sword deliver my life from the wicked,
14 from mortals—by your hand, O LORD—from mortals whose portion in life is in this world. May their bellies be filled with what you have stored up for them; may their children have more than enough; may they leave something over to their little ones.
15 As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness
(NRSV)

Most of us can read and claim this psalm with a clear conscience. We see ourselves as above reproach in our faith practice. We are convinced that the only people who could disparage our faithfulness are those who are evil and vindictive in the first place. Anyone who lives their faith in a public way has likely received some kind of judgment for it. Maybe it was nothing more than a glare in your direction as you paused for a word of prayer before a meal out. People of faith who have any kind of audience for an online presence are going to find trolls coming out of the woodwork and circuit boards to question their particular brand of faithfulness.

When our faith is questioned, when we feel persecuted, we find ourselves joining the psalmist in the plea in vs. 14. We want God to give all those who stand against us the terrible things they have coming to them. And while these punishments are being heaped on them save up enough to punish their children and grandchildren too. Once we open the floodgates to our own vindictiveness we are willing to pile it onto others three generations deep. When we jump into this battle by asking God to defend us through punishment of our adversaries, have we lost any claim to being above reproach?

As we live out our faithfulness we do well to be aware that there are those inside and out of our religious tradition who will be troubled by the way we live out our faith. While it is important to participate in open conversation and connection, there is little gained by taking shots at each other with the intent of destroying another. May God continue to, “Wondrously show your steadfast love, O savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand.”

April 30, 2018
LCM