Psalm Meditation 937
Proper 4
June 3, 2018

Psalm 65
1 Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion; and to you shall vows be performed,
2 O you who answer prayer! To you all flesh shall come.
3 When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us, you forgive our transgressions.
4 Happy are those whom you choose and bring near to live in your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, your holy temple.
5 By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance, O God of our salvation; you are the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas.
6 By your strength you established the mountains; you are girded with might.
7 You silence the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples.
8 Those who live at earth’s farthest bounds are awed by your signs; you make the gateways of the morning and the evening shout for joy.
9 You visit the earth and water it, you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide the people with grain, for so you have prepared it.
10 You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth.
11 You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with richness.
12 The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy,
13 the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy.
(NRSV)

It is easy to take for granted anything that is dependable. Whether it be forgiveness, inclusion in the household of God, or water and food, once we get used to having it on a regular basis we expect it to be available every time we need or want it. Stories abound of people who do not see themselves touched by shortages in agricultural food supply because they get their food from the grocery store rather than from the farm. We can be just as shortsighted about forgiveness and our place in the presence of God. We see them as rights and privileges rather than as gifts we receive from God.

The psalmist is not in a position to take the gifts and providence of God for granted. Everything that happens is at the direction of God. Forgiveness is a gift that God gives to keep us from being overwhelmed by the weight of our own sin. To further protect and preserve us we are drawn into the presence of God as people who have a task and purpose in that place. The planting and harvesting of crops is possible because God provides a way for all the necessary steps to happen in proper time and order.

With our knowledge of science and technology we can see God as unnecessary or we can see our knowledge as confirmation of the participation of God in the world around us. Times of affluence can lead to taking all sorts of people and things for granted. The psalmist counsels us to be mindful of the presence of God. We may understand how a process works but that does not alter the part about it being a gift from God. “By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance, O God of our salvation; you are the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas.”

May 28, 2018
LCM