Psalm Meditation 949
Proper 16
August 26, 2018

Psalm 61
1 Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.
2 From the end of the earth I call to you, when my heart is faint.
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I;
3 for you are my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.
4 Let me abide in your tent forever, find refuge under the shelter of your wings. Selah
5 For you, O God, have heard my vows; you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.
6 Prolong the life of the king; may his years endure to all generations!
7 May he be enthroned forever before God; appoint steadfast love and faithfulness to watch over him!
8 So I will always sing praises to your name, as I pay my vows day after day.
(NRSV)

When we were in England many years ago we visited the valley from which we get our last name. Some of us climbed up to the cave in the hillside. From the mouth of the cave we could look over the valley. At least one of us climbed the rest of the way to stand on the outcrop over the mouth of the cave. The view was both frightening and exhilarating. From his place on the edge of the rock face my brother could look down on the valley and saw birds flying in the sky below him. It must have been this kind of rock to which the psalmist anticipated being led.

To be able to see every direction and to be able to look down on friend and foe alike gives one a great sense of security. That kind of view makes it difficult to be surprised by any type of approach. It is a great and comforting view. When God is the one who has led us to that point, we can rest assured that it is a safe place from all but the most concentrated attack. To know that God is with us in the place adds greatly to the sense of security.

Sometimes our high place is a physical place. A place from which we can look down in every direction to see who and what is coming our way. Sometimes our high place is a spiritual place from which we can get a sense of what is coming so that we are prepared for almost anything that comes our way. In many of those cases, a good bit of our preparation involves being wholly/holy in the presence of God. In the presence of God we can see beyond our own sight. In the presence of God we can see a vision of what is and of what can be.

August 20, 2018
LCM