Psalm Meditation 1281 ¶Second Sunday After Christmas ¶January 5, 2024 ¶Psalm 150 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+150&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶I grew up surrounded by music. My father had an appreciation for music even though he did not play an instrument. My mother played violin, piano, and sang. Each of my brothers, and me, played in a school band, and most of us played multiple instruments not usually included in school band. We also had years of singing in choirs and other singing groups. Making music, participating in the art and craft of music was, and continues to be, a part of life for us. My wife and children also have music training and experience. ¶The psalmist calls us to use our instruments to praise God. There is no mention of quality, as much as variety. If it makes a noise it can be used to praise God. It also seems that the emphasis is on the praise rather than on the skill of the musician. “Let everything that breathes paise the LORD!,” includes humans, and beyond, in offering our praise. Our various instruments as well as the chirps, howls, barks, purrs, squeals, and screams of other creatures are called into service for the praise of God. ¶It seems that when we put ourselves in an attitude of praise we more readily hear the praise from those around us. Sounds that are annoying, frightening, or otherwise unsettling can take on a different emotional tone when we are tuned to praise. It is still important to be aware of the creature making those sounds, just in case it is not in a praise mood at the time. When we look for reasons and ways to praise, we move closer to the way of God in our lives. ¶December 30, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1280 ¶First Sunday After Christmas ¶December 29, 2024 ¶Psalm 148 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+148&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶The older I get, the more of a monotheist I am becoming. Not that my God is the only one and all the rest are pretenders, rather that there is only one God who is richer, fuller, and deeper than we can comprehend. Each religious tradition has picked up on characteristics of that one God, given him/her/it a name/names that fit for that tradition. As we gather for worship, we offer our praise to the one God in the name and style that fits for us and our group. In whatever way we hold things sacred, we lift up our thanks and praise. ¶When the psalmist calls for each of the parts of Creation to lift up and honor Yahweh, it is an invitation to praise the one God in a way that is fulfilling for each creature lifted up. The sun, moon, and stars praise God by continuing the tasks for which they were each created; sea monsters, deeps, fire, hail, snow, frost, and winds offer praise in ways that work together with the one God for the sake of all of Creation. ¶If you agree with me, have a more traditional view of God, or go a totally different direction in your working definition of God, we can each offer thanks and praise for the way the world, the universe around us, works together for the benefit of such a variety of people, animals, things, and ephemera. Despite any attempts to thwart the process of Creation by any number of influences, we can see the resilient power of God in and through all Creation — and that gives us reason to offer our praise. ¶December 23, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1279 ¶Fourth Sunday of Advent ¶December 22, 2024 ¶Psalm 145 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+145&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶We like to think that the way we view God and religion is the right and proper way to do so. Our way is the best, and for some people, the only way to follow God. All the other ways are inferior at best, and wrong headed or even evil at the worst. All of ‘those’ people are sadly mistaken in their beliefs and practices, and it is a shame all of those otherwise good people have consigned themselves to Hell because they don’t believe the right things. We will miss them when we get to Heaven. ¶Then we read a psalm like this. “The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made.” While it is tempting to believe that these words only apply to our kind of people, it is just as possible to read it as a reminder that God is a lot more open and accepting than we are. There is not nearly as much judgment of ‘those’ people as we would like to see. Really, what if God actually loves each one of us, no matter what our beliefs and actions lead us to do and think? ¶The psalmist may or may not be calling us to give thanks to God for looking out for us — each and all of us. Whether that is what the psalmist intends or not, it is a good plan of action to see others through the eyes of God’s steadfast love, mercy, and compassion. It tends to take the wind out of the sails of people who prefer to fight and argue with those with whom they do not see eye to eye if we look at others through eyes of love and concern. God is the host at a much bigger table than most of us are willing to see. ¶December 19 , 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1278 ¶Third Sunday of Advent ¶December 15, 2024 ¶Psalm 141 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+141&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶There are times in which we are tempted to believe that we are the only faithful folk left in the world. We may be of the opinion that no one is nearly as good as we are in the practice of faithfulness. We set ourselves apart as an example of what it means to be God’s favorite. We look at all the people around us knowing that they could not possibly live up to the high standards that guide our own life. It might be in our family, at work or school, and even in worship. We are the faithful remnant, biding our time until God comes. ¶The psalmist is willing to be disciplined and corrected by those whose lives are exemplary in every way. At the same time, there is plenty of judgment heaped on those who are not up to snuff in the psalmist’s eyes. We will gladly stand, looking down our noses at all who do things of which we disapprove, when it is their time to pay the price for all the evil they have done. If the psalmist is of the mind that the righteous will also face judgment, there is no indication of such here. ¶Whether the psalmist is as guilty of the intense pride of hubris as is possible, the important thing is to turn our eyes, hearts, and lives to God. In God we find refuge, a defender, and protector. God is not standing over us with a clipboard full of judgmental checkmarks against us. First and foremost, God loves us and wants what is best for us, especially for us to have a close and intimate relationship with God. Out of that relationship we can gather and grow other helpful and encouraging relationships with others. ¶December 11, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1276 ¶Second Sunday of Advent ¶December 8, 2024 ¶Psalm 136 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+136&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶This psalm appears to be a litany, in which the leader reads a statement and the congregation responds with the same phrase after each statement as a way to participate in the act of worship without having to read anything. The psalmist retells the salvation history of Israel and the people respond with a reminder that the steadfast love of God lasts forever. When things are going well, it is good to know that God loves us forever. When things are going poorly, it is good to remember that the steadfast love of God holds us through every crisis. ¶When things are going well, it is tempting to take love for granted whether it be the love of God or of a friend or family member. It is a given, an ‘of course you do,’ understanding with each other that love is present in this moment. We are glad to know, however, it can does not need to be deep or intimate, it simply has to be there as a common acknowledgment. Good times do not test the depth, the height, the breadth of love. ¶The psalmist does not list many of the good times of salvation history, because as important as they are, they do not test the bonds and bounds of love. That God gave us the whole of Creation as an act of love is the beginning of our history with God, the rest is a reminder that God has been with us through all the worst parts of our lives, loving us as steadfastly and completely as we could ever hope to be loved. “O give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.” ¶December 4, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1276 ¶First Sunday of Advent ¶December 1, 2024 ¶Psalm 130 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+130&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶There is a tendency among adults to make light of the suffering and despair of teenagers. Everything seems to be high drama of crisis proportions. And that is because it is—to them. They have never gone through this particular experience of suffering, so to them it is the worst that has ever happened. As adults, we may forget how devastating some of the teenage experiences can be. Our memories are colored by the rest of our own experiences. In the light of those, teenage problems seem mild. ¶The psalmist is crying for God out of whatever depths have been reached so far. We may be tempted to compare the psalmist’s depths to our own, however, that is unfair. We have no idea how deep anyone else’s experiences have taken them. The best we can do is honor their experience, even without knowing the full extent of it. By doing that we take them, and their despair seriously. When we take other people seriously we stand with them on the side of God. ¶On the side of God, we find hope; for ourselves and for each other. We anticipate that we are not alone, and neither are those with whom we choose to identify in suffering. In the presence of God we find forgiveness, patience, hope, steadfast love, and redemption. From whatever depths we cry, from whatever depths those around us cry, we can rest assured that God is with us. Together we stand watching for the morning and the newness that comes with a new day. ¶November 27, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1275 ¶Reign of Christ ¶November 24, 2024 ¶Psalm 149 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+149&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶At the end of an adrenaline producing event, both winning and losing spectators/non-participants have gobs of energy looking for an outlet. In our era, folks end up vandalizing cars and other forms of hooliganism. It doesn’t happen all the time and not everyone participates, however there is enough damage done to make it noteworthy. In our current political climate, there are groups of people who call down death and destruction on everyone on the other side of the fence. Given the opportunity to put our desires and threats into action, most of us would not even know how to start. ¶The psalmist deals with the same adrenaline rush. God is called upon to exact the vengeance that we would wish on our enemies and adversaries. We want to step into the fray with swinging swords and blazing guns to mow down everyone who has wronged us. The psalmist, and others in Israel want to see enemies destroyed, sliced up, tied up, and brought to the kind of justice that we long to see. Better yet, we want to stand back and let God do the work while we sing songs about the great things God does for us. ¶God rarely brings justice through violence and vindictiveness. God brings justice by calling and encouraging us to work together for the sake of all around us. The love of God cajoles and encourages us to make and grow peace with those with whom we share creation. Will those around us drop their animosity for the sake of unity? Nope. Will God continue to work in each of our hearts to move ever closer to those with whom we disagree? Yep. “Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, [God’s] praise in the assembly of the faithful.” ¶November 19, 2024 LCM

Psalm Meditation 1274 ¶Proper 28 ¶November 17, 2024 ¶Psalm 146 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+146&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶Where I live we just finished a very contentious election cycle. On the one hand there are people who are relieved and overjoyed, while on the other hand there are people who are disappointed, frightened, and angry. In one sense the election has determined the direction of our state and nation for several years to come. However, we continue to be children of God, under God’s firm and loving hand. Whether we prosper or falter, we will be loved and cared for within the presence of God. ¶The psalmist assures us that the arc of the universe bends toward justice, sustenance, and freedom for all of creation. The psalmist does not mention that each of us is called to take part in achieving justice, freedom, righteousness, and meeting the needs of those around us whether they are a part of our circle of influence or not. God watches over and cares for and about those who have no one else. As children of God we are given the task of putting hands and feet to the watching, loving care of God in the world. ¶God’s favor goes to those who cannot care for themselves any other way. God’s judgment goes to those who practice selfishness and arrogance, especially those who do so in the name of God. God’s love lives among those who practice and work for freedom for all, dignity for all, care of friends and strangers alike, and lives of righteousness. “Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul! “ ¶November 12, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1273 ¶Proper 27 ¶November 10, 2024 ¶Psalm 142 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+142&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶One of the prayers of my younger days was to complain to God about being abandoned by everyone around me. It took a wise youth pastor to point out that I was talking to God, and to this youth pastor about having no one to talk to. It took awhile to sink in, however I did grow into the realization that God is with me all the time and no matter the circumstance. When it did feel as if I had been abandoned by God I had only to look around to see all the ways that God was present in my life. It may not have been the exact way that I thought would be best, and yet, God was with me through it all. ¶The psalmist is dealing with a feeling of abandonment as well as a sense that everyone is looking, maybe even staring as we would stare at any not quite human creature. We see in a way that carries no concern for the plight of the psalmist. It is a demoralizing feeling, especially for one who feels lost to begin with. ‘Surely, at least one of these people is only pretending to ignore me so that when I let down my guard they can hurt me in one of the many ways that I have imagined countless times.’ ¶Any of us who have been in the position of feeling abandoned and pursued for evil ends, can perhaps see that sensation in others and reach out to let them know that they are not alone, and that most of us are not out to get them. Those who haven’t experienced the sensation of the psalmist and many others can become more sensitive to the hurts of those around them. Together we can be the presence of God with each other, to be among the righteous who surround those who need what we have to offer. ¶November 5, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1272 ¶Proper 26 ¶November 3, 2024 ¶Psalm 137 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+137&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶Music is an essential part of life, it gives us rhythm, melody, and harmony that captures our wide variety of moods. It is our way of letting others know what we are thinking and feeling about the emotions in our hearts and the events in the world around us. “I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free…” We also sing because we are sad, oppressed, and any number of other emotions that make up the world around us and within. It is a gift we can share with each other to build community with those who share our feelings about the world in which we find ourselves. ¶There are times in which our music becomes a weapon used against us. When an oppressor demands that we sing only happy songs in the midst of our captivity and oppression we find ways to make the happiest of songs into an act of rebellion against those who seek to demoralize us. If nothing else, our songs can be used to remind us that since God is with us, this oppressive time is not the end. It is important to realize, that some of us have no real experience of oppression on the receiving end, and too much on the perpetrating end. ¶We all have some experience with feeling left out and abandoned, so we can take comfort in the psalms, hymns, and songs that remind us that God is with us as a comforting presence in the worst of times. Music gives us the ability to express our frustration and anger against others in ways that most of us will never act on in the real world. Singing it out loud can help us realize that cruelty in response to cruelty is rarely as fulfilling as it seems in our imagination. ¶October 28, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1270 ¶Proper 24 ¶October 15, 2024 ¶Psalm 124 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+124&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶Something about knowing we are not alone makes it easier to get through hard things. One who encourages us to face our fears and challenges reminds us that we have the support of at least one person. That person believes in us, encourages us, and stands with us through it all. That person does not usually appear suddenly in our time of need. It is hard to trust someone who appears out of nowhere to be our cheerleader. It does happen, however it is pretty rare. ¶That means, it is a good idea to have a relationship with at least one person who can be your sounding board, listening to, adding to, and advising about ideas, projects and prospects for the future. That cheerleader will be the one who stands next to you in some form or another in every troubling situation in which you find yourself. In a best case scenario, that person may depend on you for that same kind of support in their trials and troubles. It will be a different kind of support, even though the effect will be the same. ¶For the psalmist, one of those supportive people is God. All variety of good things come when God is present in times of need. At the same time that the psalmist offers thanks to God for being present in this most recent conflict, there is a companion invitation to each of us to become one who looks to God in times of trouble and need. God is broad enough and deep enough to give each of us the support we need in every time and place. “Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. “ ¶October 15, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1269 ¶Proper 23 ¶October 13, 2024 ¶Psalm 147 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+147&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶Singing praises or simply speaking them is a good thing to do and a good habit to encourage in our lives. When we offer praise to God, we acknowledge that God is good to us, and that much of what we have comes from and is the result of the presence of God in and around us. A definition of praise that I learned several years ago is that praise is for who God is, while thanksgiving is for what God does. The psalmist does not seem to use that definition, seeing the being and doing of God as all being praiseworthy. ¶As we get into the habit of giving praise to God, we will, hopefully, find that we are seeing more and more that is praiseworthy in the people and things around us. While many of us find humor and camaraderie in insulting each other in a light hearted way, I wonder how different our lives and attitudes would be if we found and made ways to praise each other for the good things that we do well, even the attempts we make at doing quality work in our lives. Praising God and those around us makes a positive contribution to the world in which we are blessed to live. ¶As we sing or recite our hymns, songs, and psalms of praise to God we will discover that the world is a much less scary place to live. There will still be evil in all of its forms, and it will always want to overpower us with fear and hatred for everything we don’t fully understand. By tuning our hearts and lives to praise, we will see all of the positives Paul lists in Philippians 4:8, “ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” ¶October 7, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1268 ¶Proper 22 ¶October 6, 2024 ¶Psalm 143 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+143&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶A time of trial, even desperation, is a fitting time to contemplate our relationship with God. When our spirits are at the lowest point, we can take time to consider whether or not we trust, or even need, a higher power of some kind. Some will decide that there is no God, and if there is, that God has no concern for us in this trial or any other time. At the other extreme, some will discover that God is in charge, we have no place to question God’s activity, or anyone else’s in our lives since God has every part of our lives scripted to the smallest detail and we are simply along for the ride. In the middle is where most of us find ourselves. ¶In the middle we find that God has given each of us the gift of free will. That means we not only live with the consequences of our own actions, we also live with the consequences of the actions of others. In times of trial, we turn to God for answers, for relief, to pluck us out of our current trouble, and to be present with us. God has chosen to allow us to make our own choices, and to live with the results for good or ill. Through it all, God also chooses to be with us no matter what. ¶The psalmist looks to God in desperation, asking for relief and deliverance. More importantly, the psalmist is asking God for help, moving in the direction of God, and being willing to accept whatever relief, comfort, and deliverance to presence of God has to offer in this particular situation. As is the case with most of us, the psalmist has some definite ideas of what kind of help God might offer, however, there is also a willingness to accept all that God has to offer. “Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning, for in you I put my trust.” ¶October 1, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1267 ¶Proper 21 ¶September 29, 2024 ¶Psalm 138 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+138&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶The psalmist begins with a word of thanks and praise. As a part of that, the psalmist mentions the gods. The psalmist was aware that surrounding cultures had divine beings of their own. While these groups might argue over which group was watched over and protected by the best divinities they did not argue over the need to worship mine over yours. It was as if each area was watched and protected by a particular set of beings within a geographic area. There was no overlap or interference from one region to another. ¶Israel was the first to recognize that their God, YHWH, served as guardian and guide wherever they went. When Abram and the rest of the family sojourned, it was in the presence of God. When the people cried out from exile in Egypt, it was YHWH who heard them and led them back into the land from which they had gone in search of food. In all of their journeys as a people and as individuals, they knew that they travelled in the presence of YHWH. ¶While there will always be people willing to point out all the scary and treacherous parts of the world around us, we can rest assured that we are in the presence of YHWH. As long as we keep ourselves humble in each part of our lives we know that YHWH is keeping a close watch over us. Even if we get a little too full of ourselves, thinking we deserve all sorts of special treatment because of who we are, we can be sure that YHWH has an eye on us even if it is from a place that leans toward humility, steadfast love, and mercy. ¶September 23, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1266 ¶Proper 20 ¶September 22, 2024 ¶Psalm 132 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+132&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶Songs of ascent, like this psalm, were used as people went up to the Temple for worship, especially on special holy days. Worship was an important part of community life, and preparing body, mind, and spirit were important parts of going to worship. Using a psalm like this one while making the journey to the Temple was a part of that preparation. Ascent psalms reminded folks how and why the Temple was built in the first place. It was David’s desire to build a place for God to dwell as a response to all God had done in David’s life. ¶This psalm leaves the impression that it was David who built the Temple, though the rest of Scripture tells us it was Solomon, because, according to God, there was too much blood on David’s hands to be able to oversee the building of a dwelling place for God. Still, it was David’s idea and Solomon was willing and able to see to the project for his father’s sake and for God’s glory. As we go up to the Temple, we give thanks to God for being behind the project, and for both David and Solomon for providing such a great place. ¶A part of me longs for the day, long past, when we treated a church building as a sacred space, where we put on our best clothes as well as our best behavior. The rest of me is grateful that people continue to want to be a part of a worshipping congregation gathered into a space set apart to be wholly, and holy in the presence of God. Maybe, your holy space is a building, or a room, perhaps it is a chair set apart for holiness. For others it is an outdoor space, consecrated by intentional awareness of the presence of God. “Let us go to God’s dwelling place; let us worship at God’s footstool.” ¶September 16, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1265 ¶Proper 19 ¶September 15, 2024 ¶Psalm 125 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+125&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶We like to think that God is like we are when it comes to rules. Those who follow the rules get rewarded and those who don’t get punished. It isn’t even about winning and losing, it is that eventually the bad people get found out and pay the price for the bad stuff they have done and the good people get some kind of good stuff as a thank you and acknowledgment for doing the right thing more often than not. After all, it’s only fair that punishments and rewards match our behaviors, even if it isn’t right away. ¶But what if God is not like we are? What if God treats us as if we are each beloved children. We reap the consequences of our actions for good and ill, while being loved beyond our understanding. So, God won’t lead ‘those’ people into places of fire and isolation any more than God will lead one of us to a place like that. God will discipline (teach) us how to be the people we are called to be and lead us toward a life of loving community together with all on whom God lays a lovin claim. You know, everybody. ¶While it is human to believe that we are good and all of ‘those’ people who are not like us are bad, that doesn’t seem to be the way God works among us. God desires that we be drawn into the ever expanding circle of those who know they are loved by God. That way certainly is not the ‘right’ way by our standards of fairness, and yet God does seem to love us as well as those we don’t like, including those who don’t/can’t/won’t acknowledge God’s claim on their lives for whatever reason. ¶September 9, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1264 ¶Proper 18 ¶September 8, 2024 ¶Psalm 118 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+118&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶Years ago, I heard someone say that Larry Bird was a better basketball player than Michael Jordan. The reasoning was that Larry Bird had a had a way of making the whole team look and play at their highest level. Yesterday, I read an article about Caitlin Clark, also an exceptional player. When asked about her impressive performance, she responded in a way that reminded the journalists, and the readers, that basketball is a team sport. She talked about ‘we’ and ‘us.’ ¶The psalmist uses singular pronouns, I and me, at the same time thanking God for having a large part in the victory. I can’t do what I do without a boost from God. It is God who gives me the skills that I develop through practice and perseverance. It is God who offers refuge in times of need, gives me courage to face the trials of the day, and helps me become one who uses my gifts in service to those around me whether I am in the role of a leader or a follower. ¶There are those who believe that they have earned and deserve everything they have. They don’t need anything from anyone, and no one else has any right to ask or demand anything from them. At the other end of the spectrum are those who believe that a lot of people contributed to any success they may enjoy, and it a part of being a responsible human being to share thanks, credit, and responsibility with those who helped in a given endeavor. “O give thanks to the LORD, for [God] is good,“ ¶September 2, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1263 ¶Proper 17 ¶September 1, 2024 ¶Psalm 144 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+144&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶In the movie Braveheart, a young William Wallace asks his uncle to teach him to use a sword. His uncle pokes him in the forehead and tells him to learn to use his brain, and then he can learn to use other weapons. While we don’t use military weapons on a daily basis, we can use other means in the struggles of daily life. The psalmist begins with prayer, asking God to be present in all the conflicts that will be a part of the day ahead. Some of those conflicts will require weapons and all of them will take knowledge and wisdom. ¶Before getting to the request at hand, the psalmist takes a moment to wonder what it is about humans that draws the attention of God. We are short lived and insignificant in the scope of creation. Then the psalmist asks God to intervene in this conflict by siding with us and using the more frightening weapons in God’s arsenal, volcanoes, lightning, and any other direct interventions available in this setting. Use those weapons to rid us of the enemies who wish us harm and destruction. ¶If God will pull us out of this mess, we will sing praises to celebrate all the good things God does for us. Oh, and since you have saved us, O God, it would be nice if you would carry on the tradition of care by seeing that our sons and daughters have the same good things we have, and more. The psalmist asks God to continue to care for us through the blessings of life as God has cared for us through the conflicts and trials of life. “Happy are the people to whom such blessings fall; happy are the people whose God is the LORD.“ ¶August 26, 2024 ¶LCM lcmanifold@gmail.com http://psalmmeditations.blogspot.com/

Psalm Meditation 1262 ¶Proper 16 ¶August 25, 2024 ¶Psalm 139 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+139&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶When we agree to have someone watch over us, it is a source of comfort, knowing that we are being watched for our protection. When anyone decides to watch us secretly and without our knowledge, that is spying or stalking and is a very uncomfortable thing to discover. Being watched over puts a damper on our freedom, however, in some cases that loss is worth it to us. When given this responsibility of watching, it is tempting to overstep the bounds of the mandate and move into manipulation rather than protection of those being watched. ¶If we choose, we can see this psalm as a reminder that God is kinda creepy, watching our every move and listening to our every thought, judging us and finding us wanting. That is not how the psalmist and other people of faith see the activity of God. We take comfort in knowing that we are not alone, and that God watches out of love and concern rather than a desire to judge us for all of our sins of commission and omission. God wants for us the best we can possibly achieve. ¶Sadly, the psalmist goes on to ask God to destroy all the folks who aren’t like us. It is a human reaction, however it is not the kind of thing that God is known for, even though there are instances is Scripture of God destroying our common enemies. God is more likely to be the one that leads us to a way of life that allows us to love, care for, and about those around us whether we agree on everything, anything, or nothing. ¶August 20, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1261 ¶Proper 15 ¶August 18, 2024 ¶Psalm 133 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+133&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶A family squabble can ruin a get together very quickly. Even the folks who are not directly involved find themselves walking on eggshells in order to keep from giving either party the impression that they have chosen a side. Whether it is siblings at each others’ throats, parent and child, parent and parent, or a broader family problem, we all have to take care not to upset the tenuous balance needed to keep the gathering from going off the rails in a way that ruins relationships for another span of time. ¶The psalmist tells us that it is a good thing for us to be able to get together in love with one another. We may not agree on everything, and we can talk to and be with each other while keeping our differences from driving wedges between us, and driving us into armed camps over one issue or another. Being able to be together is akin to getting out of the shower after being dirty, and sweaty from a day of hard work or play. The refreshment of being clean and fresh matches the feeling of a harmonious family gathering. ¶We aren’t always going to get along with the people with whom genetics has blessed us. In some families those rifts are too deep and wide to ever be repaired and we need to become a part of a different group who will be like family for us. Other families have the love, care and concern for each other to work through the issues and concerns that threaten to divide us as a family unit. “How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!” ¶August 12, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1260 ¶Proper 14 ¶August 11, 2024 ¶Psalm 126 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+126&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶Recently, I read that the most difficult emotion for us to accept, is joy. When good things happen that would otherwise keep us joyful, we feel the strong undercurrent of the knowledge that good things never last. Rather than relishing the joy while we have it, we blunt the effect of the emotion with our fear, which we call realism, that this can’t possibly last as long as we would like for it to last. We never allow ourselves to claim the full spectrum of joy because it doesn’t last forever. ¶When we experience sadness, defeat, loss, and other ‘negative’ emotions, we expect them to last forever. We have even been known to find ways to perpetuate them ourselves in order to prove that ‘we can’t have nice things.’ It is as if we have to prove the Puritans, and others, right, that humans are base, vile creatures who deserve nothing from God except the punishments we have rightly earned. So, we go on our melancholy way, content with our deservedly sad lot in life. ¶The psalmist tells us that there is room and reason for joy in our lives, and it is a disservice to God to refuse to be joyful when good things happen. Whether we can convince ourselves that we deserve these things or not, we can rejoice in the good things that God gives to us out of a deep, steadfast, and abiding love for us. For the psalmist, the current good thing is a successful harvest after a return from some unnamed place. It is good to rejoice, it is good to celebrate, it is good to know, as deeply as we can, that “The LORD has done great things for us.” ¶August 5, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1259 ¶Proper 19 ¶August 4, 2024 ¶Psalm 119:1-16 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+119&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶Psalm 119 has 176 verses, eight for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet, in celebration of the law of God. Allons y. ¶People have made, and continue to make some pretty stupid laws. It seems that whenever someone in authority is offended, troubled, hurt by anything there is a push to make a law that will keep that from happening. Sometimes, in a effort to protect God from someone else’s foolishness, we pass a law against that as well. Banning and burning books that someone finds offensive or heretical has a long and silly history, as if banning or burning a book will do anything other than pique the curiosity of folks who would have otherwise not heard of the book. ¶The psalmist wants to remind us that the laws of God are praiseworthy rather than silly. Granted, we have made some amendments and addenda that seem good at the time while changing God’s original intent for us. The intent of God’s law if to teach us the importance of loving each other, caring for each other, and protecting and providing for those who lack the resources to protect and provide for themselves. Rules that allow us to oppress another are not from God. ¶God wants us to work together, to depend on each other, and to share in the bounty that this world provides for us. If it were easy, there would be no need to make a law, it would flow in and out of our lives like water through a sieve. Learning and following God’s law is not easy since we are so used to doing things our own selfish way. However, the psalmist spends 176 verses to remind us that it is worth the effort to act with the love, grace, mercy, and providence that we have so richly received from God. ¶July 29, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1258 ¶Proper 12 ¶July 28, 2024 ¶Psalm 112 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+112&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶Living a life of faith in God is hard work. It means standing firm in ebb and flow of the world’s tides. It means being gracious and merciful to everyone, without determining ahead of time whether or not they deserve it. It means being generous with others from the personal to the international levels. It means risking abuse at the hands of those whose faith is determined by politicians whose goal is power and control. It means recognizing and confronting evil and injustice rather than ignoring it, in hopes that God will deal with it. ¶It is so much easier to buy into the projections of the fear mongers, who love to let us know that anyone who is not one of us is out to do us harm in some way. By pounding us with the propaganda that ‘those people’ are pagans who worship gods with no power but great influence, or they are godless heathens who want to destroy people of faith in order to run roughshod over the rest of the world, they convince us that the only way to stay safe is to stand behind them as they protect us from all the evil people and activity in the world. ¶The psalmist tells us that the way of God is the hard way, the one that challenges us to be just, gentle, merciful and generous because it is the right way to live. It may or may not give us fame and fortune, however we will find ourselves on the firm footing of the path to God. We may live, we may die, we may prosper, we may falter, in the end we will stand in the presence of God. We may think, with the psalmist, that we will ‘look in triumph on [our] foes,’ though I imagine we will, in the end, see them as our brothers and sisters in the family of God. ¶July 22, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1257 ¶Proper 11 ¶July 21, 2024 ¶Psalm 140 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+140&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶It is amazingly easy to get sucked in to the vortex of evil. It starts innocently enough with a snarky remark made to a few friends. The next downward spiral is to get mean, picking at a person’s vulnerable points, discovered via friendship that turns sour using confidences as weapons. And on it goes until we hope and plan for the total destruction of the other through intentional misinterpretation of words and actions all the way to physical acts of violence that can lead to the ruin of a reputation and in the most extreme cases death. ¶The psalmist asks to be delivered from all of this kind of evil from friends and enemies alike. Obviously, it is impossible to avoid all of this kind of evil plotting, so an alternative is to live in such a way that no one will believe the kinds of gossip that can otherwise ruin a reputation. After the death of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, her journal revealed that she had deep doubts about her faith and relationship with God. It was quite salacious to those looking for a reason to question Teresa’s reputation. It was understandable and humanizing to those who know that doubts and fears are often the push one needs to move a step closer in a relationship with God. ¶The psalmist encourages us to move closer to the teachings of God, who encourages us to lift up the poor and the needy as part of the beloved community of God’s people. In addition to working for an end to all manner of poverty, we can lean in the direction of justice for all rather than only for those who can afford it. God and God’s people do what we can to lift up the needy, and stive for justice in every possible way. ¶July 16, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1256 ¶Proper 10 ¶July 14, 2024 ¶Psalm 134 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+134&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶“It is really important to thank God so that God will do me a favor in return.” Whether we say it that way or not, we do have a tendency to believe that if we do the right things, God will do right by us. When that happens we can tell all of our friends how good God is to us, because we are some of the good guys. If you want good things, you have to, at least, go through the motions to get God to bless you just like God blesses us on a regular basis. “I am pretty sure that this is what the psalm means, bless God and you will be blessed in return.” ¶One of my long ago congregation members called this, ‘stuff and nonsense.’ We do not get good things because of anything that we do for good or ill. We get good things because God loves us more than anyone can imagine. God is not waiting for us to do good things so that we can earn our reward, or waiting for us to mess up so that we can get the punishment we deserve. God loves us, and is ever looking for ways to give us what we need. With God it is never about earning or deserving, it is always about receiving the grace, love, and mercy that God wants to give to us. ¶We bless God out of a sense of gratitude for all God is and does in and around us. It is our small way of acknowledging the present and active love of God in our lives. God blesses us because it is the nature and promise of God to do so. In our competitive mind set, we want to know that we have deserved all that we have. In the mind of God, we are given a lot to share with others as God has shared with us. It really is that simple. ¶July 8, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1255 ¶Proper 9 ¶July 7, 2024 ¶Psalm 127 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+127&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶This psalm seems to deal with three different topics, as if it is a group of adages concerning good things that God provides for each of us. God watches over those who build houses and communities with an eye for safety and wholesomeness. God watches over those who do the best work they are able on a given day and go home to rest and recreate with a clear conscience. God watches over men, and women, who have sons, and daughters, of whom they are proud. It is certainly not an exhaustive list, simply a few of the ways God is active in the life of a community. ¶The psalmist wants us to see that God is actively involved in a number of pieces that make up a community. The bricks and mortar part of the community are important to God. Use quality material for every structure, watch over each other as people of sacred worth. The relationships of a community are important to God. Spend quality time at your work, and then go home in peace for rest and restoration in the company of loved ones. The family relationships of a community are important to God. Look with pride on each member of the family as a gift from God. ¶Our times are different from those of the psalmist. The details of what it means to be a community have changed for better and for worse. The important part for us is to see God at work in every part of our lives and the lives of those around us. We can still take the main points of the psalm for our day to day dealings: use quality materials every time, do our best work every time, feel and express our pride in the people who make up our various families—by birth and affinity. ¶July 1, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1254 ¶Proper 8 ¶June 30, 2024 ¶Psalm 120 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+120&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶The second verse is interestingly ambiguous. Is the deliverance from the psalmist’s lying lips and deceitful tongue or from those of another? Either one is going to need the power of God for deliverance. Our own lips can become so comfortable with lies that they begin to sound like the truth to us. We deceive ourselves by repeating the lies over and over until we lose touch with what is true and what is fabricated. We have less control over the lies of others. We cannot know if those lies are intentional or misperceptions from those spreading the lies. As others come to believe what is being said, damage is done to all involved. ¶If only there were a way to tell truth from falsehood easily. If our noses grew like Pinocchio's, or our tongues burst into flames with the first untruth that came tripping off of them, we could hold ourselves and each other accountable for the falsehoods we spread to and about ourselves and those around us. Since that doesn’t happen we have to guard our own tongues and hold each other accountable for what we say, and how we say it. Even some truth is better kept to ourselves to avoid unnecessary damage to the people who impact our lives. ¶Meshech and Kedar are the farthest reaches of known civilization for the psalmist. When we are caught up in a system of lies and deceit we become separated from the people who mean a lot to us. When we seek to make peace without coming to terms with the lies we have told and had told about us we continue to break each other into pieces. It is only when we allow ourselves to join together in the presence of God that we can find release from lying lips that will bring us to a life of peace. ¶June 24, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1253 ¶Proper 7 ¶June 23, 2024 ¶Psalm 113 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+113&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶Those of us who have some privilege are of the opinion that we are here because God has put us here because we have done something to deserve it. The poor are poor because they have done something to deserve the punishment of poverty. It is a comforting way of looking at the world, however it is probably not accurate. Poverty, having no resources beyond necessity, seems to be the way we come into the world as well as the way we leave. The Bible is pretty clear that having more than enough is more dangerous to our souls than having too little. ¶The way of the world is to keep getting more and more stuff, and then to hold on to it, just in case. We don’t need to share with others because we each have what we have earned and deserve. We protect what we own, even as we yearn and strive for more. Ideally, we want, not just more but, more than anyone we know. Helping others in any way is seen as a sign of weakness, and makes us a target for every money, property, resource grubbing person around us. ¶The way of God and the people of God is to share our good fortune with others who have deep needs. We share with others out of gratitude for all with which God has blessed us. According to the Bible, the reason we have more than we need, is to share with those whose need is greater than ours. Any hoarding of resources is probably as sinful as stealing from those around us. It is God’s desire for each of us to raise the poor from the dust, to give them equal standing with us, even if it means having less ourselves. ¶June 17, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1252 ¶Proper 6 ¶June 16, 2024 ¶Psalm 106 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+106&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶Some of the psalms, and this is one of them, serve to remind us that God loves us continually and steadfastly. God’s love is not given to us only when we are good and right, God loves us all the time. During the exodus from Egypt, God did not walk away from the people the first time they disobeyed or questioned God’s motives in bringing folks out into the desert. God stuck with this foolish and stiff necked people from generation to generation, despite their wandering away from God on a regular basis. ¶This also applies to us. We have grown so used to believing that what God wants from us is for us to follow all the rules. At the very least, we believe that God wants everyone else to follow the rules that we have chosen as important. Each time we call someone to account for breaking one of God’s rules, others can find us guilty of another of those rules. I am sure that I have judged someone harshly for breaking a rule that I keep meticulously while breaking another one that is of the same importance. ¶“Both we and our ancestors have sinned; we have committed iniquity, have done wickedly.“ It is one of those, ‘everyone is doing it, so it must be okay’ situations, and is certainly deeply human practice. Perhaps the psalmist is reminding us that we can be a little less quick to judge others by our own standards, rejoice that God loves us no matter what, and attempt to keep a closer eye on our own actions than on those of others. When we point ourselves toward serving and loving God we can be open to the love of God at work in us, as well as God at work in the lives of those around us. ¶June 10, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1251 ¶Proper 5 ¶June 9, 2024 ¶Psalm 135 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+135&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶In the biblical era, every nation had at least one deity that was solely concerned with that particular people. Most of the groups had multiple deities whose portfolios were confined to a few concerns. Israel’s God was seen as a singular being who was in charge of all the concerns of the people of Israel. The Israelites were okay with other nations having their own divinities, however, they had a relationship with YHWH, who was concerned for all that went on in the nation, and was concerned about any who challenged this chosen people. ¶While it was okay for other nations to have deities for every purpose, it was also seen as okay for Israel to make fun of those people and the deities they worshipped. The psalmist claims that those others are nothing but idols made of stone, wood or precious metals. They couldn’t hear or see, so they could not possibly respond to the needs of the nation who called on them. This was not a one sided venture, every nation made fun of the deities worshipped by every other nation. ¶Through the years and centuries the deities of the world have crossed national boundaries. I believe that there is only one deity, who is so beyond our ability to comprehend that we can but claim bits and pieces of that one to meet our needs. That one God enfolds each of us, with our belief and behavior system into a single loving embrace. I could be wrong, and I am, mostly, okay with that. I will continue to hold to my belief that our God, whom we call YHWH, steadfastly loves each one of us because it is the nature of God to do that. ¶June 4, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1250 ¶Proper 4 ¶June 2, 2024 ¶Psalm 128 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+128&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶This may be one of the scriptures from which people took the idea that to be a person of God is all sweetness, and light, rainbows, and unicorns. If we walk in the ways of God, we will have all sorts of good things that will lead to a good life and a lasting legacy through all the wonderful children we will have. All we have to do is fear, be awed by, God, and follow the rules that God has given to us. Our friends and neighbors will see us, and will want to imitate us so that they too can have all of these good things. ¶This works best in a place in which all of our neighbors are just like us. The first person who questions or opposes our way of life will be a thorn in our flesh. If that person happens to have more power and influence than we do, we are in for a world of problems. The nation of the psalmist was pretty monolithic, with everyone agreeing to living the same way. The better we are at living by the rules, the better our neighbors think of us. There are places in the world in which our neighbors are similar to each other, however, many of us don’t live in places like that. ¶Still, though, for those who walk in the ways of God life does end up being better. We have a sense of hope, an appreciation of the gifts and grace of others, and we are more willing to share our resources with those around us, near and far. That kind of generosity can be seen as stupid, even dangerous, as folks take advantage of us. While we act for the sake of others, our primary motivation is to walk in the ways of God. As we offer ourselves to others, we find a more lasting prosperity than money can provide or buy. ¶May 27, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1249 ¶Trinity Sunday ¶May 26, 2024 ¶Psalm 121 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+121&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” It might be more accurate to say, ‘it’s who knows you.’ The people who know us, and care about us, those who have our backs can make a real difference in our lives. They can protect us from at least some of the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, can give advice on how to avoid others, and help us get back up when we have been knocked down by the people and circumstances of our lives. These folks who have our backs may be powerful and important, and can just as easily be people who love us in ways that no one else can imagine. ¶The psalmist knows that God, YHWH, is one of those who has our backs, who loves us in ways and to a degree that we can’t comprehend, and willingly sacrifices for our sakes. In matters of eternity, God will keep us firmly planted, will keep constant watch over us, and will protect us from the ordinary and extraordinary dangers around us. In day to day events, God will be with us, to give us comfort and companionship in the trials and triumphs that flesh is heir to. ¶God is not one to flick obstacles out of our way to keep us from tripping, to melt the ice ahead of us to keep us from slipping and falling. When those things do happen, God will be with us to nurse our bodies and pride back to health and wholeness. When we are riddled with doubt, overcome with imposter syndrome, left questioning everything we thought we believed, God will be with us. When our world feels as if it is collapsing in on us, God is there to keep us from being crushed under the weight of it all. “The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore.” ¶May 20, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1248 ¶Pentecost ¶May 19, 2024 ¶Psalm 114 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+114&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶The Exodus from Egypt was a watershed event for the people of God. They went from captive, enslaved people to a people with a common purpose. The new purpose was to worship and serve YHWH, who had led them out of captivity to freedom and a new home. They crossed a body of water on dry land at the beginning, and the end of their journey. It may have been a pretty scary couple of events, especially for any of the group who can’t imagine crossing without that wall of water collapsing in on them as they reached the middle of the crossing. ¶They did manage to cross with dry feet. And they were able to celebrate the power and presence of God in their new relationship with YHWH. They were grateful for the activity of God in their lives. They were also able to notice the celebration and rejoicing of the world around them. The waters had rolled back, the mountains and hills skipped with joy, and the whole earth trembled in celebration at the presence of God in and around them. ¶Our physical reactions that we name excitement and fear are the same, trembling, accelerated heart and breathing, sweaty palms just to name a few. When the psalmist calls the earth to tremble at the presence of YHWH, we can respond the same way. If we name our trembling response fear, we will see God as a frightening visage. If we name that same trembling excitement, we will rejoice in the presence, power, and steadfast love that God shows to us in so many ways. ¶May 13, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1247 ¶Seventh Sunday of Easter ¶May 12, 2024 ¶Psalm 107 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+107&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶When it is most needed, prayer can seem to be pointless. Things are so bad, how could saying them out loud make them better. I am convinced that prayer does not really get God to act in our situation so much as it opens our eyes to the ways that God is already active in our lives. Prayer does not always change things around me as it changes what is going on inside me. As I am attentive to the presence of God, I become open to the options that lie before me in a given situation. ¶When I know that I am not alone because God is with me, I can relax at least a little. Feeling a little more calm, with the assurance of God’s presence, I can see more options from which to choose. I can find the way to other people, I can find light in darkness, freedom in captivity, healing in the midst of illness, quiet in the midst of storms, and sustenance in times of drought. ¶Using the definition of a miracle as something that makes us aware of God’s presence, God often uses ordinary means to produce those miracles. When our hearts and minds are open to the presence of God, we can see all the miraculous ways in which God is present in and among us. “Let those who are wise pay attention to these things and consider the steadfast love of the Lord.” ¶May 5, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1246 ¶Sixth Sunday of Easter ¶May 5, 2024 ¶Psalm 100 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+100&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶I had every intention of writing about the importance of joy, even when we don’t feel particularly joyful, until I got to verse 3 and the alternate translation. “It is he who made us, and we are his;” is the translation the NRSV folks settled on. It must have been a close decisions, since the note is added, “Or ‘and not we ourselves.’” It is easy to nod our agreement that we belong to God, however when we translate that same phrase as ‘and not we ourselves’ we, at least I, we have to stop and think about all the ways we make life easier by believing that God sees things the same way we do. ¶There are folks outside the Judeo-Christian tradition who believe that all religious folk have made up their God or gods for any number of helpful reasons. There is probably some truth in that, since we can’t possibly comprehend the fullness of God, so we have to put in our own ruffles and flourishes to make God available to us. At the same time, that is not the whole truth. God is outside our comprehension, and in our hearts and minds in a way that is beyond anything that we could make up. So, we add our own touches to God even as we realize that God is the ultimate creator of all, including having made each of us. ¶When God begins to agree with everything we believe and offers us no challenges to live in a way that pushes us beyond that limits of our comfort, we have made God in our image. When we forget that God is the one who gives us life, being, and meaning we put ourselves in the place of God. It is God who made us, and not we ourselves. We did not make ourselves and we certainly did not make God in our image much as we may try to do that. We get to be joyful about not being in charge, and knowing that God loves us more deeply and intimately than we can imagine. Yippee. ¶April 30, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1245 ¶Fifth Sunday of Easter ¶April 28, 2024 ¶Psalm 129 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+129&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶One of the best ways to deal with an enemy is to depersonalize and dehumanize them. If they aren’t even human, let alone individual persons, we can hate them and kill them without a second thought. We are ‘us’ and they are ‘other.’ We can also project any unpleasant behaviors of ours onto them, which makes them more grotesque and scary, thus more necessary to sweep out of our lives as completely and as soon as possible. And because they are so evil and inhuman, we are actually doing them a favor by taking them out of the world in which we live. ¶The psalmist is dealing with an adversary who sees the chosen people of God as people to be destroyed, wiped from the earth completely. Fortunately, the psalmist’s people are not without protection. They call on YHWH to turn their enemies away at the border, to put them to shame for not being able to accomplish the objective or conquering and annihilating the people of Zion. In addition to their shame, let them wither and die like grass, and be left where they have died, like a bad crop of grain. ¶We still dehumanize and depersonalize our enemies. We still project our own evil onto them to make them even more unacceptable to ‘nice’ people like us. However, God, YHWH, continues to call us to see each person as being of sacred worth. We can hope for and pray for their destruction in the most violent way we can imagine, as long as we recognize that God is not going to act on our fantasies and imaginings. Our God is a God of steadfast love and mercy for each and all of us, no matter who, no matter what. ¶April 22, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1244 ¶Fourth Sunday of Easter ¶April 21, 2024 ¶Psalm 122 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+122&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶I hope you have a place that feels like home for you. It may be the place where you currently live, a place that you visit with some regularity, a place that you hold in your heart, real or imagined, or some combination of these choices. It is a place of firmly packed memories in which all the experiences of that place burst out each time the place comes to mind. At best, I hope that the place reminds you of the presence of God, in that place, and in every instance of calling that place to mind. ¶For the psalmist that place is Jerusalem. There is nothing better than to go there along with all the other people who hold that place dear. It is a place that feels like home, a place that brings a sense of peace even when there appears to be a lack of peace everywhere, including Jerusalem. Even the presence of ‘the thrones of judgment’ make the psalmist feel loved, cared for, and cared about. If there is peace in Jerusalem, the psalmist can find God’s peace in every place and time. ¶Whether your home is Jerusalem, Disneyworld, your actual residence, or some longed for place held in heart and memory may it be a place of peace and security for you and those you love. May the presence of God fill you as you enter each place you call home so that you may be at peace while there and each time you leave. “Peace be within your walls and security within your towers.” For the sake of my relatives and friends I will say, “Peace be within you.” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.” ¶April 15, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1243 ¶Third Sunday of Easter ¶April 14, 2024 ¶Psalm 115 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+115&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶My prayer as I begin writing a psalm meditation is, ‘Let my words be your word, for at least one other person.’ Today, that prayer brought me to a sticking place that made it impossible to write anything. After sitting here at the computer for an hour, I realized that a better prayer is, ‘Use my faltering words to open someone to receive a word from you.’ It is a small difference in wording, yet a huge difference in my attitude. God does have a way of using what we offer to do what needs to be done in the lives of others. ¶The psalmist invites God to act for divine glory rather than the glory of the chosen people. While there is some benefit for us, the real benefit is to God, as other peoples/nations recognize that our God is present and active in the life of the nation. All those other folks worship idols, who are nothing more than silver and gold. Though it is a misinterpretation of the significance of an idol, it is an important point, that it is not a good idea to believe that our God, YHWH, can be easily influenced by going through a particular set of motions. ¶The important part of our relationship with God, is the steadfast love and faithfulness that is part and parcel of what we are offered by God. The fact that God loves us beyond measure and is faithful to us no matter what if the core of our life in God. Yes, we have rules, liturgies, and other methods of staying in touch with God, the important part is knowing that we are loved, and God appreciates but does not demand our love in return. “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness.“ ¶April 8, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1242 ¶Second Sunday of Easter ¶April 7, 2024 ¶Psalm 108 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+108&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶While we are grateful to receive God’s promises, we can get impatient with the timing and the method of their fulfillment. When God promises to be with us always, we are grateful. When God does not live out that promise to our satisfaction, we are apt to see it as a failure of the promise rather than a failure of our expectations. A colleague related an experience of having lunch with a mentor of his. When my friend complained that there was never enough dipping sauce for his chicken nuggets his lunch partner suggested that perhaps there was too much chicken. ¶We want God to work in ways that fit our needs, wants, and desires. When it doesn’t happen on our schedule we are ready to complain about the timing and appropriateness of God’s actions in our lives. After giving thanks for all that God has done for the chosen people, the psalmist complains that God has not made a particular military victory as easy and complete as everyone had hoped. ‘It must be God’s fault that we were not as successful as we would have hoped. And as soon as God catches up to us, we will be victorious once again.’ ¶God is always with us. Sometimes God urges us to move forward despite our misgivings, sometimes urges us to hang back when we are overconfident. From time to time we are on the same wavelength as is God and we move in a unison that is exhilarating to everyone involved. The best examples from Scripture are of those who made the effort to listen to the leading God offers, and the worst are of those who set out without consulting God, and expected God to catch up after realizing how excellent their plan really was. ¶April 1, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1241 ¶Easter ¶March 31, 2024 ¶Psalm 101 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+101&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶This psalm of David in which he pledges to rule with loyalty and justice can set a standard for each of us. We may not rule a nation, however we have influence in groups of which we are a part. If we have no influence on anyone else, we have control of our own actions and reactions. David pledges to turn his life toward God in a way that leads him toward integrity, honesty, humility, and faithfulness. He makes no claim to having achieved the lofty goal of a blameless life, only of moving in that direction. ¶We know that he did not manage to walk in the way of God for very long at a time. We also know that some of the very things David claimed to hate, are the ones of which he was guilty. He was willing to have others killed in order to protect himself, to make other people suffer in order to protect his children, to encourage folks to break their vows to cover up his sinfulness. He did confess and repent of his sins, however he did not cleanse the city of God of all the evildoers since he remained there. ¶We can allow ourselves to become discouraged by David’s failures or we can use them as our own encouragement to keep at it, even when we slip into old habits. We can join David in confessing and repenting of our sins, and continue to study and follow the way that is blameless to the best of our ability, God being our helper. We can also continually strive to achieve the goals David set for himself, avoiding slander, haughtiness, arrogance, lies, and other manner of wickedness. All this so we can come ever closer to following the way that is blameless. ¶March 25, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1240 ¶Palm/Passion Sunday ¶March 24, 2024 ¶Psalm 94 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+94&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶We do like the idea of crushing our enemies, especially, if someone does it for us if we only ask. Whether it be a natural phenomenon, illness and disease, or a person or group we are ready to have God remove this terrible, no good, very bad person or thing out of our lives. We don’t deserve to have the world treat us so badly because we are some of God’s favorite people. Other people probably deserve their suffering, but we are not other people, we are special. ¶Interestingly, every group has at least a few people in it who see themselves as deserving special treatment from some higher power or other. Our God, YHWH, is quick to remind us that being faithful does not make us special in a privileged way, it makes us special as people called to serve others with willing hearts and hands. There are no guarantees that everyone will be grateful and treat us well, only that our service will bring us closer to God in a variety of ways. ¶Like us, the psalmist wants revenge on all those who have picked on friends and family. It is human to want the world to be fair and just almost all the time. The psalm includes a list of all the things that ‘those’ people have done to us along with the prayer that they all be destroyed by God in a frenzy of destruction. God, however, is not one to destroy our enemies by wiping them from the face of the earth. God destroys enemies the same way God calls us to destroy those who stand against us, by working to become friends together. ¶March 18, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1239 ¶Fifth Sunday in Lent ¶March 14, 2024 ¶Psalm 123 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+123&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶‘Puppy eyes’ is an expression that means something to those who have dogs as well as those who have children. It is the look of total innocence, begging to be noticed, and probably rewarded for having done something that may or may not actually warrant the kind of reward being sought. In both cases, dogs and children, it is likely that once the reward is received the puppy dog eyes, and the one who wields them disappear to enjoy the fruits of their labors. It is not that we are no longer loved so much as our attention is no longer sought. ¶We may not use the puppy dog eyes with God, however our intent is the same. We schmooze up to God in order to get something that we may or may not actually have a need for, but desire just the same. We believe our pleading and groveling will achieve our desired outcome. Luke 12:32 says, in part, “it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” as a reminder that God is not an ogre or a slave master who must be flattered and appeased before we can receive anything worthwhile. ¶That doesn’t mean that God automatically gives us what we want. In the same way that God is not an ogre, God is not a pushover who caves to every demand and whim we may have. Somethings are left for us to do on our own, some are not possible for us at a given time. God is always full of love and mercy for us, and those around us. While we may have to put up with those who look down on us with contempt, and others may have to put up with us as we look on them with contempt, we do each come to an end in this world and receive full measure of God’s judgment and mercy. ¶March 12, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1238 ¶Fourth Sunday in Lent ¶March 10, 2024 ¶Psalm 116 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+116&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶In the midst of any traumatic experience we are drawn to pray for deliverance from it. We may pray for a particular type of deliverance, however, any kind will be okay. We may want to be lifted out of the experience by the scruff of our neck. Instead of that we may have a sense of peace wash over us that feels like deliverance even though we are still in the midst of the trauma. In whatever way God chooses to accomplish our deliverance we are grateful that God is at work in our lives through answered prayer. ¶The psalmist has been ill to the point of death and prays for deliverance. There has been a release from the illness and the psalmist is grateful for the renewal of health and wholeness. It may have taken some time to achieve the requested healing, to the point that the psalmist believes that those who said that God would bring healing are liars. And yet, the healing does come and the psalmist rejoices in it, and testifies to it in the gathering of God’s people. ¶God continually answers our prayers. It may not be the way we want them answered, perhaps not even in a way we can recognize immediately. God does answer. Like the psalmist, we may have made promises to God, ‘If you do this, I will do something in return.’ God perhaps appreciates the thought behind our deal making, however God does not act according to the size or elaborateness of our gifts. God acts out of love for us that knows no bounds. ¶March 4, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1237 ¶Third Sunday in Lent ¶March 3, 2024 ¶Psalm 109 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+109&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶In the Revised Standard Version, verse six does not begin with, ‘they say.’ so we are left to wonder whether this is the psalmist asking that this happen to all the accusers or are the accusers saying this about the psalmist? In verse twenty it seems that the two groups are wishing the same fate on each other. “Let all of these terrible things happen to those people so that I can go on my merry way, knowing that the people I hate are left in the dust of vengeance.” Ah, would that God was willing to follow our orders as to who was next in line for destruction. ¶If God were as capricious and vengeful as we can be, it is hard to imagine that there would be anyone left alive who was not under some destructive curse or other for the ways that we treat those around us, especially those who are not like us. God is neither capricious, impulsive and unpredictable, nor vengeful, seeking to harm someone for a perceived injury. God is love, pure and simple. “Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5a NRSVUE) Much as we would like for God to do our dirty work of eliminating everyone who annoys us, or worse, it is not going to happen. God may work in us to turn enemies to friends, however God is not in the business of destroying people. ¶It is certainly appropriate to feel anger and frustration when people and things around us do not go to our plan for our lives. And we can hope and pray for the destruction and end of things like poverty, disease, and injustice. We can hope and pray all we want for God to destroy people, as long as we know, too, that God is loving beyond measure and will not do away with anyone simply because we want it to happen. “With my mouth I will give great thanks to the LORD; I will praise him in the midst of the throng. For God stands at the right hand of the needy, to save them from those who would condemn them to death.” ¶February 26, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1236 ¶Second Sunday in Lent ¶February 25, 2024 ¶Psalm 102 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+102&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶When we are beaten down by internal or external forces, time slows to a crawl and everything negative gets amplified and drawn out. The forces pressing on us have been present forever, it seems, and the pain it causes is deeper, duller, and more long lasting than anything we have ever experienced. No one can possibly know the depths of pain that will neither kill us nor make us stronger. We are left to experience this in a lonely cycle of intense pain followed by dull, throbbing nothingness. ¶This is what the psalmist is experiencing. The pain is endless, without being intense. The psalmist is drained of energy to the point that even eating is to much of a trial. Not being able to invest enough energy to eat drains off more the physical resources that might lead to a way up and out. The psalmist feels the physical aches along with the soul ache of loneliness and abandonment. At the lowest point, it seems that even God has turned away and left the psalmist to suffer alone. Even from the depths of despair, the psalmist refuses to abandon hope in God. ¶That is a good place to be. It may begin with speaking a word of hope without believing it. What we hear often enough begins to be believable, and so we are able to have a glimmer of hope. For some, words of hope are enough to lift the lid on the despair they feel, others will need a little more and some will need a lot more. The psalmist goes back and forth between personal despair and the hope that God cares for and will rescue and redeem people for generations to come. ¶February 19, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1235 ¶First Sunday in Lent ¶February 18, 2024 ¶Psalm 95 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+95&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶There are folks who believe, the main reason we should behave ourselves is to avoid being punished in some way. We are honest so we don’t get caught in our lies, we are nice to people so God doesn’t get us, we worship God so we don’t burn in hell, and so on. These same folks find ways to convince themselves that there are places that are off limits to God, and that God will ignore/forgive our actions if we ask nicely, and maybe promise to never do it again, at least until next time. ¶The psalmist speaks to this group of people here. The reason to sing, give thanks, and worship is so that we don’t end up like the folks in the exodus. Those people were nasty to God, always complaining, and when justifiable punishment came went crying to God for help and deliverance. They had already figured out that God was a pretty soft touch who loved them enough to take them back as long as they asked for forgiveness. These folks never quite grasp that God is good to them by choice rather than because they said or did the right things. ¶We still find ourselves making deals with God when things go awry for us. ‘If you do this for me, I will do this list of things that you asked me to do anyway.’ And God responds in a way that reminds us that we are loved because of who God is more than because we go through all the right motions and say all the right words. We may or may not be delivered from our particular stress and trial, however we can rest assured that God is with us as a loving presence. ¶February 12, 2024 ¶LCM lcmanifold@gmail.com http://psalmmeditations.blogspot.com/

Psalm Meditation 1234 ¶Transfiguration Sunday ¶February 11, 2024 ¶Psalm 88 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+88&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶This is one of my favorite psalms because it serves as a reminder that life in God is not all sweetness and light. This is not a ‘praise the Lord, anyway’ kind of psalm, this is a ‘damn it God, why are you being so mean to me?’ psalm. All the things that are going poorly for the psalmist are being laid at the feet of God, who must be at fault for all these things. Granted it is in a time in which all things, good and bad are attributed to the activity of God in our lives as rewards and punishments for our action and inaction in the world. ¶That is not the world in which I want to live. I am of the mind that God loves us, and abides with us in every time and place. As things go well, God is right there cheering on our success. As things go wonky, God is there to offer us a supportive presence in the midst of whatever wonkiness we might find ourselves. The question isn’t, ‘What did I do to deserve this from God?’ the question is, ‘Where is God in the midst of this and what comfort is God already offering to help me cope?’ ¶I like the psalm because it reminds us that when bad things happen, we can still turn to God for comfort, assurance, and maybe even deliverance. The advice I heard for how to use this psalm when things are too dark to navigate alone, it so go somewhere safe and read this with as much passion and energy as you can muster. Yes, it will be yelling at God, who is secure enough to handle the anger involved in offering this psalm to God. To know that God loves us, even when we are angry, is a great gift indeed. ¶February 5, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1233 ¶Fifth Sunday After Epiphany ¶February 4, 2024 ¶Psalm 117 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+117&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶Some folks can string words together skillfully in sentences, paragraphs, and pages to convey important ideas, while others can do the same thing with just a few words. This psalmist calls us in a few words to praise YHWH for love and faithfulness. We are allowed to find our own reasons and methods as long as our aim is praise. ¶January 29, 2024 ¶LCM lcmanifold@gmail.com http://psalmmeditations.blogspot.com/

Psalm Meditation 1232 ¶Fourth Sunday After Epiphany ¶January 28, 2024 ¶Psalm 110 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+110&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶It is easy to write this off as a fantasy, the words of a sycophant, a toady, a suck-up. It is just as easy to take it as a work of imagination, what could be if God did things the way that we want them done. Yet, in a sense, it is not too far off from reality. We don’t remember the names of the rulers David battled through his life and reign, however we do remember David. Being remembered as one who was faithful to God as much as anything is a victory in itself. Not all of the people remembered fondly by history were celebrated in their own lifetimes. ¶Imagination gives us the chutzpah to act on our dreams, perhaps even to realize some of them. That the psalmist imagined a great victory for David and the nation may have been the word that David needed to lead the people to any victory they may have achieved. Knowing that God was with them through the conflicts and battles would certainly empower and encourage folks to brave the trials that met them on the way. The presence of God makes a tremendous difference to those who take it seriously. ¶Imagining something does not mean that it will happen the way we want it to happen, it plants a seed that may grow and bear fruit in a way we did not see. Acting on our imagination may show us that this idea does not work, and that can be an important piece of information as well. A misstep or mistake can lead us to one of the ways that does work. If the psalmist was mistaken about God wiping out every enemy in sight this time, I know that there is no mistake about God being with us every time and everywhere. ¶January 22, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1231 ¶Third Sunday After Epiphany ¶January 21, 2024 ¶Psalm 103 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+103&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶Our God is pretty amazing. Always ready to help out, to forgive, to heal, to redeem, to love, and fill us with good throughout our lives. All this for a bunch of people who have nothing to offer in return besides our love and faithfulness. And even if we don’t return God’s love, God loves us, because that is the nature and choice of God. Whether we offer God love, hate, or indifference throughout our lives, God continually loves us. It isn’t even that God loves us as a way to spite us; God loves us all the time. ¶There are times in which it seems good and right to blame God when things go against us. They do, no use pretending that things go well for each of us every day. There are days and times in which bad things happen, and there are times in which bad things pile up way to high for us. However, it is not God who causes those things, or who uses bad things to test our faith. God is the one who is with us through all the bad that goes on in and around us. Simply because God is standing there doesn’t make it God’s fault. That God is standing there is evidence that God is not one to run out on us when times get rough. ¶I knew folks when I was growing up who would say, ‘Praise the Lord anyway.’ when things would not go their way. The psalmist doesn’t ask us to bless the Lord anyway, the psalmist reminds us to bless the Lord. As we are willing and able to bless God we begin to notice that God loves us. God still loves us whether we notice or not, when we notice God’s love is able to penetrate our lives more deeply as we make room for all that God has to offer us. “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits— “ ¶January 15, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1230 ¶Second Sunday After Epiphany ¶January 14, 2024 ¶Psalm 96 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+96&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶Some of us, many of us, are so sure that we are right about just about everything that we will alter facts in order to continue to convince others, and ourselves, that we are right. The psalmist is among those who believe, ‘when anyone disagrees with me, they must be wrong.’ It is not possible for each of us to be right from our particular perspectives, there has to be one right and the rest of you are wrong. The only reason I might be right about this, would be because I agree with you. ¶The psalmist makes the perfectly normal statement that, “all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.” This was from a time in which it was accepted that there were others divine beings in addition to our own. ‘They are not real, and do not exist except in images ‘those’ people worship. So, you are free to worship some other deity or group of deities as long as you know that my form of worship is the only authentic and meaningful form of worship. ¶I have come to believe that there is only one God. This monotheism is my history and tradition. Where I seem to differ from many folks these days is that if you describe your deity differently than do I it is because you have found a reason to emphasize an aspect of the one God that is not a part of my description of God. It continues to be the same God in a different environment and context. If you choose to divide your deity into separate beings for each attribute, it is, to me, the one God described differently. ¶January 9, 2024 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1229 ¶Baptism of the Lord ¶January 7, 2024 ¶Psalm 89 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+89&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶When I was a teenager, there was a test going around that teachers and youth group leaders seem to have gotten together to write. The first item on the test was to read the whole test first, the second was to write your name at the top of the page. From there the instructions included all sorts of tasks from writing things in particular places on the test, to standing up, spinning around three times, and shouting something. The last item on the test was to do items one and two. Read the whole thing first. ¶The psalmist praises and thanks God for all the good things that God has done, and promised to do, for the ruler of the people. Included in the list is the warning that there will be punishments if those who rule fail to follow God’s laws and ordinances. The psalmist does not list any reasons for God rejecting ‘your anointed.’ If the psalmist is currying favor with the king, it would be foolish to add such a list. Knowing that rulers can easily become full of themselves, it would not be surprising to know that this king has committed offenses that would lead God to mete out punishments. ¶The primary promise God makes to each of us is to be with us, no matter what. If we demand the place of honor, God is with us. If we take the lowest place despite having been invited up higher each time previous, God is with us. When things go our way and it seems we are sitting on top of the world, God is with us. When things go against us and we are neck deep in the muck, God is with us. If we sit in the loftiest seat of power, the lowliest place on the planet, or anywhere in between, God is with us. ¶January 2, 2024 ¶LCM