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