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