Psalm Meditation 1342 ¶Third Sunday in Lent ¶March 8, 2026 ¶Psalm 47 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2047&version=NRSVUE ¶I grew up knowing that I lived in the greatest country on earth. We were the undisputed biggest, strongest, and fairest of all the nations in the world. Imagine how offended I was to discover that the United States of America was not the largest country, that we had rivals for all of the number one spots I thought we occupied firmly. And then I discovered that not everyone in the world liked us, at least as a nation. By the time I learned that most people in the world believe that they live in the best place on earth, I was ready to believe it. ¶The people of Israel believed that God was on their side, was willing and able to squelch all the peoples who dared rise up against them and their king, the iconic symbol of the nation. I was once again caught off guard to discover that Israel was never really a powerhouse of a nation. They were constantly being overrun by other nations, given and received in trade between other world powers of the day, and were a great nation only in their own minds. The one thing they had in their favor was the faithful assurance that YHWH was with them, watching over them, and keeping the king and the whole nation as a special object of steadfast love. ¶The nation did not win a lot of military battles, however they won a much more important victory. The people of Israel, and all the children of Abraham, won the hearts of many people from many nations. Even when that faith was appropriated and corrupted for the sake of political expediency, there was a faithful remnant that believed that the way of God was one of quiet faithfulness, mercy, grace, and a steadfast love for all people. ¶March 3, 2026 ¶LCM