Psalm Meditation 1184 ¶First Sunday in Lent ¶February 26, 2023 ¶Psalm 62 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+62&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶One of the most difficult things to do is to wait for God, especially to wait in silence. Our inclination is to jump in wanting to fix things ourselves. We are not very patient when it comes to our own pain and suffering. We want it all to go away immediately, if not sooner. So we rant and rave and maybe even yell at God to keep the promise to protect us from all harm and pain of any kind. We do not want to be shaken from our confident security for even a moment. ‘It must be a test because I have done nothing to deserve this kind of suffering.’ ¶And yet, we do suffer. We suffer losses, failures, headaches, heartaches, as well as the physical pains that are a part of any kind of active life. What we do with our suffering tells more about us than the sufferings we endure. Some people are ground down and eroded by their suffering; every incident takes a toll on them that presses them more deeply into their pain. Others are able to lean into the presence of God in a way that keeps them from collapsing into the pit of despair. Yes, it is painful and yet there seems to be a light at the end of every tunnel. ¶It is the awareness of the abiding, steadfast love of God that offers the glow of hope in the lives of these people. They are rattled, and they are supported by God and the people of God so that they do not collapse into hopelessness. It isn’t the amount of ‘stuff’ they have, or what they lack that helps them stand firm, it is the beloved community that holds them up in even the deepest trial or tragedy. ¶February 20, 2023 ¶LCM

Psalm Meditation 1053 Proper 16 August 23, 2020 Psalm 62 1 For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. 2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall never be shaken. 3 How long will you assail a person, will you batter your victim, all of you, as you would a leaning wall, a tottering fence? 4 Their only plan is to bring down a person of prominence. They take pleasure in falsehood; they bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse. Selah 5 For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him. 6 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. 7 On God rests my deliverance and my honor; my mighty rock, my refuge is in God. 8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah 9 Those of low estate are but a breath, those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath. 10 Put no confidence in extortion, and set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, do not set your heart on them. 11 Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God, 12 and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord. For you repay to all according to their work. (NRSV) Sometimes it is more important to know what is beyond our ability than to know what is possible for us. I was lucky enough to have older brothers to teach me that things like jumping off the garage roof wearing a beach towel cape does not make flight possible. (I don't remember any of trying such a thing, but it makes my point.) Knowing that we can’t fly keeps us safer than knowing we can get on to the garage roof and jump off. There is a long list of God things that we are unable to do as well, and the psalmist points out some of them. We are not able to achieve salvation on our own. We can’t work hard enough or do enough to get ourselves into heaven. We can’t stand unshaken in any permanent way on our own. We can stand firm against a lot of challenges, however, eventually we will fall to the ground broken on our own. We can’t take refuge on our own, especially from adversities with eternal consequences. For all of these things we need something, someone bigger than ourselves, and bigger than the adversity. We need God. We each have an impressive list of things we can do on our own. Those around us appreciate when we do what we can to care for ourselves, as well as when we offer our talents and abilities to help others. There is also a long list of things for which we need help to accomplish. Most people are happy to help out where they are able. This list includes the things that only God can do. God acts in our lives out of steadfast love for us. There is nothing we can do to earn or deserve God’s love, we can only accept it as a gift given out of love. August 17, 2020 LCM

Psalm Meditation 864
Baptism of the Lord
January 8, 2016

Psalm 62
1 For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall never be shaken
3 How long will you assail a person, will you batter your victim, all of you, as you would a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
4 Their only plan is to bring down a person of prominence. They take pleasure in falsehood; they bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse. Selah.
5 For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
7 On God rests my deliverance and my honor; my mighty rock, my refuge is in God.
8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah
9 Those of low estate are but a breath, those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath.
10 Put no confidence in extortion, and set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, do not set your heart on them.
11 Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God,
12 and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord. For you repay to all according to their work.
(NRSV)

As our lot in life improves there is a tendency to let our religious life lose some of its energy. As we can afford to meet our own needs we find a relationship with God less important than keeping our financial house intact and in order. There are people who can have money and a relationship with God at the same time, because they have made God a priority in their lives. Money and other resources are a means of supporting their relationship with God rather than a separate pursuit.

The psalmist knows that there are those who pursue wealth and prominence as ends in themselves. They will lie, cheat, and steal in order to achieve their goal of fame and fortune. Even though that kind of glory does not last and takes more energy than it ever returns, some people continue to chase the dream of having more than enough money and influence. And people discover that whatever they possess and control is not enough, there is always the desire for more.

The psalmist calls us to pursue a relationship with God rather than riches. We will discover that we are content in knowing God. As is the case with every relationship, a relationship with God takes focus and energy to sustain. At the same time we realize that we get at least as much out of it as we put into it. We find ourselves looking forward to the next steps together and we look for ways to doing what we can to help those who have a place in the heart of God.

January 2, 2016
LCM

Psalm Meditation 752
Twenty third Sunday of Ordinary Time
November 16, 2014

Psalm 62
1 For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall never be shaken.
3 How long will you assail a person, will you batter your victim, all of you, as you would a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
4 Their only plan is to bring down a person of prominence. They take pleasure in falsehood; they bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse. Selah
5 For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
7 On God rests my deliverance and my honor; my mighty rock, my refuge is in God.
8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah
9 Those of low estate are but a breath, those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath.
10 Put no confidence in extortion, and set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, do not set your heart on them.
11 Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God,
12 and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord. For you repay to all according to their work.
(NRSV)

For many of us sitting in silence means that no sounds are coming out of our mouths and that we are not physically moving. Our minds are probably racing as we make lists of things we need or want to do, as we run through our list of joys and concerns, as we carry on our side of the conversation with God. Even reciting a centering word or phrase can drown out the God side of our conversation. While we are actually far from it, we give the outward impression that we are sitting silent in the presence of God.

There are folks who can sit in silence, who are present without a personal agenda, who are open to hear what is going on around them, whose centering phrase actually helps them to center themselves in God. These are the folks whose souls wait in silence in the presence of God. They are not letting their minds race, they are waiting to receive what God has to offer. These are the folks who listen to us in such a way that we know we are heard. They don’t interrupt us to get their word in, they may not even say anything until several beats after we have finished our side of the conversation. They have a particular gift of silence and presence.

God doesn’t force us to be something we are not. If we are impatient God does not make us wait until we have cultivated patience. God finds a way to sneak a word or phrase into our lists, slips a name or face into our joys and concerns, is patient with us in the midst of our impatience. Over time the presence of God will likely change us a bit. We will be able to open up a slightly larger space for God to work in us and through us as the years fly past us. We will find ourselves better able to open ourselves to the steadfast love of God in a wider variety of times and places. We will find ourselves seated firmly on the bedrock of God’s saving presence even as we fidget and squirm in our impatience.

November 10, 2014
LCM