Thursday, September 30, 2010

Psalm 67

This psalm begins with a familiar opening- it's the blessing of Aaron found in the book of Numbers (or at least, it's part of the blessing of Aaron found in the book of Numbers). This blessings was seen as a benediction, and in many churches is used as the benediction before people leave the sanctuary to get their coffee. Yet here, the blessing is an opening. This psalm seems to answer the question, "Why do we ask God to bless us?"

Clearly, the answer in this psalm is for the sake of the world. Blessing is not for our comfortable lives, nor is blessing to pull us out of a frustrating time. Blessing, in God's eyes, is always on behalf of others. It goes back to Abraham, who was blessed to be a blessing.

So who can we bless today? Who can we tell of God's salvation throughout the world today?

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Psalm 66

What stories are worth telling? As a movie buff, I watch each week as the box office totals roll in and people vote with their wallets on which movies have stories that are worth telling and worth hearing. And I would happily tell you about any of my favorites. In fact, I dare you to try to have a conversation with me where I don't reference a movie or TV show in the process. Some stories are just worth re-telling.

This psalm is a story worth re-telling. It is a story that rumbles through creation, echoing throughout all the earth. God draws nearer still in the dramatic rescue of a people from Egypt (nifty computer model here- http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=11690108). The story isn't all happiness and sunshine, it involves hardship and frustration. Yet, God is still God. The story is still worth re-telling. So what story in your life is worth re-telling? Even bigger, is this story worth re-telling?

What's interesting about this psalm is that it doesn't have the whole thing in mind. After all, God's biggest move isn't featured in it at all- Jesus Christ. Yet, the psalm excitedly and passionately proclaims this story. How can we tell the story today?

Friday, September 24, 2010

Psalm 65

God provides. I am happy that we came to this point in the psalms. It got a little difficult to hear psalm after psalm of frustration and angst. But here, we get a celebration of God's goodness and provision for the world and the people in it. We get a picture of God's loving care that extends to all people (verse 2). We get a sense of God's amazing grace (verse 3). And we get a mighty vision of God's activity.

Have you wondered in the past week at God's creative power? As I watch the winds blows outside my office window, I can't help but get a sense of God's might and care. After all, if the leaves never fell from the trees, and old branches were never pruned away, the cycle of nature and life would be stunted. Plus, I actually enjoy pulling the branches out of my yard. It, along with raking leaves, is one of those chores that just connects me right in to God's re-creative activity. It is that same creative energy that is at work in me and you. God the Creator is God the Redeemer. The One who makes the leaves come out, soak up sun, turn brilliant colors, fall and grow anew is the same One who takes the decay in our hearts and replaces it with new life. May you experience that new life today in God's world.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Psalm 64

I doubt that when David wrote these words he could have imagined a world when words could be "sharpened like swords" like today. When David lived, communicating outside of your city was hard enough- imagine communicating across the world! Technology has connected the far reaches of the globe, for good and for ill. One of the ills is that the situation David responds to in this psalm is far more prevalent (and easier) today. Just think about how easy it is for a person to get an audience for hate speech. It happens on blogs, youtube channels, facebook groups, twitter accounts, chain e-mails, pop-up advertising, and that's just the stuff that anyone can get started. Television shows, newspaper columns, magazine articles and others can be accessed and used by people of higher communication skills to let their conspiracy of words be released to millions of people in some circumstances.

I have wondered from time to time what God must think of the toxic environment of our world. I shudder to think about God's perspective on our words. Having once been the recipient of word-hate online, I can't imagine that similar situations happen every day. People have even lost their lives in the sweeping tide of bullying and verbal hate. The end of this passage gets ominous when David describes that God will personally end the hatred and bring release to the hated. And so when we are victims of hate, we can rest in God and lean on the marvelous works of God. But when we participate in the hate, we can turn back to God and let our tongues "unsharpen" a bit. Words, like just about everything else in life, are impossible to erase. Let us go into our day watching for opportunities to increase the peace with our words and actions.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Psalm 63

Imagine this kind of encounter with God! David in one moment sees God in the sanctuary of the Temple and he is forever changed. From that moment on, David craved to be in that presence. His soul is satisfied only by the presence of God, and his desire to see God moves him day and night.

Sometimes, I feel that desire too. Other days, I want to feel that desire. Still other days, I want to want to feel that desire too. We are all on spiritual journeys that do not progress in a straight line. I pray that your soul connects with David's words this morning.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Psalm 62

There is a beautiful but subtle shift in this psalm that I can see play out in my life. David begins Psalm 62 with the proclamation that his soul finds rest in God alone. Yet, if you look later in the psalm, David reminds his soul to find rest in God alone (verse 5). So what has changed in four verses?

Namely, David encounters struggle of some kind. He has come under an attack so vicious that it seems to be an attack on God as well as David. Traitors (who bless with their mouths yet curse with their hearts) have unleashed a relentless assault to kick him out of the throne. David's son is probably the leader of this group. It seems that in moments of trial, David needs to remind himself of God's goodness. That may be an important lesson for all of us.

Yet the most fascinating part of the psalm may be that David says "What's the point?" to the newest rebellion. Remember that David is the one who didn't play politics when everyone wanted him to. He even refused multiple chances to steal the throne from Saul. What's the point of all this rat race? Our status at the end of life does not determine our mortality. We are all but a breath, so why extort and steal for our own benefit? Let us instead put our energy toward the Kingdom- toward something that will last.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Psalm 61

David's sense of responsibility is huge. In verse 5, David talks about his responsibility to take care of God's heritage- God's people. And it is that foundation that he calls out to God to save his life. He even takes an interesting turn where he refers to himself in the third person, speaking even bigger than himself and to the kingship of Israel. David's reign is such that he depends on God to fulfill his kingly responsibility.

David's sense of dependence of God is admirable- it's something I want to strive for in my own life. God has granted responsibility to all of us, sharing in the royal anointing of Jesus Christ, and that can be scary sometimes. We are called to carry on the ministry of Jesus in the world... gulp!

So let us rely on God in the same way David sings about as we fulfill our vows day after day.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Psalm 60

Now here's something we are encountering for the first time in the Psalms. If you take a chance to read the title, we are told that this psalm is meant "for teaching." I almost missed it the first time. So what does this psalm teach us? Perhaps a better question would be "What does this psalm teach me?"

In lyrical form, I am reminded to never take lightly the idea that God is, "on my side." That would claim that God stands behind me and defends my causes and passions. Instead, I should be asking the self-reflective (and much more difficult) question if I am on the Lord's side. And to go even father, do I assume that God only has one side and there are only two sides to every conflict? Is God so small that God only exists with one group at a time?

This psalm starts with the rejection by God of the people of Israel. It is credited to David's time, but probably became even more real in the exile. This would present a powerful question to the people of God- are they still the people of God, or has God chosen the side of the enemy? And the prophets, communicating in human terms, can only go so far in expressing the nature of God. At times, the counsel of God is that the Israelites are done being the people of God- terms like divorce are sometimes used (Jeremiah 3:8, Isaiah 50:1). Yet, the welcoming back of Israel into the fold of God that takes place occurs in those same books (Isaiah 49:8, Jeremiah 30:1-3). So what is it?

Perhaps it is more complicated than just "which side is God's." God is bigger than our schemes and our plans, than our sides and our struggles. God works among us when we are on top as well as when we are on bottom. God tears and God mends. God is our help, and God is our king. God gives grace, and God sharpens. Praise be to the God who is bigger than all of our understanding, hopes and dreams!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Psalm 59

This psalm plays out some like a scary movie- David is once again trapped when Saul sends his death squads to David's house. Now a prisoner in his own home, David hears the would-be assassins and the joy they take in besieging his home. He hears the taunts and curses they shout out to goad him, to trick him into coming out to face them in combat. And so David sits in his home, given to him by King Saul, wondering when it will end. He waits for the darkness, because maybe in the darkness they will leave him alone. But the darkness only makes it worse. He can still hear them, and they have taken to scavenging the streets to pass the time. David seems to be haunted by them.

Sometimes we too can be haunted. We can be haunted by bad decisions, torn relationships, mistakes, behaviors, trauma that other people have inflicted upon us. We too can feel like prisoners in our own homes and our own bodies, while our thoughts have a field day tearing us down. And we too can cry out to God. And we too can have hope that in the morning, the sun will rise. Our hope is even more powerful than David's, because we know about Easter morning, when not only did the sun rise but Jesus also rose. As Malachi puts it, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. May you experience a sunrise in your life today, and may the glory go to God.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Psalm 58

Have you ever listened to someone and thought "Yeah, this person really gets it," until all of a sudden the person said something that threw you completely off guard? This psalm does that for me. David starts this psalm calling the rulers of his day to task for the injustices they are a part of, and that is a role that God's people have taken part in since the beginning. It continued through the prophets, until even Jesus and the apostles would speak about the dirty deeds of the rulers. I get that.

What I find difficult is the imagery used toward the end of the psalm. I'm not sure that, even in my anger, I have ever wished that my enemies would be like a stillborn child or that I would bathe my feet in the blood of the wicked. My shock at these images does not deter my faith, yet I see these images and think only of Christ. I think of how Jesus' blood is the only way I rejoice, and that Jesus was entombed from the light of day. I consider how Jesus bore not only my penalty but the penalty of my enemies. I pray grace upon you and me throughout this week.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Psalm 57

Sometimes it is hard to have a steadfast heart in the midst of our trials. It is hard to be strong when all you feel is weakness. David's psalm begins in trial, despair, and isolation. Yet it ends in praise. That kind of strength cannot come when we are the center of our world. When we are the center, we will never rise above our circumstances. We will not have the strength to have a steadfast heart when we are in trial, despair and isolation.

It is only when God's glory is the center when we can have that kind of strength. What may seem insurmountable to us, seems small in the eyes of God. And thus we can have hope. So I will borrow from one of my favorite songs, sung at our worship service this past week.

Jesus, be the centre
Be my source, be my light
Jesus

Jesus, be the centre
Be my hope, be my song
Jesus

(from Be the Centre by Vineyard music)

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Psalm 56

Of all the phrases in this psalm, many are familiar. There is one that jumps out for me at least, and that comes from verse 8: "Record my lament; list my tears on your scroll, are they not in your record?" Another way to translate that phrase would be "put my tears in your wineskin." God collects our lamentation, either by record or the gathering of tears. What does that say about God?

God does not forget our times of trial. God does not turn a blind eye to pain and suffering. The listing of our lament is a sign of God's presence in a broken and painful world. So God walks with us in all the circumstances of life. God also rescues us in our circumstances from being overwhelmed completely. So I suppose, if this psalm reminds me of anything, it is to put my trust in God and to remember to praise God for my rescue.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Psalm 55

As I read this psalm, I became intrigued by David's wish to fly away. The impulse to flee disaster isn't terribly new, since it is a temptation everyone faces. What intrigued me was that David wanted to fly away to the desert. Why there? What in a desert would entice David to find safety there? When I spent a night in the desert of Oman, there were times when I felt incredibly vulnerable. I realized that if I had wandered away from the group and found myself too far from the camp to see it, I would be totally lost. All of the sand hills looked the same, and there were no mile markers or signposts guiding me to safety. Yet, this is where David wants to be.

And the desert as a safe place shows up in other places in Scripture as well. Revelation 12 talks about a woman who gives birth to a child and then is attacked. The child is swept into heaven, while the woman is brought to the desert to be cared for. Later, when she is pursued, she flees once more to the desert. Now, the story is a symbolic one, but it still paints the desert as a place for hiding and safety.

The desert fathers and mothers followed David and the Revelation 12 woman into the desert to flee from corruption and find safety there. So I suppose I must revisit my night in the desert. While I was there, I was completely safe. As long as I had companionship, I had no worries about getting lost. Under the big, clear sky, I could see all the stars of heaven. In the quiet breeze tumbling across the sand, I felt no sense of danger. Maybe the desert isn't so bad, after all. May you find your hiding place in God today and throughout this week.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Psalm 54

Jesus would say a thousand years after this psalm was penned "Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man" (Luke 6:22). This psalm is the heart-cry of the person hated, excluded, insulted and rejected as evil. Psalm 54 is the person runs from the cave of a bear only to find refuge in the den of a lion. Trapped, surrounded, and unable to save him/herself from life circumstances, this person's only companionship is God.

But what companionship to have! The verse from this psalm that strikes me as interesting is the final one, where David sings praises about the deliverance of God before that deliverance happens. David is so sure of God's faithfulness to God's promises that he is thankful for what has not even happened yet. May you and I have the faith to trust God in such a way that I am thankful for what has not happened yet.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Psalm 53

As I listened to this psalm in lectio divina, a particular form of Bible listening, a couple words jumped out at me. The directions were jumping out- "turned away" "come out from" or "looks down from." However, what really got me was the phrase "there was nothing to dread." And God spoke through that phrase in my final reading to see that in God there is nothing to dread. Even though God is described in this psalm as one who "scatters the bones," there is nothing to dread. There is much in my life that I dread- what people think about me, if I'm living a life of integrity, if I'm doing my best, etc. In God, those fears ultimately melt away. It is when I turn away that I am filled with dread. It is when I am the center of my world that the smallest things seem so big. Indeed, when God is the center and following God my aim, my deepest fears seem trivial. I hope that you found benefit in this psalm as well.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Psalm 52

Enter another one of David's angry psalms. This time, it's over a shepherd named Doeg who sold out his position to King Saul. Thus, he is an evildoer who loves evil and hates all things good. Indeed, Doeg made some bad choices in life, culminating after this betrayal in the execution of several priests (1 Samuel 22). What we don't get in this psalm, however, is David's remorse (found at the end of 1 Samuel 22). He regrets that he put all those priests in danger by hiding with them from the king. Indeed, this psalm only relates his anger at Doeg.

What a human tale! How often does our self-anger turn outward? It is a very human reaction to pain to deny our own responsibility and to place the blame solely on another. As the blame takes root in our hearts, it leaves our hearts unable to see our own part in our life situations. David's only recourse is to turn back to God. First, he rests on his own actions "I am like..." or "I trust..." but these self-descriptions will not suffice. Truly, the only way to acknowledge God is to acknowledge God's actions- "I will praise you for what you have done." It is my hope that we turn to God and root ourselves in God's faithfulness.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Psalm 51

Probably one of the most famous penitential psalms, here is the poem that gives us "Create in me a clean heart, O God" and other musical confessions of sin. It also contains the theme verse for a drama ministry I took part in during my college years. Needless to say, Psalm 51 has had an important place in my heart for some time.

Yet it strikes me as new today, it is difficult to read it today. I just watched for the first time a film called "Call + Response: A concert to end world slavery," and even as a person who has tried to be informed about the global slave trade, it once again unraveled my careful defense mechanisms and laid bare the harsh reality that I make decisions every day that promote the global slave trade. Even as I type this onto my laptop screen, I do so knowing that my laptop (as well as the cell phone I used this morning) could not have come to me without a mineral mined almost exclusively in the world by slaves. Many of those slaves are children. As I watched, I was caught up in the music and the images of this tragedy. And my scattered thoughts began to crystallize on one thought - repentance. I prayed right there, now I wish I were informed more by the prayer of Psalm 51. Especially verse 7.

My desire for cheaper products and better convenience helps create this mess. So, I too, am messy. I could point the finger at the powerful for letting this happen. I could point the finger at the slave traders who have to live with themselves. Yet, I must point the finger at myself. I am part of the mess. I am messy. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Come, Lord Jesus.