The Heart of the Psalms

Psalms 96-99 are often called, "The Heart of the Psalms" and they are beautifully, poetically, and powerfully written words that invite us/immerse us into the holy.

Psalm 96 speaks of singing to God a new song.  The question is, how do we sing a fresh word to God?  It is easy sometimes to let our language grow complacent and stale.  We return time and time again to what is familiar, not necessarily because we find it meaningful, but it is what we've always done.  Plus, change is hard!  So, we trudge down the same well-worn ruts.  But Psalm 96 asks, "Why?"  Why do you keep singing a song with a half-heart?  Explore and expand, find words that at first might seem foreign or even awaken some fear of the unknown, but over time can begin to take you in new directions.  Our souls, like our physical bodies, need some variety along with the known.  To sing a new song because our still speaking and singing and creating God is awaken newness within us and around us.  There is a great line in vs. 9, "that we worship God in holy splendor!"  Or as the great hymn line, "morning by morning new mercies I see."  Sometimes in the newness, we need new words because the ones we've used previously won't fully capture what is stirring within us.

Psalm 97 sings of God's presence in our midst and yet there are clouds/thick darkness around us.  There is both a reassurance and elusiveness of God.  We know God is as close as our next breath and yet God cannot be contained either.  It is both/and, this psalm helps us explore that mystery of what is known about God and can be said with confidence.  Yet, all God talk is wobbly.  We are pointing toward the ineffable.  I love a part of scripture where Moses asks to see God.  And God says, "Well, I will let you see my backside as I pass by."  We cannot ever know God fully, yet we are fully known.  That is always the power and caution of God.

Psalm 98: invites us to make a joyful noise.  We are talking about the kind of noise of a child banging on a pot with a wooden spoon or an unfettered, uncontrollable surge from within.  Most of us would prefer to avoid such unashamed and unabashed outbursts.  We want to be refined.  But there are times we need to let loose with joy.  Psalm 98 is that kind of invitation.

Psalm 99 returns to God as the one who is to be praised.  Not necessarily because God needs it, but because we need to direct our praise toward something.  Of course there are lots of things out there in the world that would like to demand our assents and allegiance.  It is fascinating to watch commercials that are not at all about a product...but about a feeling.  In some ways, feelings have replaced fact.  I recently heard a politician say just that when confronted with the truth that in most places crime is down.  To which there person says, "Well, but it feels true."  How do we know when to trust our feelings?  I believe there is something good about being emotionally healthy.  Feelings should not be sidelined all the time.  Feelings, our gut, is in important part of us.  But it is one part.  We are called to be whole.  Or as the shema says, "Love God with all your heart, mind, strength and being."  The problem is that as churches we want to focus on just one part.  In the Enlightenment and in my heady denomination of the UCC...we love intellect.  But sometimes it is at the expense of other parts.  Or some churches are really good at offering emotional highs and lows, but it is a bit manufactured.  In the best sense, we bring our WHOLE selves to worship and have our WHOLE selves engaged.

If you read no other psalms...maybe these three might offer you this week a sense and invitation into the holy.

Blessings