A Riff on Psalm 9

 

A riff based on Psalm 9.  You are welcome to read this psalm in several translations before engaging my amateur attempt.

God, we know the truth of the mystics, that if the only prayer we utter is, “Thank you,” it is enough.  Thank you for hugs, campfires with s’mores, vacations, air conditioning, and creation that takes all our words away.  How can humans even begin to think we have any of this figured out?  How can we pontificate and put others down and not see that our point of view is a - one single - view from a point?  God, silence us from the madness around us and the chaos within us.  For those who know only hate and fear, God, we need Your wisdom to help.  We know it is only Your way that can help right the wrongs, yet our agendas and opinions and desires keep creeping in and clamoring away.  God, help me sing Your song.  God, shelter me in Your shadow of unconditional love and unceasing grace.  And when I think it is all about me or that there is no use in trying or that it is all just too much because the scoreboard of life shows my foes are winning by too much, remind me that faithfulness cannot be measured, and Your love always wins.  Let me hold fast to Your way, truth, light, justice, presence, peace, grace, and love this day.  Amen.

Re-writing from Your Heart

 

As we continue to play in the sandbox of the psalms, this week, I want to invite you to re-write the psalms in your own words.  Please note, this is not a test.  There is no grade.  Second, you don’t need to know Hebrew, I am not asking for a word-for-word translation.  I am asking you to open your sacred imagination.  I ask that you read the psalm of the day first.  You may even wish to read the words from two or three translations.  Then, let the words you’ve read evoke and provoke a prayer/song from your soul in response. 

Today, we turn to Psalm 8.  Read this through a few times, then try to hear what your shy soul is saying in response.  Here is my take:

God, You are a Genius at play.  You are not so somber or serious that it is, “all work and no play/fun/laughter/joy.”  You know what it is like to coo with an infant and color with all the crayons alongside a toddler, such actions put our enemies to shame.  I see how You twinkle like the diamonds in the sky, glow like a moonlight shimmering on the sea, and soar with the blue jay flying from branch to branch. 

With all the glory, what am I?  Who am I?  Why do You insist and persist to call us featherless bipeds, “Beloved”?

Yet, You call us to be collaborators and conspirators and co-creators.  You call us to be stewards, tending all creation with the loving respect of caring for what You are making here and now.  Help me live my human-sizeness in relationship with You.  When I survey all Your sacred imagination has brought forth, God, You are a Genius at play!  Amen.

Psalm 5

 

There is a vividness to the language of the psalms.  There is a wonderful wild imagination in the words.  In Psalm 5:9, we hear how the words of people who hurt us cannot be trusted, their hearts are malice, and their very throats are an “open grave” ~ and you thought that only happened recently with the internet!  Psalm 5 asks God to be God.  When facing the problems of this world the only options are not, “It’s all up to God” or “It’s all up to us”.  Rather, there is a messy middle where we collaborate and cooperate with the Divine.  Where we constantly ask the question what is God up to??  We ask this with others in prayer, reading scripture, in our hearts and sacred imaginations, and through conversations with others.  Realizing we never know for certain, but we tentatively step forward in faith.  There is a great scene in the third Indiana Jones movie, where he is going to get the Holy Grail to heal his father, and he comes to a cliff edge ~ there is a large chasm that he cannot just jump across or use his whip to make a swing.  He must step out in faith, into what looks like thin air.  He does.  And (spoiler alert ~ although if you haven’t seen the movie by now) there is actually an invisible bridge there.  Life can feel that way.  We seek community because we need others to share what troubles us, so we don’t feel isolated and alone.  Slowly savor this psalm with me.

¹ Listen to my words, Lord,
    consider my lament.
² Hear my cry for help,
    my King and my God,
    for to you I pray.

³ In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;
    in the morning I lay my requests before you
    and wait expectantly.
⁴ For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;
    with you, evil people are not welcome.
⁵ The arrogant cannot stand
    in your presence.
You hate all who do wrong;
⁶     you destroy those who tell lies.
The bloodthirsty and deceitful
    you, Lord, detest.
⁷ But I, by your great love,
    can come into your house;
in reverence I bow down
    toward your holy temple.

⁸ Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness
    because of my enemies—
    make your way straight before me.
⁹ Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
    their heart is filled with malice.
Their throat is an open grave;
    with their tongues they tell lies.
¹⁰ Declare them guilty, O God!
    Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,
    for they have rebelled against you.
¹¹ But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
    let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
    that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

¹² Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous;
    you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

 

May God’s presence awaken a song within you, may you find ways to step out in faith ~ not as a superhero to save the day, but with others in community.  May we know the love of God is the source of the song of life.  Amen. 

Psalm 4

 

Many people grew up hearing and reading the psalms in the King James version of the Bible.  On this Thursday throwback, we lean in and listen to Psalm 4 from this translation of Scripture:

Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.

² O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? (Pause)

³ But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him.

⁴ Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. (Pause)

⁵ Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord.

⁶ There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.

⁷ Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.

⁸ I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.

Go back and read these words aloud.  Which verses leap off the page/screen for you?  When was the last time you “stood in awe” at the beauty of life?  Or when this week did you feel “gladness in your heart”.  These words are prayers meant to evoke and provoke you to explore and examine your life.  May dwelling in these words be a blessing to you to find your dwelling in God today.  Amen.

Psalm 3

 

Within the psalms, sometimes we will get a note on the context.  Psalm 3 is one such place.  It is said David wrote this psalm while fleeing for his life!  His own son, Absalom (I know, great name!) rebelled and claimed the throne from his father David.  And you thought your family was the one who put “fun” in dysfunction.  David is running away with fear and terror.  You hear this in first two verses:

 Eternal One, my adversaries are many, too many to count.
    Now they have taken a stand against me!
² Right to my face they say,
    “God will not save you!”

Ever feel that way?  I know my ten-year-old self that still resides in me, feels my adversaries are too great on the playgrounds of life.  I look around and feel my middle school self, is startled when I encounter someone bigger than me who looks angry.  When I read the news or talk to people about the pool of tears in their life/battles they are facing, it can feel like “my adversaries are many, too many to count.”  I hear this in our church with our LGBTQ siblings and African Americans sisters and brothers.  I hear this in church when people feel like God is distant in their life.  I feel this sometimes when I look at the mountain of despair, we are trying to hew a stone of hope from in these days. 

David continues to sing by the campfire that night, notice how his song of blues, turns to a hymn of praise in these words,

But You, Eternal One, wrap around me like an impenetrable shield.
    You give me glory and lift my eyes up to the heavens.
⁴ I lift my voice to You, Eternal One,
    and You answer me from Your sacred heights.

[pause]

⁵ I lie down at night and fall asleep.
    I awake in the morning—healthy, strong, vibrant—because the Eternal supports me.
⁶ No longer will I fear my tens of thousands of enemies
    who have surrounded me!

⁷ Rise up, O Eternal One!
    Rescue me, O God!
For You have dealt my enemies a strong blow to the jaw!
    You have shattered their teeth! Do so again.

⁸ Liberation truly comes from the Eternal.
    Let Your blessings shower down upon Your people.

[pause]

Liberation, our freedom, comes not from others or even ourselves, but from God.  That has been, is, and will always be the good news.  That we need not be defined or confined by the words of others ~ yes, those words and actions hurt.  Yes, we lament and stand for justice.  And while we work, we seek to be a safe place where liberation can be tasted, and love can be practiced.  This is the work of God for the people of God each day.  Amen.

Grounded and Guided by the Psalms

 

Today, we tune into and turn toward Psalm 2, The Voice translation.  I invite you to slowly read ALOUD these words.  Remember the psalms were BOTH the Hebrew Hymnal and Prayer Book (as our own hymnal is too).  You may even want to pause between words and at the end of each verse.  Chew on these words of Scripture with me.

You are wondering: What has provoked the nations to embrace anger and chaos?
    Why are the people making plans to pursue their own vacant and empty greatness?
² Leaders of nations stand united;
    rulers put their heads together,
    plotting against the Eternal One and His Anointed King, trying to figure out
³ How they can throw off the gentle reign of God’s love,
    step out from under the restrictions of His claims to advance their own schemes.

⁴ At first, the Power of heaven laughs at their silliness.
    The Eternal mocks their ignorant selfishness.
⁵ But His laughter turns to rage, and He rebukes them.
    As God displays His righteous anger, they begin to know the meaning of fear. He says,
⁶ “I am the One who appointed My king who reigns from Zion, My mount of holiness.
    He is the one in charge.”

⁷ I am telling all of you the truth. I have heard the Eternal’s decree.
He said clearly to me, “You are My son.
    Today I have become your Father.
⁸ The nations shall be yours for the asking,
    and the entire earth will belong to you.
⁹ They are yours to crush with an iron scepter,
    yours to shatter like fragile, clay pots.”

¹⁰ So leaders, kings, and judges,
    be wise, and be warned.
¹¹ There is only one God, the Eternal;
    worship Him with respect and awe;
    take delight in Him and tremble.
¹² Bow down before God’s son.
    If you don’t, you will face His anger and retribution,
And you won’t stand a chance.
    For it doesn’t take long to kindle royal wrath,

But blessings await all who trust in Him.
    They will find God a gentle refuge.

I love that first verse, “You are wondering: what has provoked the nations (or our nation) to embrace anger and chaos?”  And my soul says, “YES!”  Why do human beings seek to hurt and harm each other?  What is it about us that we are so quick to be the judge and jury after skimming the headlines or scanning someone’s social media post (that is one view from a point).  Why do we “throw off (or disregard or dismiss) the gentle reign of God’s love”?  Why do we get caught up in our own schemes ~ plotting and planning?  I know that this psalm talks about God’s anger and people don’t like that.  But when set in the context of the harm and hurt humans do to each other, perhaps we need to remember that the headlines cause God heartbreak and soul ache.  God crafts and creates the whole world/all creation for relationships, connections, and to thrive.  Instead, we craft schemes to get ahead no matter how many people we hurt along the way.  Hold this psalm ~ with all its emotions.  The Psalms are rich and raw.  David Taylor says the psalms are “open and unafraid.” The psalms allow us to express our deepest fears and wounds and desires to God, so perhaps we don’t pass that pain onto others.  We plot and plan revenge with God, not because we will convince God to go along, but because eventually we hear how incompatible such ideas are with justice and love and grace.  Note the ending of the psalm, once we get the anger out of our system, we find a “gentle refuge” in God.  May that resting, renewing, restoring, and remembering who/whose you are become a space/place of refuge in God every hour today.  Amen. 

Grounded and Guided by God in the Psalms

 

A few weeks ago, in a sermon I suggested reading through the psalms.  It seems like a good idea to practice what I preach.  So, for the next few weeks, we will dare to dive into this idea.  One psalm a day, leaning in and listening to the words, exploring different translations, and even attempting to prayerfully write your own psalm.  Here is the Message translation of Psalm 1

How well God must like you—
    you don’t walk in the ruts of those blind-as-bats,
    you don’t stand with the good-for-nothings,
    you don’t take your seat among the know-it-alls.

^2-3 Instead you thrill to God’s Word,
    you chew on Scripture day and night.
You’re a tree replanted in Eden,
    bearing fresh fruit every month,
Never dropping a leaf,
    always in blossom.

^4-5 You’re not at all like the wicked,
    who are mere windblown dust—
Without defense in court,
    unfit company for innocent people.

⁶ God charts the road you take.
The road they take leads to nowhere.

When I read the first verse, “How well God must like you.”  I don’t hear that as a, “Well, aren’t you special” kind of way.  I would say Psalm 1 reminds us that “Beloved” is our first, middle, and last name.  Beloved is both a noun and a verb.  “Beloved” is both a description of who I am in relationship to God AND how I am called to be in the word.  I am both beloved to be love in the world.  When I do that, I don’t get stuck in the ruts of cynicism or constant criticism of the less-than-perfectness of the world, rather I roll up my sleeves and set out to do what I can in collaboration, cooperation, and conspiring with God.  I am careful to not get tripped up or trapped in thinking that I know it all.  Because my point of view is a view from a point.  I do want to nuance the Message’s translation of “stand with good-for-nothings,” because I believe Jesus stood with those the fringe and fray, those looked down upon and called, “never do wells”.  So, I do stand with fellow humans who are hurting and feel harmed by this world.  I do stand with those who are frustrated and fearful.  I do stand with those who feel pushed aside.  I do stand with those who think they know-it-all.  I do seek to share God’s love with those who cross my path ~ not as some strategy or scheme that I have plotted or planned, but because that is the way I live my deepest identity.  Grounded in the Source of Being ~ love; rooted in the soil of the earth from which we are all made; and seeking to share the fruit of the spirit from Galatians 5:22-23 (love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control) for the sake of the world.  This is the road less traveled, but it is the road where I sense the Sacred stirring and renewing and refreshing me always.  Take time today to “chew on Scripture” and may you sense a thrill in these words.  Amen.