First United Methodist Church Richardson, Texas

Week 6: July 11-17

Psalms 51 (Sun), 93-95, 135 (Mon), 96-98, 136 (Tue), 99, 101, 102, 137 (Wed), 103-105, 138 (Thur), 106-108, 139 (Fri), 109-111, 140 (Sat)

Sunday

Psalm 51
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment. Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me.

You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Deliver me from bloodshed, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.

O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. For you have no delight in sacrifice; if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased. The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, then you will delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Background
What sets this psalm apart is the psalmist’s complaint involves their own (the people of God) sinfulness. This story is as much or more about God’s character than it is about human sinfulness. If the subscription is correct, this psalm comes from the visit of the prophet Nathan to David to confront him about his sins, which number most of the ten commandments. In the end, David experiences the grace of God, although there were consequences. The psalmist appeals to God’s character using three key words, “mercy”, “steadfast love”, and “compassion.” After appealing to God’s character, the psalmist turns to their own sinfulness. Sin and its consequences are pervasive. Sin has its origin in the failure to honor God. Verse 5 has shadows of ‘original sin’. “Indeed, I was born guilty.” In each human life, sin is pervasive. But God forgives sinners. God desires not sinfulness but faithfulness. The wisdom that the psalmist requests consists of openness to God and dependence upon God. Sin and guilt will not be the final words; they will give way to joy. God will be doing a ‘new thing.’ For the psalmist to receive a new spirit (v 11) to live in the presence of God’s Spirit means nothing short of new life. Having been made new, the psalmist promises to share this experience with others. The clean heart and new spirit will be accompanied by outwardly visible and audible proclamation. God desires a “broken spirit,” but it may not be the way we might understand it. It means “contrite.” Not dysfunctional. God desires humble, contrite persons who are willing to offer God their whole selves.

Reflection
If you have ever found yourself ‘guilty’ of sin against God, and felt the grace of God, relive the feeling.

If you are at the depths of sinfulness now, hear the words of Psalm 51 and how God desires wholeness, and offers grace and forgiveness. Even David was granted grace from such grievous sins as adultery and murder.

We have all been in a position of life wanting to ‘be made new.’ What does it mean for you to create a ‘contrite heart’ spoken of in Psalm 51, from which God will offer grace?
Monday

Psalm 93
The Lord is king, he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed, he is girded with strength. He has established the world; it shall never be moved; your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting.

The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their roaring. More majestic than the thunders of mighty waters, more majestic than the waves of the sea, majestic on high is the Lord!

Your decrees are very sure; holiness befits your house, O Lord, forevermore.

Background
Psalm 93 is the first of what are called ‘enthronement psalms (along with 95 - 99). While the enthronement psalms share much in common, each is unique. Psalm 93 features God’s role as creator. The first image is of majesty, with the use of ‘robe,’ a symbol of power. The second is the image of ‘water’ . In creation, God has subdued chaotic waters, demonstrating God’s sovereignty. The psalm culminates in God’s reign. The picture of God’s royal attire as ‘majesty’ amounts to the portrayal of the king as divine warrior. God’s majesty is greater than that of the chaotic waters. God rules the world.

Reflection
The disparity between the proclamation that ‘God reigns’ from Psalm 93 and the real world calls for a decision. Have you ever doubted God’s reign?

If we live the faith that God does, in fact, rule the world, how does that affect the way we treat others, the world, and ourselves?

The evolving understanding of the fundamental building blocks of the universe (quarks, strings) may also lead to an evolving understanding of God’s involvement in creation. The image of calming chaotic waters is poetic. Think about your own conception of creation and how your understanding of God’s majesty fits in.

Psalm 94
O Lord, you God of vengeance, you God of vengeance, shine forth! Rise up, O judge of the earth; give to the proud what they deserve! O Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked exult?

They pour out their arrogant words; all the evildoers boast. They crush your people, O Lord, and afflict your heritage. They kill the widow and the stranger, they murder the orphan, and they say, “The Lord does not see; the God of Jacob does not perceive.”

Understand, O dullest of the people; fools, when will you be wise? He who planted the ear, does he not hear? He who formed the eye, does he not see? He who disciplines the nations, he who teaches knowledge to humankind, does he not chastise? The Lord knows our thoughts, that they are but an empty breath.

Happy are those whom you discipline, O Lord, and whom you teach out of your law, giving them respite from days of trouble, until a pit is dug for the wicked. For the Lord will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage; for justice will return to the righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it.

Who rises up for me against the wicked? Who stands up for me against evildoers? If the Lord had not been my help, my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence. When I thought, “My foot is slipping,” your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul. Can wicked rulers be allied with you, those who contrive mischief by statute? They band together against the life of the righteous, and condemn the innocent to death. But the Lord has become my stronghold, and my God the rock of my refuge. He will repay them for their iniquity and wipe them out for their wickedness; the Lord our God will wipe them out.

Background
As this psalm begins “you God of vengeance,” and repeated, has to do with God’s establishment of justice. It reveals the psalmist’s trust that when God appears, God will set things right. God will deal with the wicked, the proud and arrogant. Verse 6, the wicked’s killing of the widow and the stranger and orphan, illustrates the oppressive behavior of the wicked; they afflict those for whom God has particular concern. The real issue is who is sovereign? The wicked claim they are, but the psalmist claims that God is. God “teaches knowledge to humankind.” (v 10) Happiness derives not from pursuing one’s own intentions as the wicked, but from being instructed by God.

Reflection
Psalm 94 not only calls for God to deal with injustice, but offers a way to support God’s people. Psalm 94 suggests this task must begin with the proclamation that God reigns, and to live under God’s rule to achieve happiness. Can you see the call to ‘pastoral support’ in this psalm?

Psalm 94 is a reminder that it is not possible to refrain from judgment and vengeance. But that call to justice is God’s responsibility, not ours. In our identification of oppression and evil, we are also professing hope and our conviction that God rules and justice will return. Think about that fine line we must walk.

Reflect upon how difficult it is to live in the patience that God’s justice will reign while evil and oppression flourish around us.

Psalm 95
O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and the dry land, which his hands have formed.

O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.

O that today you would listen to his voice! Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness, when your ancestors tested me, and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work. For forty years I loathed that generation and said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they do not regard my ways.” Therefore in my anger I swore, “They shall not enter my rest.”

Background
Psalm 95 is used in Christian liturgy as a call to worship. The whole exodus event and the people’s response lie in the background of this psalm. The deliverance should have led to immediate obedience, but instead it led to immediate complaining and testing of God “when your ancestors tested me.” (v 9) In effect, Psalm 95 says “do not repeat that mistake.” Listen to God’s voice instead of rebellion and complaining. Verses 10 - 11 conclude the sermon with a reminder of past consequences for disobedience, the failure to enter the land. The call for a decision in response to God’s reign is an urgent matter – indeed, a matter of life and death.

Reflection
God invites obedience through this psalm, but does not coerce. Are lessons from history, such as this one from the exodus, enough to change our behavior as well?

The testing of God at Massah in the wilderness was a test of ‘trust.’ How do we test God?

How can we “sing to the Lord” more in our life of faith? Do we honor God enough?

Psalm 135
Praise the Lord! Praise the name of the Lord; give praise, O servants of the Lord, you that stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God. Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing to his name, for he is gracious. For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel as his own possession.

For I know that the Lord is great; our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the Lord pleases he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps. He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth; he makes lightnings for the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.

He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, both human beings and animals; he sent signs and wonders into your midst, O Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants. He struck down many nations and killed mighty kings—Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan—and gave their land as a heritage, a heritage to his people Israel.

Your name, O Lord, endures forever, your renown, O Lord, throughout all ages. For the Lord will vindicate his people, and have compassion on his servants.

The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but they do not speak; they have eyes, but they do not see; they have ears, but they do not hear, and there is no breath in their mouths. Those who make them and all who trust them shall become like them.

O house of Israel, bless the Lord! O house of Aaron, bless the Lord! O house of Levi, bless the Lord! You that fear the Lord, bless the Lord! Blessed be the Lord from Zion, he who resides in Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!

Background
The central theme of Psalm 135 is God’s universal sovereignty, especially over the gods. This psalm is a hymn, or song of praise. The imperative “praise” occurs three times in v 1 and once in v 3. The word ‘name’ occurs in verses 1 and 3 connoting “reputation” or “character”, and it becomes a key word in the psalm , occurring again in v 13. The whole psalm is a defense of God’s character or reputation, especially over against the gods. God is fundamentally ‘good.’ God’s identity and thus reputation are bound up with God’s choice of Israel. God will set things right for God’s chosen, as opposed to those who make and trust in idols. The sphere of God’s sovereignty is unlimited, encompassing “heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.” (v 6) The central section of the psalm culminates in verses 13 and 14. The exodus and subsequent victories demonstrate God’s enduring ‘name’ and ‘renown’. God’s actions reveal the content of God’s character as he who will set things right for the oppressed and have compassion for people. In contrast, the idols, made by human hands, do absolutely nothing (vs 16, 17). The idols do not create because they have been created. Those who trust their lives to nothing will experience nothingness, whereas those who entrust their lives to the sovereign God will participate in God’s enduring future. It then becomes appropriate for the people to bless the Lord.

Reflection
How can we expect an enduring future by trusting in something which is temporal? If we do not trust in God, how then can we expect to have an enduring future?

Idol worship is finally an elevation of the human self to the status of God. Many of the psalms warn about self-interest. Should this be a concern of ours?

If God’s character is reflected by God’s chosen people, consider what kind of responsibility that places on the chosen. Christians are part of the ‘chosen.’ People see God (Christ) through our actions. That is a tremendous responsibility. Consider how we respond to that.
Tuesday

Psalm 96
O sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples. For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be revered above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts. Worship the Lord in holy splendor; tremble before him, all the earth.

Say among the nations, “The Lord is king! The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved. He will judge the peoples with equity.” Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it. Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord; for he is coming, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with his truth.

Background
Psalm 96 is known as an enthronement psalm. It proclaims God’s reign. God’s rule was regularly proclaimed anew in some setting; a liturgical song like Psalm 96 would have re-actualized for the present moment for the present worshipers the reality of God’s reign. Psalm 96 is called a ‘new song,’ sung in response to historical events such as the return of the exiles. The new song may be sung not so much in celebration of what God has done or is doing but in anticipation of what God will do. The ‘new song’ (v 1) recalls the song that Moses, Miriam, and the people sang after deliverance from Egypt. The directing of the invitation to “all the earth” (v 1) bespeaks the cosmic scope of God’s rule. The reasons for praise begin with God’s greatness. What God’s cosmic rule means is stated in v 10: stability for the world and justice for all the world’s peoples. God’s justice and righteousness mean ‘equity’ rather than partiality.

Reflection
To “ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,” establishes a wide ranging relationship between humans and all of the earth’s occupants. We talk of God giving us co-creator status, but this text suggests we are ‘partners’ with all of God’s creation. The destiny of humankind and the destiny of the earth are inseparable. When you think of our relationship with animals, plants, etc., do you think in terms of domination, or partnership?

If we consider Psalm 96 to be a ‘new song,’ does it speak of a new creation?

V 13 indicates that “the Lord, for he is coming, for he is coming to judge the earth.” It is preceded by trees of the forest singing for joy. What do you think the psalmist is foreseeing?

Psalm 97
The Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad! Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Fire goes before him, and consumes his adversaries on every side. His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth.

The heavens proclaim his righteousness; and all the peoples behold his glory. All worshipers of images are put to shame, those who make their boast in worthless idols; all gods bow down before him. Zion hears and is glad, and the towns of Judah rejoice, because of your judgments, O God. For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.

The Lord loves those who hate evil; he guards the lives of his faithful; he rescues them from the hand of the wicked. Light dawns for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name!

Background
Like other enthronement psalms, Psalm 97 proclaims the central theme of the psalter: God reigns. Psalm 97 is unique in that it is written in the style of a theophany, a description of God’s appearing. Rejoicing is for all the earth (v 1). The psalm suggests that those who submit themselves to God’s rule will derive their character from God’s character. The invitation for ‘the earth’ and ‘the many coastlands to rejoice make it clear from the beginning this is a cosmic event. God’s relatedness to humankind is suggested in that righteousness and justice are the foundational principles of God’s rule. God’s will for the right ordering of human society is embodied in the very structure of the cosmos. Like the heavens and the earth, God’s people – Zion and Judah – celebrate God’s acts of justice. The good news is that God’s holiness connotes not unapproachability but the willingness of God to enact justice and righteousness on earth as it is in heaven.

Reflection
Psalm 97 acknowledges the reality of evil, but focuses on God’s rule and an eschatological home. However, Psalm 97 is also a proclamation of a new and present reality. It would seem that future hope is easier than hope in the present because we are living in the midst of present evil. Consider how you find hope ‘in the present.’

Psalm 97 is in on sense, the same sense of incarnation Christians celebrate with the birth of Christ. Can that understanding help you see the ‘present’ hope in Psalm 97? Is your faith more in the future (eschatological) hope, or in the hope of God breaking into the present?

Do you see any signs of a revelation of God in the present?

Psalm 98
O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things. His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory. The Lord has made known his victory; he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations. He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises. Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody. With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord.

Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who live in it. Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing together for joy at the presence of the Lord, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.

Background
Psalm 98 speaks of salvation in each verse providing reasons for praise that allude to God’s saving activity on behalf of Israel. The events of the exodus, in which God is made manifest, is a revelation of God’s basic character, which is best summarized by the word pair “steadfast love and faithfulness” (v 3). Verse 4 is an invitation to “all the earth” to make a joyful noise, with full instrumentation. But the human choir and instrumentation is insufficient response to God’s reign. The whole creation will respond. Psalm 98 is a witness, therefore to a God whose choice of a particular people, and whose activity on their behalf are for the ultimate purpose of fulfilling God’s purposes for the whole creation. God’s coming is to establish justice for the world, to set things right for the people, Israel.

Reflection
Psalm 98 looks forward to God bringing justice and righteousness to the world. God’s faithfulness and love are to be enacted. When you live in the midst of injustice, is the God of justice and righteousness more difficult to believe in?

For Christians, the eschatological hope of Psalm 98 may be realized while singing the Isaac Watts’ hymn, “Joy to the World.” The birth of Christ represents God breaking into a world in need of reconciliation and justice. Reflect on times when you were experiencing the need for justice, and God’s activity in your life could lead you to sing “Joy to the World.”

The psalm claims that Israel’s God had been shaping Israel’s particular history to establish and reveal his rule over universal history. Think about how we, as Christians, make the same ‘universal’ claim through Jesus Christ.

Psalm 136
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. O give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. O give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever;

who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever; who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever; who spread out the earth on the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever; who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever; the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever; the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever;

who struck Egypt through their firstborn, for his steadfast love endures forever; and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures forever; with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever; who divided the Red Sea in two, for his steadfast love endures forever; and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures forever; but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures forever; who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures forever; who struck down great kings, for his steadfast love endures forever; and killed famous kings, for his steadfast love endures forever; Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his steadfast love endures forever; and Og, king of Bashan, for his steadfast love endures forever; and gave their land as a heritage, for his steadfast love endures forever; a heritage to his servant Israel, for his steadfast love endures forever.

It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever; and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever; who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever.

O give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.

Background
Psalm 136 articulates God’s claim upon the world, and calls for the reader’s response in praise. The most obvious feature of the psalm is the repeated refrain that concludes every verse, “for his steadfast love endures forever.” This was likely used by the congregation as a liturgical response during worship services. The effect of the refrain is to give an explicitly theological dimension to Israel’s story. The psalmist affirms that every aspect and moment of Israel’s story – from creation to daily meal– is pervaded by and dependent upon God’s steadfast love. Israel’s fundamental response is to be gratitude. God’s wonders begin with creation (v 5). This suggests that Israel’s specific story is part of God’s wondrous and comprehensive purpose for the whole cosmos. God’s steadfast love lies behind the origin of the world. God’s steadfast love is responsible for God’s providence for all creation. God’s character, the essence of which is steadfast love, is made known by God’s creating, redeeming, sustaining activity. Verse 25 reminds us that God’s work is for the benefit of “all flesh.” God so loves the world.

Reflection
Psalm 136 ultimately affirms that the origin, continuity, and destiny of the cosmos are dependent upon the grace of God. Is this psalm as comforting to you as the New Testament gospels?

Some might suggest that vs 10 - 22 are inconsistent with the universal nature of God’s steadfast love. Do we sometimes focus on God’s particular actions toward us, as Israel did (as God’s chosen)?

The psalmist clearly sees God’s hesed, or “steadfast love” as all pervasive. In other psalms and in our own experience, God’s love seems hidden. Can we live a life of continual praise and expectation of God’s love being steadfast? Do we experience God’s love each and every moment? If not, how do we respond?
Wednesday

Psalm 99
The Lord is king; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake! The Lord is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples. Let them praise your great and awesome name. Holy is he! Mighty King, lover of justice, you have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. Extol the Lord our God; worship at his footstool. Holy is he!

Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel also was among those who called on his name. They cried to the Lord, and he answered them. He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud; they kept his decrees, and the statutes that he gave them.

O Lord our God, you answered them; you were a forgiving God to them, but an avenger of their wrongdoings. Extol the Lord our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy.

Background
Psalm 99 concludes the enthronement psalms, and as a lot in common with others enthronement psalms, it is unique in its use of the theme of holiness as a pervasive structure. Holiness, in its fundamental sense, designates the awesome presence of God that evoked fear and required human beings to keep their distance or to approach God only after making special preparations or taking special precautions. In verse 1, the presence of God causes people to “tremble” and the earth to “quake.” Later in the psalm, holiness is defined in a different way. Rather than keeping humans at a distance, God relates to them, doing justice and righteousness. While God’s sovereignty is universal, it is focused “in Zion” (v 2). Jerusalem is the earthly locus of the presence and power of God. God is not enthroned above the struggle for rightly ordered human relatedness; rather, God is intimately involved in it. Justice and righteousness have to do with the concrete, daily realities of human existence and relatedness, especially provision for the poor and needy. There is a tension between transcendence and immanence for God. How to be both a forgiving God and “an avenger of their wrongdoings.” (v 8) God’s holiness ultimately involves not God’s avoidance of sin and sinners but God’s willingness to bear the burden of sin.

Reflection
Your concept of holy may mean that you understand God to be unapproachable. Psalm 99, however, tries to redefine holiness in the direction of involvement and commitment, and love. How do you understand God (immanent or transcendent)?

The incarnation of Jesus is the ultimate redefinition of holiness: God resides in human form. The cross symbolizes the suffering love of God, a God involved, forgiving and loving. Is love possible from a distance. Could God truly love us if only transcendent?

This psalm’s concept of holiness involves God’s acting for justice and righteousness. Does your understanding of God’s holiness involve making things right in human relationships?

Psalm 101
I will sing of loyalty and of justice; to you, O Lord, I will sing. I will study the way that is blameless. When shall I attain it?

I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; I will not set before my eyes anything that is base. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. Perverseness of heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil.

One who secretly slanders a neighbor I will destroy. A haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not tolerate.

I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, so that they may live with me; whoever walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me.

No one who practices deceit shall remain in my house; no one who utters lies shall continue in my presence.

Morning by morning I will destroy all the wicked in the land, cutting off all evildoers from the city of the Lord.

Background
The question in verse 2, “When shall I attain it?” has been a center of confusion. It’s a question from an imagined king, but it’s unclear to what it relates. The voice of an imagined future king says, in effect, “I shall do everything right,” implying that the monarchy should be restored; the question in v 2 thus asks when the restoration will occur. The word translated “loyalty” in verse 1 is the Hebrew word ‘hesed’ which is usually translated ‘steadfast love.’ God’s way is one of integrity and God deals with integrity with those who have dealt likewise with God and this includes he king. God’s integrity or blamelessness involves God’s faithfulness and dependability; human integrity or blamelessness means not oral perfection but the commitment to live according to the priorities of and in dependence upon God. After the reaffirmation to pursue integrity, verses 3 - 5 offer a list of seven things that the king will avoid or abolish. The king will support and surround himself with people of integrity. The king pursues God’s way of integrity, which is embodied in love and justice.

Reflection
The psalmist makes a commitment to pursue love and justice, even in the apparent absence of God. In other words, the psalmist depends upon God’s future coming. What do you think motivates you toward integrity?

The question in verse 2, “When shall I attain,” sounds like the psalmist is working toward a reward. Is that our motivation toward living lives of justice and righteousness?

How important is it for leaders, such as kings, to live with integrity and purge people around them who detract from living with integrity?

Psalm 102
Hear my prayer, O Lord; let my cry come to you. Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress. Incline your ear to me; answer me speedily in the day when I call.

For my days pass away like smoke, and my bones burn like a furnace. My heart is stricken and withered like grass; I am too wasted to eat my bread. Because of my loud groaning my bones cling to my skin. I am like an owl of the wilderness, like a little owl of the waste places. I lie awake; I am like a lonely bird on the housetop. All day long my enemies taunt me; those who deride me use my name for a curse. For I eat ashes like bread, and mingle tears with my drink, because of your indignation and anger; for you have lifted me up and thrown me aside.
My days are like an evening shadow; I wither away like grass.

But you, O Lord, are enthroned forever; your name endures to all generations. You will rise up and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to favor it; the appointed time has come. For your servants hold its stones dear, and have pity on its dust. The nations will fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth your glory. For the Lord will build up Zion; he will appear in his glory. He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and will not despise their prayer.

Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet unborn may praise the Lord: that he looked down from his holy height, from heaven the Lord looked at the earth, to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die; so that the name of the Lord may be declared in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem, when peoples gather together, and kingdoms, to worship the Lord.

He has broken my strength in midcourse; he has shortened my days. “O my God,” I say, “do not take me away at the mid-point of my life, you whose years endure throughout all generations.”

Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you endure; they will all wear out like a garment. You change them like clothing, and they pass away; but you are the same, and your years have no end. The children of your servants shall live secure; their offspring shall be established in your presence.

Background
Psalm 102 grounds hope for the future in God’s eternity. The psalm is a proclamation of God’s reign. The prayer begins as a “cry for help.” (v 1) Verses 12 and 13 dramatically shift the focus of the psalm to God. Because God is eternally sovereign, God’s ‘name’ (v 15) – literally, ‘remembrance – will always endure. The theme of time is evident in v 18 as the psalmist anticipates a future for God’s people. As eternal sovereign, God is in a position to ‘establish’ things, and God does – the work of human hands, the world, and the future of God’s people.

Reflection
Psalm 102 is ultimately a testimony to God’s grace. Israel’s history tells of the reign of God, and this psalm recalls that grace, and bases their future upon that grace. Are we willing to base our hope for the future on God’s grace?

The underlying theme of the psalmist and their confidence in the future is God’s eternality. Is that a building block for our faith and hope for the future?

Is our own hope for our future generations tied to God’s eternal nature?

Psalm 137
By the rivers of Babylon— there we sat down and there we wept when we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung up our harps. For there our captors asked us for songs, and our tormentors asked for mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

How could we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither! Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy.

Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem’s fall, how they said, “Tear it down! Tear it down! Down to its foundations!” O daughter Babylon, you devastator! Happy shall they be who pay you back what you have done to us! Happy shall they be who take your little ones and dash them against the rock!

Background
Psalm 137 was either composed during the exile in Babylon, or shortly after returning to Judah. Babylon was nothing like home for the exiles, which elicits fond memories of Zion by the psalmist. There was nothing to do but weep, for singing was out of the question in their present location. Although the people could not sing in Babylon, they could remember their homeland. As painful as it is for the people to remember Jerusalem (v 1), it would be more painful for them not to remember, for these memories offer hope, indeed life, amid the pain and devastation of exile. The people’s request for God to remember them is a plea for God to share in their suffering. Whereas the psalmist expresses that pain as grief in vs 1 - 4, the psalmist voices that grief as anger and outage in vs 7 - 9. The Babylonian conquest of Judah certainly involved the deaths of many Judeans, including children, who represent the future of a people. Verse 9 suggests that the Babylonians deserve the same.

Reflection
If you have ever lived in a place that was not your first choice, can you relate to the feelings of the Jews toward Jerusalem as their ‘home’? Especially if you were forced to live away from your ‘home’.

Give a living situation you did not enjoy, that may have been the result of someone or a group of someones, how do you think you would feel toward those who were responsible for your situation, such as Israel toward the Babylonians?

The exile cannot help but remind us of the Holocaust as Jews were victimized by the Nazis. Have you had an opportunity to hear someone’s story who was in prison in WW II by the Nazis? Can you imagine being forcibly taken from your home, along with other family and friends, to face such circumstances?
Thursday

Psalm 103
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits—who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

The Lord works vindication and justice for all who are oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always accuse, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him. For he knows how we were made; he remembers that we are dust.

As for mortals, their days are like grass; they flourish like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments.

The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, obedient to his spoken word. Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers that do his will. Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul.

Background
Psalm 103 affirms that God, who rules over all and does all good things for all persons in need, is to be praised in all places by all creatures and things with all of their being. The first and last lines are identical, forming an envelope. Psalm 103 proclaims God’s universal sovereignty. The psalmist owes their whole life to God. God is first of all forgiving. “Righteousness” and “justice” are what the sovereign God wills and works to enact for all humanity. What God works to enact implies the nature of God’s character. Three times the psalmist reserves steadfast love or compassion for those who fear God and righteousness is reserved for those who are obedient.

Reflection
There is a tension between obedience and grace in this psalm. Grace does not seem to be ‘unmerited’ but to those who ‘fear’ God. How does this idea match the United Methodist understanding of prevenient grace (God loves us even we are not aware of it)?

For the Christian, the cross seems to compromise God’s sovereignty. Instead of calling for obedience, on the cross we see God sacrificing for us. How do you think the psalmist would understand the cross event?

The term ‘steadfast love’, translated from the Hebrew word hesed, is the center of the psalms Psalm 103 paints a picture of a compassionate, loving God, based on ‘hesed.’ Does this psalm, and others like it that incorporate the idea of hesed, bring you comfort?

Psalm 104
Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, you are very great. You are clothed with honor and majesty, wrapped in light as with a garment. You stretch out the heavens like a tent, you set the beams of your chambers on the waters, you make the clouds your chariot, you ride on the wings of the wind, you make the winds your messengers, fire and flame your ministers.

You set the earth on its foundations, so that it shall never be shaken. You cover it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains. At your rebuke they flee; at the sound of your thunder they take to flight. They rose up to the mountains, ran down to the valleys to the place that you appointed for them. You set a boundary that they may not pass, so that they might not again cover the earth.

You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills, giving drink to every wild animal; the wild asses quench their thirst. By the streams the birds of the air have their habitation; they sing among the branches. From your lofty abode you water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work. You cause the grass to grow for the cattle, and plants for people to use, to bring forth food from the earth, and wine to gladden the human heart, oil to make the face shine, and bread to strengthen the human heart. The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. In them the birds build their nests; the stork has its home in the fir trees. The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the coneys. You have made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting. You make darkness, and it is night, when all the animals of the forest come creeping out. The young lions roar for their prey, seeking their food from God. When the sun rises, they withdraw and lie down in their dens. People go out to their work and to their labor until the evening.

O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. Yonder is the sea, great and wide, creeping things innumerable are there, living things both small and great. There go the ships, and Leviathan that you formed to sport in it.

These all look to you to give them their food in due season; when you give to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things. When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. When you send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the ground.

May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works—who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke. I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being. May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord. Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Praise the Lord!

Background
Psalm 104 focuses on creation. Together with Psalm 103, these two psalms are a reminder that God’s creating work and God’s saving work are finally inseparable. In Psalm 104, the human is one among many creatures that depend on God for life. The Hebrew root of ‘works’ is a key word in Psalm 104, occurring five times (make/made). The opening of the psalm affirms God’s sovereignty. To say that God is great is to say that God reigns supreme. God establishes a ‘dwelling place’ , translated tent, but God’s real house is the universe, a comic house. God holds the world together. The earth and the waters are under God’s rule. As human beings enter the picture in verse 14, the subject is God’s provision. Everything derives from God. God made them all, and the whole creation is a witness to God’s wisdom. God provides not only food but also the very breath of life itself. (Vs 29 - 30) Verses 29 - 30 also suggest that God’s creating is an ongoing process. God’s breath brings new creatures into being. The psalmist’s joy reflects the joy of their creator, just as the psalmist intends their life to reflect what God intends for the life of the whole creation.

Reflection
This psalmist seems to know about the intricate interconnectedness of all of God’s creation. And, the origin and destiny of humankind is intricately tied to the origin and destiny of the earth. Is Psalm 104 a good foundation for modern day environmentalists?

For this psalmist, their understanding of the universe is that it all begins with God. “The Lord God made them all.” God gives the breath of life to all living creatures. Reflect on that act of creation and invite God to renew you.

The psalmist calls on us to begin with praising God. Do we lack in our appreciation to God for our environment, all of God’s creation?

Psalm 105
O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples. Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wonderful works. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually. Remember the wonderful works he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered, O offspring of his servant Abraham, children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth. He is mindful of his covenant forever, of the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations, the covenant that he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac, which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan as your portion for an inheritance.”

When they were few in number, of little account, and strangers in it, wandering from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people, he allowed no one to oppress them; he rebuked kings on their account, saying, “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.”

When he summoned famine against the land, and broke every staff of bread, he had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave. His feet were hurt with fetters, his neck was put in a collar of iron; until what he had said came to pass, the word of the Lord kept testing him. The king sent and released him; the ruler of the peoples set him free. He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his possessions, to instruct his officials at his pleasure, and to teach his elders wisdom.

Then Israel came to Egypt; Jacob lived as an alien in the land of Ham. And the Lord made his people very fruitful, and made them stronger than their foes, whose hearts he then turned to hate his people, to deal craftily with his servants.

He sent his servant Moses, and Aaron whom he had chosen. They performed his signs among them, and miracles in the land of Ham. He sent darkness, and made the land dark; they rebelled against his words. He turned their waters into blood, and caused their fish to die. Their land swarmed with frogs, even in the chambers of their kings. He spoke, and there came swarms of flies, and gnats throughout their country. He gave them hail for rain, and lightning that flashed through their land. He struck their vines and fig trees, and shattered the trees of their country. He spoke, and the locusts came, and young locusts without number; they devoured all the vegetation in their land, and ate up the fruit of their ground. He struck down all the firstborn in their land, the first issue of all their strength.

Then he brought Israel out with silver and gold, and there was no one among their tribes who stumbled. Egypt was glad when they departed, for dread of them had fallen upon it. He spread a cloud for a covering, and fire to give light by night. They asked, and he brought quails, and gave them food from heaven in abundance. He opened the rock, and water gushed out; it flowed through the desert like a river. For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham, his servant.

So he brought his people out with joy, his chosen ones with singing. He gave them the lands of the nations, and they took possession of the wealth of the peoples, that they might keep his statutes and observe his laws. Praise the Lord!

Background
Psalm 105 is a creative retelling of Israel’s story. The real subject matter is praise. The psalmist’s intent in retelling the old story is to evoke the people’s grateful and faithful response to God’s choice to be related to them, a choice supported by the ‘wonderful works’. (Vs 2 and 5) God’s deeds are testimony to God’s sovereignty which is appropriately greeted with singing and praise. This act of remembering is a fundamental first step toward participation in the paradox of being strong by yielding the self in order to be God’s servant which is what the sovereign God intends the ‘chosen ones’ to be. Verse 45 again indicates the real purpose of the psalm: to evoke praise and obedience. Verses 1 - 6 point to God’s sovereignty, and it was the responsibility of a sovereign to establish justice, righteousness, and peace among his or her servant people.

Reflection
Remembering their past, God’s deliverance, is a major activity for Jews. Do we do enough remembering of our past, especially as we share God’s activity in our lives?

The psalmist claims that the primary identity of God’s people is that of servant. Is ‘servant’ the identity you would claim in your relationship to God through Jesus Christ?

The relationship between God, the sovereign, and human beings is two fold. The sovereign God is to establish justice and righteousness, which the story of the exodus demonstrates. Reflect upon the covenant you have with God through Jesus Christ. What do you expect from God within that covenant?

Psalm 138
I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise; I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness; for you have exalted your name and your word above everything. On the day I called, you answered me, you increased my strength of soul.

All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O Lord, for they have heard the words of your mouth. They shall sing of the ways of the Lord, for great is the glory of the Lord. For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly; but the haughty he perceives from far away.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve me against the wrath of my enemies; you stretch out your hand, and your right hand delivers me. The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.

Background
Psalm 138 is a song of thanksgiving. Having been delivered from distress, the psalmist has come to the Temple to offer praise. The psalmist continues to pray for deliverance. The first part of the psalm begins with the psalmist presenting themselves to God in thanks –”with my whole heart”. (v 1) To “bow down” (v 2) is to profess that God alone is sovereign, the sole provider for the psalmist’s life. The psalmist is able to present their whole life to God because the psalmist trusts that it is God’s character to manifest “steadfast love.” God’s word gives life. The psalmist affirms that God “gives me life” (v 7) in the midst of the struggle, not beyond it. Deliverance is both a present reality and yet something that awaits fulfillment. The ‘not yet’ dimension of deliverance is evident in the final petition, “The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me”. (v 8)

Reflection
The eschatological perspective of Psalm 138 means that we shall always live in ambiguity....finding ourselves simultaneously professing God’s deliverance and looking forward to it. Is this an ambiguity you experience?

The call to give one’s “whole heart” to God may be difficult if one finds themselves in the middle of a struggle. Have you ever found yourself struggling with that ‘total’ commitment?

Psalm 138 proclaims our experience of God’s salvation gives us reason to hope that what God has begun with us will surely bring to completion. If we have not experienced salvation it becomes difficult to hope. Do you have that hope, through an experience of salvation?
Friday

Psalm 106
Praise the Lord! O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. Who can utter the mighty doings of the Lord, or declare all his praise? Happy are those who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times.

Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people; help me when you deliver them; that I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory in your heritage.

Both we and our ancestors have sinned; we have committed iniquity, have done wickedly. Our ancestors, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wonderful works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled against the Most High at the Red Sea. Yet he saved them for his name’s sake, so that he might make known his mighty power. He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry; he led them through the deep as through a desert. So he saved them from the hand of the foe, and delivered them from the hand of the enemy. The waters covered their adversaries; not one of them was left. Then they believed his words; they sang his praise. But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel. But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness, and put God to the test in the desert; he gave them what they asked, but sent a wasting disease among them.

They were jealous of Moses in the camp, and of Aaron, the holy one of the Lord. The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the faction of Abiram. Fire also broke out in their company; the flame burned up the wicked.

They made a calf at Horeb and worshiped a cast image. They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass. They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt, wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome deeds by the Red Sea. Therefore he said he would destroy them— had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him, to turn away his wrath from destroying them.

Then they despised the pleasant land, having no faith in his promise. They grumbled in their tents, and did not obey the voice of the Lord. Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them that he would make them fall in the wilderness, and would disperse their descendants among the nations, scattering them over the lands.

Then they attached themselves to the Baal of Peor, and ate sacrifices offered to the dead; they provoked the Lord to anger with their deeds, and a plague broke out among them. Then Phinehas stood up and interceded, and the plague was stopped. And that has been reckoned to him as righteousness from generation to generation forever.

They angered the Lord at the waters of Meribah, and it went ill with Moses on their account; for they made his spirit bitter, and he spoke words that were rash.

They did not destroy the peoples, as the Lord commanded them, but they mingled with the nations and learned to do as they did. They served their idols, which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons; they poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; and the land was polluted with blood. Thus they became unclean by their acts, and prostituted themselves in their doings.

Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against his people, and he abhorred his heritage; he gave them into the hand of the nations, so that those who hated them ruled over them. Their enemies oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their power. Many times he delivered them, but they were rebellious in their purposes, and were brought low through their iniquity. Nevertheless he regarded their distress when he heard their cry. For their sake he remembered his covenant, and showed compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love. He caused them to be pitied by all who held them captive.

Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. And let all the people say, “Amen.” Praise the Lord!

Background
Like we read in Psalm 105 yesterday, Psalm 106 rehearses Israel’s story, but with different episodes. What the psalmist tells about are Israel’s reprehensible works, the result of not remembering God’s work and consequently not trusting God’s word. God, however, remembers God’s word and the covenant. Only the abundance of God’s steadfast love has kept the story going. The pattern of the psalm is God’s wonderful works,, followed by the people’s disobedience, followed by God’s compassion. Psalm 106 grounds the hope for a transformed future, however, not in the people’s willingness or ability to be faithful and obedient but in God’s abundant love. Verse 1 is a basic profession of faith, as well as an invitation to praise. In verse 3, we are called for our own sake as well as God’s to conform to God’s will ---- justice and righteousness. Happiness is to be found not in acting selfishly but in doing what God intends.

Reflection
Psalm 106 is the story of Israel being saved by God’s grace. Israel’s story is the story of being saved by God’s grace. If you were to tell the story of the Christian church, would God’s grace be a major part of it?

More specifically, recall the stories of the twelve disciples of Jesus. They were incredibly foolish and often faithless. Isn’t the grace of God behind their story?

Only because of the intercession of Moses and Phinehas was the wrath of God against Israel halted. Can you identify times in the Christian era that may have justified God’s wrath?

Psalm 107
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, those he redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.

Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to an inhabited town; hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress; he led them by a straight way, until they reached an inhabited town. Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind. For he satisfies the thirsty, and the hungry he fills with good things.

Some sat in darkness and in gloom, prisoners in misery and in irons, for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High. Their hearts were bowed down with hard labor; they fell down, with no one to help. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress; he brought them out of darkness and gloom, and broke their bonds asunder. Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind. For he shatters the doors of bronze, and cuts in two the bars of iron.

Some were sick through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities endured affliction; they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress; he sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from destruction. Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind. And let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices, and tell of his deeds with songs of joy.

Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the mighty waters; they saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep. For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. They mounted up to heaven, they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their calamity; they reeled and staggered like drunkards, and were at their wits’ end.

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out from their distress; he made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad because they had quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven. Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind. Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

He turns rivers into a desert, springs of water into thirsty ground, a fruitful land into a salty waste, because of the wickedness of its inhabitants. He turns a desert into pools of water, a parched land into springs of water. And there he lets the hungry live, and they establish a town to live in; they sow fields, and plant vineyards, and get a fruitful yield. By his blessing they multiply greatly, and he does not let their cattle decrease.

When they are diminished and brought low through oppression, trouble, and sorrow, he pours contempt on princes and makes them wander in trackless wastes; but he raises up the needy out of distress, and makes their families like flocks. The upright see it and are glad; and all wickedness stops its mouth. Let those who are wise give heed to these things, and consider the steadfast love of the Lord.

Background
Psalm 107 begins and ends with the key word of the psalter: hesed, or translated “steadfast love.” The psalm is an individual song of thanksgiving. The whole psalm effectively conveys what God’s steadfast love is all about: compassion for people in need, including forgiveness, since the distress in two instances is the result of human sinfulness. While verse one introduces the major theme of hesed, the second verse introduces the counter theme of trouble. Verses 4 - 9 may represent either or both of the exodus and the return from exile. Each involved wandering in a desert, hunger, and thirst, (which are satisfied by God). Each involves God’s leading and each may be described as ‘wonderful works.’ In keeping with God’s character, God helps those who have no one to help. To “extol” (v 32) God involves the fundamental recognition of God’s sovereignty, which is manifest in God’s acts of deliverance such as are illustrated in Psalm 107. Those who renounce self-sufficiency and cry to God will be the beneficiaries of God’s ‘wonderful works.’ which reveal God’s enduring steadfast love.

Reflection
The historical illustrations the psalmist uses in verses 4 - 32 may be specific to events, but are universal to human experience. Re-read these verses and consider how you may see yourself in these illustrations.

The call to become dependent upon God by the psalmist may fall on deaf ears in our contemporary culture. We are taught self-sufficiency. Such dependence would reflect weakness. How difficult is it for us to ‘cry to the Lord’? (v 28)

If we are self-sufficient, there is no need to praise God. And yet, this psalm suggests the fundamental attitude and activity of the faithful will be gratitude for God’s goodness and steadfast love. “O give thanks to the Lord.” (v 1) Spend a few moments counting those things for which you can give thanks to God.

Psalm 108
My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make melody. Awake, my soul! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn. I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples, and I will sing praises to you among the nations. For your steadfast love is higher than the heavens, and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let your glory be over all the earth. Give victory with your right hand, and answer me, so that those whom you love may be rescued.

God has promised in his sanctuary: “With exultation I will divide up Shechem, and portion out the Vale of Succoth. Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet; Judah is my scepter. Moab is my washbasin; on Edom I hurl my shoe; over Philistia I shout in triumph.”

Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom? Have you not rejected us, O God? You do not go out, O God, with our armies. O grant us help against the foe, for human help is worthless. With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes.

Background
Psalm 108 contains portions of Psalms 57 and 60. Psalm 108 provides the grateful praise in response to God’s steadfast love called for in Psalm 107. Following praise in celebration of deliverance (vs 1 - 4) there is renewed complaint and petition for deliverance (vs 10 - 12). Returning from exile was cause for celebration, but further help was needed and further petition became necessary.

Reflection
Psalm 108 is an example of how Hebrew scripture informed current experience, in this case, the return from exile. As this psalm appropriated Psalms 57 and 60, consider how we go to scripture to apply it to our current issues.

Psalm 108 teaches us that the people of God never live beyond trouble and need for God’s help. If true, is it not critical that we believe in hesed, or God’s steadfast love?

It is the belief of the psalmist that only God can bring justice. Human beings are helpless. How do you respond? Do human beings have any responsibility toward justice or is it totally in God’s hands?

Psalm 139
O Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it.

Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light around me become night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you.

For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed. How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! I try to count them—they are more than the sand; I come to the end—I am still with you.

O that you would kill the wicked, O God, and that the bloodthirsty would depart from me—those who speak of you maliciously, and lift themselves up against you for evil! Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Background
The key word in Psalm 139 is “know/n” (v 1, 2, 4, 6, 14 and twice in v 23). It appears seven times (the number indicating fullness or completion), to indicate that the psalmist is fully and completely known by God. Verses 8 - 12 affirm God’s knowledge of the psalmist in the form of an inescapable presence. What really matters to the psalmist is that the divine ‘you’ knows ‘me’. Such pervasive knowledge by God isn’t totally comfortable for the psalmist, “You hem me in, behind and before.” (v 5). To be fully known is to be completely vulnerable, but on the whole, the psalmist celebrates the good news. The psalmist praises God for creation, that “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” (v 14) And, “Wonderful are your works”, an apparent reference to Israel. The psalmist responds to God with gratitude. At the end of the psalm there is no hint of ambivalence. The psalmist fully entrusts themself to God, for now, and forever.

Reflection
During Advent/Christmas we speak of God as Emmanuel, or ‘God with us.’ This psalm certainly understands God to be with the psalmist. God as creator knows our whole being, even before we are created. Does this image fit your understanding?

There is ambivalence in the psalmist’s description of God’s knowledge. It does make us vulnerable, or loved. Does such knowledge cause you pause?

With such knowledge by God of our time and place in history, is there a hint of predestination in Psalm 139? Does that bother you?
Saturday

Psalm 109
Do not be silent, O God of my praise. For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me, speaking against me with lying tongues. They beset me with words of hate, and attack me without cause. In return for my love they accuse me, even while I make prayer for them. So they reward me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

They say, “Appoint a wicked man against him; let an accuser stand on his right. When he is tried, let him be found guilty; let his prayer be counted as sin. May his days be few; may another seize his position. May his children be orphans, and his wife a widow. May his children wander about and beg; may they be driven out of the ruins they inhabit. May the creditor seize all that he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil. May there be no one to do him a kindness, nor anyone to pity his orphaned children. May his posterity be cut off; may his name be blotted out in the second generation. May the iniquity of his father be remembered before the Lord, and do not let the sin of his mother be blotted out. Let them be before the Lord continually, and may his memory be cut off from the earth. For he did not remember to show kindness, but pursued the poor and needy and the brokenhearted to their death. He loved to curse; let curses come on him. He did not like blessing; may it be far from him. He clothed himself with cursing as his coat, may it soak into his body like water, like oil into his bones. May it be like a garment that he wraps around himself, like a belt that he wears every day.”

May that be the reward of my accusers from the Lord, of those who speak evil against my life. But you, O Lord my Lord, act on my behalf for your name’s sake; because your steadfast love is good, deliver me. For I am poor and needy, and my heart is pierced within me. I am gone like a shadow at evening; I am shaken off like a locust. My knees are weak through fasting; my body has become gaunt. I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they shake their heads.

Help me, O Lord my God! Save me according to your steadfast love. Let them know that this is your hand; you, O Lord, have done it. Let them curse, but you will bless. Let my assailants be put to shame; may your servant be glad. May my accusers be clothed with dishonor; may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a mantle. With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord; I will praise him in the midst of the throng. For he stands at the right hand of the needy, to save them from those who would condemn them to death.

Background
Walter Brueggemann calls this a psalm of hate. It is filled with a request for revenge. These are words of an unjustly accused person. The psalmist comes to God as one who is “poor and needy” (v 22). The major theme of the psalm, though, is God’s steadfast love and ‘kindness.” (v 12) While the psalmist expresses the desire for vengeance, it is left up to God. The enemies hateful words are not justified. The enemies’ accusations are even harder to take, because the psalmist has shown them not hatred but love. (vs 4 - 5) The psalmist’s desire for vengeance covers all the bases. Not only is the enemy the target, but his wife, children and posterity. The case is summarized in vs 20-21 and then the psalmist turns it over to God. God will hear the cry of the oppressed and God will act. God’s purposes will not be thwarted. There is trust in God.

Reflection
You may have read this psalm with a bit of disdain. There is a reason the contemporary church has basically ignored Psalm 109. Do you view it as legitimate anger or out of line for the psalmist?

How does this fit with the Jesus ethic of loving one’s neighbor, and forgiving 70 times 7?

What does this psalm teach us about God?

Psalm 110
The Lord says to my lord, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.”

The Lord sends out from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your foes. Your people will offer themselves willingly on the day you lead your forces on the holy mountains. From the womb of the morning, like dew, your youth will come to you. The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”

The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter heads over the wide earth. He will drink from the stream by the path; therefore he will lift up his head.

Background
Psalm 110 was either written to be used in preparation for a battle or to celebrate the king’s victory in battle. Psalm 110 begins by affirming that the king is to sit at the right hand of God. God offers protection from enemies and the people offer themselves as partners in the embodiment of God’s reign in the world. The predominant theme of the first three verses is God’s subjugation of the king’s enemies.

Reflection
Commentators of Psalm 110 have suggested that the psalm is understood messianically. Do you understand it as a reference to the Messiah? To whom is it referring?

The psalm speaks of the power of kings to represent divine power (God). Think of how that might be applied to modern day leaders.

Is there a partnership implied in this psalm between God and God’s representative (Messiah) to destroy God’s enemies?

Psalm 111
Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them. Full of honor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever. He has gained renown by his wonderful deeds; the Lord is gracious and merciful. He provides food for those who fear him; he is ever mindful of his covenant. He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the heritage of the nations. The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy. They are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness. He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever.

Background
Psalm 111 is an acrostic, each poetic line begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This is a psalm of praise. The key word is “work/s”, God’s works. The same thing is said of both God and those who fear God: Their “righteousness endures forever” (v 3). The character and life of those who fear God conform to God’s own character and life. The psalmist offers thanks with the “whole heart.” (v 1) Praise involves the whole person. It is offered in the gathered congregation of God’s people. God’s “works” include boh deliverance and establishment of the conditions for justice. God’s saving work establishes justice for the oppressed and God’s “precepts” are intended to enable God’s people to maintain justice. God’s awesomeness derives from God’s sovereignty.

Reflection
Human works are evoked by God’s works. Human works involve praise, gratitude and obedience. Look at your own life of praise and see if you connect it with God’s works.

True knowledge and wisdom are grounded in God, embracing God’s values of righteousness, grace and mercy. To perfectly embody God’s character and values is said to live in the ‘wisdom of God.’ The scientific understanding of wisdom is opposite. Consider what you believe ‘wisdom’ to be.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom:” (v 10). How do you understand the concept of ‘fear’ toward the Lord?

Psalm 140
Deliver me, O Lord, from evildoers; protect me from those who are violent,who plan evil things in their minds and stir up wars continually. They make their tongue sharp as a snake’s, and under their lips is the venom of vipers. Selah

Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; protect me from the violent who have planned my downfall. The arrogant have hidden a trap for me, and with cords they have spread a net, along the road they have set snares for me. Selah

I say to the Lord, “You are my God; give ear, O Lord, to the voice of my supplications.” O Lord, my Lord, my strong deliverer, you have covered my head in the day of battle. Do not grant, O Lord, the desires of the wicked; do not further their evil plot. Selah

Those who surround me lift up their heads; let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them! Let burning coals fall on them! Let them be flung into pits, no more to rise! Do not let the slanderer be established in the land; let evil speedily hunt down the violent!

I know that the Lord maintains the cause of the needy, and executes justice for the poor. Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name; the upright shall live in your presence.

Background
The focus of the psalm is the center. The psalmist’s petitions for protection against and deliverance from the violent surround the psalmist’s profession of trust in God (vs 6 - 7). The opening petitions are typical of the prayers for help. While it would appear from vs 1-5 that the violent are in control, the psalmist affirms in the central section of the psalm (vs 6-7) that God is sovereign. The psalmist asks that God set things right. The matter is not revenge but justice. The beneficiaries of God’s justice are those who are the victims of the violent: the “poor” and the “needy”. They depend for life not on themselves but on God. Thus their fundamental posture is gratitude to God.

Reflection
Can you see Psalm 140 as a prayer on behalf of others?

Violence is not just a problem for and with other people; it is a problem for and with all of us. Psalm 140 is a reminder that as people of God, we profess that the true world is a world of God’s reign. Violence will only effectively be answered with the justice that God wills. Is turning to God for justice usually our first move, or do we often turn to our own devices to obtain justice?

What do your prayers sound like when you are concerned about ‘justice’?