Give praise to the Beloved, O heavenly hosts,
Sing of Love’s glory and strength.
Exalt the glory of Love’s Name;
Adore the Beloved with holy splendor.
The voice of the Beloved is upon the waters;
Love’s voice echoes over the oceans and seas.
The voice of Love is powerful, majestic is the heart of Love.
The mercy of the Beloved breaks the bonds of oppression,
shatters the chains of injustice.
Love invites all to the dance of freedom, to sing the Beloved’s song of truth.
The voice of Love strikes with fire upon hearts of stone.
The voice of Love uproots the thorns of fear,
Love uproots fear in every open heart.
The voice of Love is heard in every storm, and strips the ego bare;
And in the heart’s chapel, all cry, “Peace and Glory forever!”
The Beloved lives in our hearts; Love dwells with us forever.
You who awaken to the Light of universal Oneness will know the blessed joy
of serving in the great Work of Love.
Nan C. Merrill Psalms for Praying
Reflection:
Psalm 29 is a hymn praising God’s power and strength over all of creation. The original hymn was to the Canaanite god, Baal. Baal is often understood as calf or a bull. The change of seasons/weather and the effects that has on growing crops (and also fertility) are attributed to him.
The composer of this hymn (Psalm 29) replaced the name “Baal” with “YHWH”. The notion that all the heavenly hosts or beings or other gods sing and praise YHWH is not accidental either. Our world has never been monotheistic. Psalm 29 is kind of saying “your god doesn’t do that, our god does” or “your god is lesser and worships our god”. It’s icky when we say it like that, so often I’ve heard people interpret this concept as worshiping the true god and not idols like money, power, control, etc. but not literally other gods. The psalmist is giving credit where credit is due (to God) and taking the power away from idol worship (as defined as things that distract us from God). I’ve certainly interpreted Psalm 29 that way too. And I still think this is meaningful interpretation. But it’s not working for me today.
Today, replacing “Baal” with “YWHW” feels icky to me. It reminds me of all the examples of Christians replacing conquered people’s Gods with Jesus or Mary. For example, the Pantheon in Rome which has layers of purposes, civic and sacred, through its long history. I also think about how in Ecuador, “pacha mama” or earth mother was replaced by Mary the mother of Jesus. Mary is still more popular than Jesus there and it’s probably because of the long history worshipping the mother. And in college, I remember learning that many of the hymn tunes we still use today were originally secular tunes that most people knew. Using bar tunes was a tool in proselytizing as they helped people to learn about God (and become Christians). In many ways, Christianity has been a tool of colonization and empire building. I don’t like that part of the history of my tradition, but it is there.
The idea of “my god is better than your god” that can come across in text like Psalm 29 is difficult for me to grapple with because of how much I enjoy working in ecumenical and multi faith communities. I love my neighbors and colleagues regardless of their faith tradition. I love those who are spiritual but not religious and I love those who are guided by principles that are not dictated by a god (or gods) at all. But this also doesn’t mean that my faith is meaningless. What I value about my faith is that it shapes me to be more compassionate and loving. I am not concerned with right belief or having correct theology (perhaps that is obvious to my regular readers at this point). My faith guides me to open my eyes and open my heart and from that openness to work for the good of all. We are connected, we are one, so let us love each other.
It is Love, shared universal love, that breaks the bonds of oppression and shatters the chains of injustice. Love uproots fear in every open heart and plants seeds of compassion. Love unites us with each other and all of creation. We are one in Love. You who awaken to the Light of universal Oneness will know the blessed joy of serving in the great Work of Love. (Nan C. Merrill Psalms for Praying)
Psalm reflections can be listened to on the Period Pastor Podcast series, Like One who Watches for the Morning. In the podcast I read both the NRSVUE and Nan C. Merrill’s Psalms for Praying in addition to the reflection you see here.
I began writing Psalm reflections during Lent of 2020 shortly after we decided to close the church building, work from home, and worship via zoom. It is a practice I have continued since. Many churches use the Revised Common Lectionary (RLC) that rotates scripture on a three-year cycle (A, B, and C). Starting in Advent 2019, Third Church decided to worship with the texts from Year D, which is still not circulated as are years A, B, and C. Year D was created with the goal of including scriptures that were left out or not used as frequently as others. While we were using Psalms in year D, most other lectionary followers were using Year A. In Advent of 2020 we rejoined those who use the lectionary in year B. Advent of 2021 year C. Advent of 2022 year A. Advent of 2023 year B.
I use the Vanderbilt Divinity Library’s resource for lectionary readings to make text selections.
Year B Psalms
Advent – Transfiguration: 1st Sunday in Advent Psalm 80, 2nd Sunday in Advent Psalm 85, 3rd Sunday in Advent Psalm 126, 4th Sunday in Advent Psalm 89, Christmas Eve or Christmas Day Psalm 96, Psalm 97, Psalm 98, 1st Sunday after Christmas, Psalm 148, New Year’s Day Psalm 8, Epiphany Psalm 72, 1st Sunday after Epiphany Psalm 29, 2nd Sunday after Epiphany Psalm 139, 3rd Sunday after Epiphany Psalm 62, 4th Sunday after Epiphany Psalm 111, 5th Sunday after Epiphany Psalm 147, Transfiguration Sunday (Sunday before Lent) Psalm 50
Lent: Ash Wednesday Psalm 51, 1st Sunday in Lent Psalm 25, 2nd Sunday in Lent Psalm 22, 3rd Sunday in Lent Psalm 19, 4th Sunday in Lent Psalm 107, 5th Sunday in Lent Psalm 51 or Psalm 119:9-16, 6th Sunday in Lent (Palm or Passion Sunday) Psalm 118 or 31Holy Week: Monday Psalm 36, Tuesday Psalm 71, Wednesday Psalm 70, Maundy Thursday Psalm 116, Good Friday Psalm 22, Holy Saturday Psalm 31
Easter: Easter Psalm 118 or 114, 2nd Sunday of Easter Psalm 133, 3rd Sunday of Easter Psalm 4, 4th Sunday of Easter Psalm 23, 5th Sunday of Easter Psalm 22, 6th Sunday of Easter Psalm 98, Ascension Psalm 47 or Psalm 93, 7th Sunday of Easter Psalm 1, Day of Pentecost Psalm 104
Season After Pentecost (Ordinary Time): 1st Sunday after Pentecost (Trinity Sunday) Psalm 29, 2ndSunday after Pentecost Psalm 139 or Psalm 81, 3rd Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 138 or Psalm 130, 4thSunday after Pentecost Psalm 20 or Psalm 92, 5th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 9 or Psalm 133 or Psalm 107, 6th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 130 or Psalm 30, 7th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 48 or Psalm 123, 8th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 24 or Psalm 85, 9th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 89 or Psalm 23, 10th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 14 or Psalm 145, 11th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 51 or Psalm 78, 12th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 130 or Psalm 34, 13th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 111 or Psalm 34, 14th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 84 or Psalm 34, 15th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 45 or Psalm 15, 16th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 125 or Psalm 146, 17th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 19 or Psalm 116, 18th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 1 or Psalm 54, 19th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 124 or Psalm 19, 20th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 26 or Psalm 8, 21st Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 22 or Psalm 90, 22nd Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 104 or Psalm 91, 23rd Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 34 or Psalm 126, 24th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 146 or 119, 25th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 127 or Psalm 146, 26th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 16, 27th Sunday after Pentecost (Christ the King) Psalm 132 or Psalm 93.
Sources and notes:
“Psalm 29 is an Old Testament doxology in praise of the LORD as sovereign of the universe. The kingdom, power, and glory are its themes.” Mays p. 135
“…everyone in the temple, both the heavenly palace and the earthly sanctuary, is saying “Glory” in recognition of what the proclamation means (v. 9).” Mays p. 136
“The voice of the LORD is the active agent that produces every effect described in the proclamation; it is heard, seen, and felt.” Mays p. 136
“Psalm 29 is the only text in the Old Testament in which the glory of the LORD is so extensively and directly said to be manifested in what we moderns call natural phenomena.” Mays p. 137
“In the history of Hebrew religion, it is clear that one of the hard lessons for the Hebrews to learn was that their God was not only Lord of History, but also Lord of Nature. The prophets constantly harangued their people for resorting to the religion of Baal (e.g. Hos 1-3), and such deviations from the path of religion reflected a deeper lack of faith concerning the Lord’s real control of the world of nature, specifically of the forces of storm and rain which were so fundamental to harvest and survival.” WBC p. 249
“Psalm 29 is one of the most distinctive affirmations in the Bible, not only that God was Lord of Nature, but also that all the forces of nature so commonly attributed to Baal by the persons living in and around the Promised Land were actually attributes of the Lord. The language and imagery of the psalm not only transfer all attributes of weather control from Baal to the Lord, but also by implication mock the supposed powers attributed to Baal.” WBC p. 249
“Psalm 29 is most often thought to be a very old hymn that was originally a hymn of praise to the Canaanite god, Baal. Only now, in its Israelite context, the divine name has been altered to YHWH. As a result, this hymn of praise to YHWH is at once an affirmation of YHWH and a polemic against Baal: a determined effort to displace the name and marking of Baal with the name and making of YHWH. In a contest of fierce contestation (which is where the church most often lives), hymns may be vigorous assertive polemical acts to insist on this God and this faith claim against all other competitors. In this light, the singing of praise is never innocent- it is always deeply fraught, heavily contested.” Brueggemann From Whom No Secrets are Hid p. 37
“We are prone, given the heritage of Christian theology, to regard the Bible as monotheistic, but the Old Testament’s legacy from Canaanite soil makes clear that it assumes the existence of many gods, though at their best ease are in obedience to YHWH. That is why in Psalm 29 these gods are summoned to praise; praise that amounts to a declaration of loyalty.” Brueggemann From Whom No Secrets are Hid p. 38
“Worship ends in shalom when the rule of YHWH is established and acknowledged. The psalm is thus a lyrical performance of the way in which the theological claim of YHWH constructs and construes an ordered world of stability and well-being. The implicit polemic is that Baal- or any other rival- has no capacity to do such world making. Psalm 29 exhibits the way in which Israel’s liturgical imagination can utilize the old Canaanite lyric for its own covenantal world making.” Brueggemann From Whom No Secrets are Hid p. 39
This reflection comes from: DAFLER, J. (2021). PSOBRIETY: A journey of recovery through the psalms. Louisville, KY: WESTMINSTER JOHN KNOX. p. 35 For much of my life, I had a belief in a powerless god, when I had any belief at all. I believed that this god might have been the source of the Big Bang that set the universe in motion, but he was otherwise a “hands-off” god who played no further role in the world of human affairs. Having arrived at a concept of a god who exercised no power, it was easy for me to ignore him altogether and grant myself license to try to control my life and those of the people around me. Psalm 29 sings praise to an all-powerful God, different from the one many of us may have imagined. This is the God who speaks like thunder and rules over the mighty forces of nature. This is the God who gives his people strength and peace. This is also the God who hears our simple cry fro help when our disease has stripped us of all other hope. This God who “shakes the wilderness” (v.8) hears our plea and answers our prayers! He removes from us our obsession oath alcohol or drugs and sets us on a new path. This path of sobriety–God’s path–brings us ever more hope, freedom, and joy. The God of Psalm 29 is the God of miracles, the Higher Power who has the strength to save us from death and destruction . Let us stand alongside his children in the temple and shout, “Glory!” Glory be to you, oh God, who causes the mountains to tremble and saves us from our long suffering! Please use your mighty power to keep us sober today.
This reflection comes from Spong, M. (Ed.). (2020). The words of her mouth: Psalms for the struggle. Cleveland, OH: The Pilgrim Press. The reflection for Psalm 29 is by Katie Mulligan. Over the murmur of the stream, over the crashing of the ocean, over the shattered scatter of the rain, over the stillness of the morning lake before the wind: the wind, the Spirit. Over the rushing of blood through my body, thudding my head, breaking my heart, aching my feet: the voice of the LORD over the waters, stirring up trouble, calling my name. I hold my hands over my ears, I play music to drown the voice, I shut the doors and windows on the hottest day, I crawl under the blanket and curl into myself, and still the voice of the Lord calls over the waters, whispering to my trembling, hidden self, a shivering lump wrapped in my grandmother’s quilt. They say, “Come child, let us play.” From under the quilt I worship the Lord in holy splendor. They have given me strength! They have blessed me with Peace! Glory!
Alter Alter, Robert. 2007. The Book of Psalms: A Translation with Commentary New York: W. W. Norton & Company
WBC Allen, Leslie C. 1983. Word Biblical Commentary: Psalms 101-150. Vol. 21. Waco, TX: Word Books, Publisher.
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. 1974. Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible. 8th ed. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Press.
Bourgeault, C. (2006). Chanting the psalms: A practical guide Audio Book. New Seeds.
Brueggemann, Walter. 2007. Praying the Psalms: Engaging Scripture and the Life of the Spirit. 2nd ed. Eugene, OR: Cascade.
Brueggemann Brueggemann, Walter. 2014. From Whom No Secrets Are Hid: Introducing the Psalms. Edited by Brent A. Strawn. 1st ed. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.
Brueggemann, Walter. Davis Hanskins, Editor. 2022. Our Hearts Wait: Worshiping Through Praise and Lament in the Psalms Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville KY.
Brueggemann, Walter. (2002). Spirituality of the psalms. Augsburg Pub. House.
Brueggemann, Walter. (1984). The Message of the Psalms: A Theological Commentary. Minneapolis: Augsburg.
Chilson, Richard, ed. You Shall Not Want: A Spiritual Journey Based on the Psalms. Ave Maria Press, 2009.
Chittister Chittister, Joan. (2011). Songs of the heart: reflections on the psalms. John Garratt Publishing.
Cudjoe-Wilkes, G., Wilkes, A. J., & Moss, O. (2022). Psalms for black lives: Reflections for the work of Liberation. Upper Room Books.
WBC Craigie, Peter C. 1983. Psalms 1-50–Word Biblical Commentary. Vol. 19. Waco, TX: Word Books.
Creach Creach, Jerome Frederick Davis. 1998. Psalms: Interpretation Bible Studies. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.
DAFLER, J. (2021). PSOBRIETY: A journey of recovery through the psalms. Louisville, KY: WESTMINSTER JOHN KNOX.
W de Claisse-Walford, Nancy L. WISDOM COMMENTARY: Psalms Bks. 4-5. Edited by Barbara E. Reid. Vol. 22. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical, 2020.
Green, Barbara. 1997. Like a Tree Planted: An Exploration of Psalms and Parables Through Metaphor. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press.
W Hopkins, Denise Dombkowski. WISDOM COMMENTARY: Psalms Bks. 2-3. Edited by Barbara E. Reid. Vol. 21. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical, 2016.
NIB Keck, Leander E. 2015. The New Interpreters Bible Commentary. Vol. 3. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press.
Lewis, C. S. (2017). Reflections on the Psalms. Harper One, an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers.
Mays Mays, James Luther. 1994. Psalms. Louisville, KY: John Knox Press.
McCann McCann, J. C. (1993). A theological introduction to the book of Psalms: The Psalms as Torah. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press.
McCann, J. C., & Howell, J. C. 2001. Preaching the Psalms. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press.
Merrill, N. C. (2020). Psalms for praying an invitation to wholeness (10th Anniversary Edition ed.). London, England: Bloomsbury Publishing.
Miller Miller, Patrick D. 1986. Interpreting the Psalms. Philadelphia, PA: Fortress Press.
Morgan, Michael. 2010. The Psalter for Christian Worship Revised Edition. Westminster John Knox Press.
Schlimm Schlimm, Matthew Richard. 2018. 70 Hebrew Words Every Christian Should Know. Nashville, TN: Abington Press.
Spong Spong, M. (Ed.). (2020). The words of her mouth: Psalms for the struggle. Cleveland, OH: The Pilgrim Press.
WBC Tate, Marvin E. 1990. Word Biblical Commentary: Psalms 51-100. Edited by David Allan. Hubbard and Glenn W. Barker. Vol. 20. Waco, TX: Word.
Weems, Ann. 1995. Psalm of Lament. Westminster John Knox Pres
OTL Weiser, Artur. 1998. Old Testament Library: Psalms. Translated by Herbert Hartwell. 3rd ed. New York, NY: Manchester University Press.
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