I give thanks, O Blessed One, with my whole heart;
before all the people I sing your praise;
I was humbled when I came to see that You dwell in me,
in the chapel of all souls; my gratitude knows no bounds!
For You are the Holy One, the Life of our life.
On the day that I called, You answered me;
the strength of my soul You increased.
All the leaders of the earth shall one day praise You,
When your Spirit Awakens in every heart;
And they shall proclaim the new dawn of Light and Love.
Great will be the radiation of your Glory!
For even as You are the Most High,
You are Friend to the lowly;
the arrogant close their hearts to your love and guidance.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve my life;
You are a very Presence as I face my fears and doubts;
Your strength upholds me.
You guide me as I pray to fulfill my purpose on earth;
You do not forsake those who call upon You.
Your steadfast Love and Truth endures forever.
Nan C. Merrill Psalms for Praying
Reflection:
Sometimes it feels strange to say “God rescued me” because it feels selfish or egocentric. And who am I compared to the enormity of the world? But, God does not operate like people with power who do not care for the well-being of others. God cares. God cares about the lowly, the poor, the oppressed. God cares about those who would usually be trampled under the feet of progress or profit.
I believe that God is working in small subversive loving ways in my life and in the world. Do I wish that God would just fix everything that is wrong right now? Sure. But that’s not been my experience of how God works. My experience is like the psalmist’s in that I can think of a time (and maybe a few times) where it really felt like God had worked some small things out for me that made all the difference. These experiences have helped me to see how I can do small things for others that will make all the difference to them. And maybe, that’s how love works.
Thanks be to God.
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 31
Holy 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, 2nd Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 139 or Psalm 81, 3rd Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 138 or Psalm 130, 4th Sunday 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:
“The opening psalm of the final David collection in the Psalter celebrates God’s answering the cry for help from the psalm singer and emboldening her to declare God’s word to “all the kings of the earth.” In the aftermath of the Babylonian exile the Israelites questioned their very identity and future as the people of God. With the full knowledge of the “steadfast love” and “faithfulness” of YHWH, though, the post exilic Israelite community could find a way to “sing” God’s praise in the aftermath of an exile in which they could not “sing” the songs their captors requested (Ps. 137:4).” W p. 258
“Verse 6 is a particular reminder that to acknowledge God’s reign and to live in dependence upon God means a transformation of what and whom the world generally values. Hannah’s song (1 Sam 2:1-10), which v. 6 recalls, is taken up by Mary in anticipation of the birth of Jesus (see Luke 1:46-55, esp. vv. 51-53). Jesus embodied God’s strange sovereignty and world-transforming values, distancing himself from the proud and powerful in favor of the lowly, Jesus showed us what it means to live in fundamental dependence upon God, to offer one’s “whole heart” gratefully to God.” NIB pp. 693-694
“The profession that God rules the world is clearly appropriate for the season of Epiphany, with which Psalm 138 is associated. Like all proclamations of God’s rule, Psalm 138 calls us to decision. It invites us to join the psalmist and the kings of the earth in praising God and offering ourselves to God with our “whole heart”.” NIB p. 694
“As in other songs of thanksgiving, this prayer remembers a time of need that has now been resolved in deliverance. What is special here is that the circle of praise is expanded, both in heaven and in earth.” Brueggemann, The Message of the Psalms p. 131
“What all that general matter of faithfulness means is that God is faithful to me in this particular situation. This prayer is bold to imagine that the main issues facing God are to be resolved with particular reference to me.” Brueggemann, The Message of the Psalms p. 132
“He is high, but attends to the lowly (cf. Isa. 57:15). That is, unlike the other gods in verse 1 and unlike the conventional kings in verse 4. Characteristically kings and gods are high, but do not notice the lowly. The whole history of Israel is evidence to the contrary, and that is why Israel is a scandal among the nations, and why Yahweh is an embarrassement among the gods. This verse, the ground of the entire thanksgiving, is revolutionary in its disclosure. Mention of the high, the lowly, the haughty introduces political reality an political awareness into the prayer . The seeds of social transformation and historical inversion are present when this agenda is articulated.” Brueggemann, The Message of the Psalms p. 132
“Heaven and earth are now on notice because of quite concrete experience. A new regime is underway that no longer permits lowly people to be trampled. Because Yahweh makes the move, everything else will have to change. In the last line, the “work of your hands” is none other than the lowly who owe their whole life to and depend completely on this one who intervenes in unheard of and unexpected ways.” Brueggemann, The Message of the Psalms p. 132
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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