If it were not for You, O Beloved, You who make all things new,
Fear and chaos would reign in every heart; in You will I trust forever.
When doubt threatens to overwhelm and separate me,
when anger makes me blind,
Then You, O Merciful One, are ever-ready to Awaken the holy,
the sacred within me;
Then do your Living Streams of Grace enfold me.
Blessed are You, who are a very Presence to us, a comfort to troubled hearts!
Grant us the strength of eagle wings, the courage to soar to new heights!
Break within us the bonds of fear that we may live with love!
Our guidance comes from You, O Counselor,
Blessed are You, O Giver of Life!
Beloved of my heart!
Nan C. Merrill Psalms for Praying
Reflection:
In the NRSVUE, the enemies are separate from us (and from God who is on our side). The enemies are the people who cause chaos. Who trap and destroy others. Who enslave, oppress, and support systems that harm others. They are not God’s people. They are not like “us”. Sounds partisan. Sounds like the current state of America. “US and THEM”. But, something changes between verse 1 and verse 8, and the psalm moves from partisan to universal, in other words, there is no more “them”, only “us”. We are in this together.
In Nan Merrill’s Psalms for praying, the enemies are inside all of us. The enemies isolate, threaten, and instill crippling fear. The enemy is the idea that we are separate from God and each other. We need to reorient our thinking and our actions. There is no ‘them’. We are not separate. We are connected. This connection has different names, God, spirit, universe, love, etc., but there is something sacred that connects us. We are in this together.
There are no enemies, only neighbors to love.
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:
“Psalm 124, the fifth of the Songs of Ascents, answers the cry for mercy voiced by the singers of Psalm 123, who feel overwhelmed by the “contempt” and “scorn” of “those who are at ease” (123:3-4). Thus Psalm 124 may be heard as words of trust and praise in answer to the singers of Psalm 123.” W p. 190
“In verse 2 the attacker is rendered in the NRSV as “enemies,” but it is actually the Hebrew collective noun, recalling the creation story in Genesis 2 in which humanity is formed by God from the ground.” W p. 191
“The translation of the Hebrew word in verse 2 as “enemies” seems, to this commentator, to allow for a certain degree of abstraction of the ones who are threatening to “swallow up alive” the psalm singers. An “enemy” can become a nameless, faceless entity–an “other”. The Hebrew word used here connotes no such idea. The Common English Bible translation renders the word “those people,” conveying a sense of full knowledge of the names and faces of those threatening to “swallow up”. W p 192
“When we confront many of the larger issues facing the world in which we live– income disparity that affects equal access to secure housing and nourishing food, child trafficking and prostitution, inequalities of money and power–the “enemy” is often abstracted, becoming a nameless, faceless “other”. The “enemy” in each case, though, is “those people,” people more interested in their own profit, well-being, and lifestyle than in the good of “all people.” The singers of Psalm 124 have names “those people” as; they are humanity, all who contribute to the vast divine separating those of privilege and those struggling to contribute and survive. Nevertheless, the psalm singers accept and celebrate God’s help in escaping the rain waters and snares that threaten them. Unless we, like them, can find it within ourselves to name “those people” and perhaps recognize ourselves in “those people,” we will not be able to fully enlist and accept the “help” of God in finding a solution for these troubling issues in our world today.” W pp 192-193
“The conclusion in verse 8 sounds like a serene verdict that tis based on the preceding particulars. The source of the theological affirmation is interesting. It ends with a strong affirmation of Yahweh’s powerful sovereignty over all he has made, heaven and earth, waters and snares. Nothing is in doubt at this point in the psalm. But the same discussion begins at a very different point in verse 1 with the passionate, partisan claim that Yahweh is for Israel. The Psalm thus does from partisan claim to universal affirmation. In our pattern of presentation, the psalm reflects a move from the anxiety of disorientation to the stability and confidence of the new orientation. The psalm is a move from an anxious specificity to a confident generalization. Israel’s new life, free from threat, is utterly focused on this God who will never hand us over.” Brueggemann, The Message of the Psalms pp. 139-1490
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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