Praise be to You! Praise the Beloved, O my soul!
I will praise You with all my being;
I will sing joyfully and with thanksgiving to You, Heart of my heart!
Put not your trust in riches, in illusionary things that fade away.
For when our day comes to depart this world, at that very time,
we carry only the love imprinted upon our soul.
Blessed are those whose strength is in the Beloved, whose trust is in You, O Divine Lover,
Who gave birth to the universe–the heavens, earth, and sea– and all that is within them.
You are ever-faithful, bringing balance and harmony to earth, nourishment to body and soul.
You free us from the bonds of fear; You give insight to those who would see.
You lift up the faint-hearted, giving succor to those who weep.
You watch over those on journey, sending guides and angels to lead the way;
O, that we might become beacons of light to those in darkness.
May You, who live forever in our hearts, loose the fetters of fear that bind us,
That we might praise You always with free and joyful song!
May it be so!
Nan C. Merrill Psalms for Praying
Reflection:
It’s that time of year when the early evening feels cozy and I’m more likely to have my pajamas on than not. The cold and the dark slow me down, but it’s a good kind of slowing. It’s restful, reflective, and regenerative. It’s a time to take better care of myself, to reflect on the year past and to plan for the future. What are my priorities? What are my goals? Where do I place my trust?
There are all kinds of places to put trust. Unfortunately, we sometimes put our trust in illusionary things that fade away: personal wealth, job security, and good health. Or we put our trust in world leaders, the economy, and democracy; but those things seem more fragile than they once did. I trust in Love that is everlasting.
There is something about being wrapped in a warm blanket with a cup of hot chocolate that makes me grateful and for home. But home is not a particular address nor is it my comfy chair and blanket. Like Dorthy in the 1978 musical Wiz, “When I think of home, I think of a place where there’s love overflowing.”
Love gave birth to the universe and lives in every part of creation. Love frees us from our illusions and guides us in our journeys. Love calls us to work for justice for the oppressed. Love asks us to give food to the hungry, to visit the sick and imprisoned, and to care for our neighbors. Love tells us to let go of our fears and embrace one another. Love lives in all of us connecting us with each other and with all of creation.
And I want to be part of this Love that is overflowing.
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:
“Psalms 146-150, the final Hallel of the Psalter, each begin and end with “Praise the LORD” and together form the closing doxology of book 5 and the Psalter as a whole. The group follows the movement observed in Psalm 145, from an individual hymn (Ps 146), to a community hymn (Ps 147) to a creation psalm (Ps 148) to exuberant praise (Pss 149-150).” W p. 303
“James L. Mays calls Psalm 146 a “sung lesson,” one in which those who recite it along with those who hear it teach and are taught that God is the eternal sovereign over the world. The words of Psalm 146 have as much to say to those of us who live in the twenty-first-century world as they did to the ancient Israelites. Earthly rulers will return to their earthen states, but the creator God continues to care and provide for the oppressed, the strangers, and the orphans and widows. How does God accomplish such care? Those who believe that God is sovereign must be the hands and feet, the voice, and the eyes and ears of God in this world and act with mind and will and soul (inmost being) to carry out God’s care and provision for those whom Brueggemann and Bellinger call the “socially vulnerable and powerless”. Wp. 306
“The hymn does not say that leaders are unnecessary or not useful. It does warn against trusting them for salvation. Hope based on what passes away is doomed for disappointment.” Mays p. 440
“But permanence and power alone are not the grounds for trust. Trust is also founded on character, so the LORD’s character is epitomized in a phrase (v. 6c): Not only does the LORD rule forever but in his rule he keeps the faith forever. Then verses 7-9 render the LORD’s character by reciting the characteristic activities by which the LORD keeps faith.” Mays p. 441
“The temptation to put ultimate trust for salvation in human leaders and institutions is perennial. In Psalm 146, praise becomes a critique of such misplaced trust and a proclamation of the only right use of trust — in God who keeps faith!” Mays p. 441
“The summons to praise in verses 1-2 is extravagant, …. The middle section of the psalm (vv. 3-7) offers a contrast. It asks where one should loge one’s trust. In the enthronement psalms we have seen the rule of Yahweh contrasted with idols. Here the same contrast is made, only now the negative counterpart is human agents rathe than idols. But the substance of the contrast is the same: the others are powerless to save.” Brueggeman The Message of the Psalms pp. 162-163
“The substance of the Yahwistic claim is characteristically twofold. First, there is a cosmic claim about Yahweh as creator, faithful to his creation. But then in verse 7, the praise moves, as Israel normally does, to the specific Israelite goal of justice. Behind the universal claim is the historical memory of Justice, which is what finally makes Yahweh reliable.” Brueggeman The Message of the Psalms p. 163
“The remainder of the psalm (vv. 7-9) extrapolates from verse 7a and appeals to Israel’s memory. …. The recital concerns inversion of hopeless situations, with particular reference to the sojourner, widow, and orphan, examples in Israel of the socially marginal and powerless. Running through that statement of generous advocacy is the quite different theme of righteous and wicked (vv. 8-9), those who do and do not adhere to Yahweh’s covenant.” Brueggeman The Message of the Psalms p. 163
“The concluding formula of verse 10 returns to the more cosmic claim and roots the matter securely in Zion. It is the “Zion connection” with justice and righteouesness that subsequently roots the Amos tradition of justice and righteousness in Zion, from whence comes justice (cf. Amos 1:2).” Brueggeman The Message of the Psalms p. 163
“Psalm 146 celebrates the good rule of YHWH who does justice for the oppressed, prisoners, the blind, strangers, orphans, and widows. All of that generative engagement is contrasted to princes and mortals who are no help…. Psalm 146 makes clear that without God’s ruach, princes have no staying power. They return to the soil from which they came without any impact from their governance. The contrast between the generative power of God’s ruach and the inability to matter at all without that ruach.” Brueggeman From Whom No Secrets Are Hid p. 72
“Alton with attestation concerning YHWH’s character, many hymns celebrate the marvelous “wonders” of YHWH–wonders committed on some specific occasion and those regularly performed by Israel’s Lord. Thus, in Ps. 146:3-9, the capacity of YHEH to enact social transformation s is contrasted with the “princes” who have no energy to capacity for such transformation. The vista of YHWH’s action is as large as creation itself. But the accent of the psalm is YHWH’s commitment to the well-bing of the socially vulnerable and marginal, which is to say, prisoners, the blind, the bowed down, strangers, orphans, widows, all those who are without conventional social protection. In this characterization of God, the psalm already articulates and ethical summons to God’s followers that they, too, are to be egged with such vulnerable and marginal persons.” Brueggeman From Whom No Secrets Are Hid p. 2
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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