I will sing of your steadfast Love forever, my Beloved;
with forthright voice I will proclaim your goodness to all generations.
For your abiding Love rules the universe,
your faithfulness extends thought the firmament.
Your Covenant from the beginning of time
encompasses all who choose to walk the path of Love;
And to all generations that honor your Way and your Truth,
will Love make Itself known.
Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Loving Creator, your faithfulness in the congregation of holy ones!
For who in the universe is comparable to You?
Who among the heavenly beings is like You–
You, who are reverenced in the council of the holy ones,
great in wisdom, gentle of heart, and one with all around You.
O Most High, mighty are You, whose Are is poured for the throughout all ages.
You have blessed us with oceans, rivers, and likes, to sustain our life on Earth.
Yes, You entrusted the waters into our keeping, and in our stewardship we failed.
Forgive us, O Merciful One.
The heavens are yours, the earth also belongs to You.
Yet we befoul the air and rape the earth.
Forgive us, O Merciful One.
The north and south, You have created them; the east and west as well.
With the might of areas, we shatter the nations, and scatter your people.
Forgives us, O Merciful One.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of the Cosmos;
steadfast love and faithfulness go before You.
Blessed are those who know your Love, who walk in the Light of your countenance!
Blessed are those who call upon your Name and extol truth and justice!
For You are the glory of their strength; You give wise counsel.
Our very lives belong to You, O Loving Companion Presence!
You have made yourself known to the faith-filled; You set them on the path of peace.
The Gift You sent to teach us Love invites us to eternal Life!
Through the Heart of all hearts, You opened the way to Life.
Your steadfast Loe came among us giving us strength.
Fear shall not overcome us, we will not give in to doubt.
For your Love casts out our fear
and gives rise to forgiveness of those who would do us wrong.
Yes, your faithfulness and your abiding Love are with us,
and in your Name we can do all good things.
Through You is our purpose made known,
that we might know your Will and make it our own.
In our gratitude we cry out, “You are the Beloved, the Most High, our very Breath.”
Through You we are born anew, the Spirit of Truth comes to us.
Your enduring low is with us forever,
and your Covenant stands firm throughout eternity.
We will know You as Loving Companion Presence now and in the life to come.
“If your children turn their backs and follow not Love’s way,
If they oppress the weak and befriend injustice,
They will separate themselves from Love, and they will dwell with fear.
Even so, my steadfast Love will await their return, my faithfulness will remain sure.
My Covenant stands true forever, as does the Life that begets life.
You are all invited to holiness, to come to the fulness of your birthright.
For Love shall endure forever, and Light as the sun before us.
Like the stars, they shall be established forever; they shall stand true while the firmament remains.”
So often, You seem cast off and rejected,
as we your people separate ourselves from Love.
We renounce the Covenant made with You; we choose the ego’s fear-filled way.
We build walls to defend ourselves, walls that will lead to loneliness.
The world is rampant with violence, neighbors striving to outdo one another.
The nations compete for worldly rites, oppressing the weak with deceitful promises.
Yes, when we turn our backs on Love, we become deaf to the Word longing to be heard.
We live according to the gratification of our senses,
forgetting the Treasure hidden in the Silence of our hearts.
Be merciful to us, O Holy One,
melt our hearts of ice before the hour of reckoning comes upon us!
How long, O people of Earth, will you hide yourself from Love?
How long will your self-centered ways keep you fearful and loving in darkness?
Remember, O friends, the values that are eternal;
for vanity withers the soul as a husk of corn dying in autumn.
Who will come to the Banquet, the feast of heaven here on Earth?
Who will abandon themselves into the hands of Love?
O Beloved, your steadfast Love remains, sure and faithful,
Your promises endure forever.
Awaken us, O Holy One!
And humble us so we are compelled to cry out for forgiveness.
In your mercy, help us to release the fears that veil your Light!
For You alone are the Holy One; You alone are our loving Creator.
Let al who would be free from fear commend their lives into your Hands.
Blessed are You, O Loving Companion Presence, for ever and ever! Amen.
Nan C. Merrill Psalms for Praying
Reflection:
GOd’s people are anxiously awaiting for the fulfillment of God’s promises. They are waiting for the happy ending in the midst of current unpleasant circumstances. We know God’s attributes are righteousness, justice, steadfast love, and faithfulness. We also know that right now it doesn’t feel like that because the world is full of self-righteousness, injustice, hate, and disloyalty. We are disillusioned. Why did the LORD’s anointed fail? Why can’t the people of God live in peace and safety? How long O God, until you come to make things right? Even in the midst of unanswered questions and unfinished work, the psalmist affirms that God always listening and remembers. Knowing that God does not forget, gives us a little hope that God will return and make all things new.
As people of faith, we know that we are not alone, we have each other and we have God who listens when we pray, when we cry, and when we scream into the void. So together we wait, we hope, and we talk to God who listens to all of our unfinished stories. And together we will find a way to move forward.
Advent is a season of unfinished stories and anxious waiting. Christians remember a time when God became flesh and dwelt among us. The Messiah came down from heaven to be with creation. And yet, Christ’s work is not complete. We are still waiting for the second coming. Similarly, Easter is unfinished too. There is still more work to do after the resurrection, but this work will be done by the disciples and those who follow the way of Jesus. It is the work we continue to do, the work of co-creating a world transformed by God’s love.
I invite you to give God the unfinished story you’re holding so it is no longer taking up room in your hands. Or talk it over with a therapist, spiritual director, or trusted friend. When we can name our feelings and tell our story, we can invite healing into our lives.
I believe that as God’s people we are called to continue God’s unfinished work of justice and love. Being in loving relationship with each other is part of that work. We don’t have to be perfect or have all of the answers. But we can give each other enough love and support to continue the journey together.
Check out other psalm reflections in the links below or find more of my writing published in Presbyterian Outlook or listen to my experiments in podcasting on the Period Pastor Podcast. Follow me @periodpastor
Past reflection links:
Psalm 89 Year B (2023-2024)
Psalm 89 Year B (2020-2021) advent
Psalm 89 Year B (2020 -2021) ordinary time
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. Many churches use the Revised Common Lectionary (RLC) that rotates scripture on a three-year cycle (A, B, and C). Starting in Advent 2019, the 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. When we returned to in person worship, we took the psalm reflections out of the order of worship. I continued to write them for the blog. Advent of 2022 year A. I left church work in July of 2023 but continued the practice of writing psalm reflections. Advent of 2023 year B. Advent of 2024 year C. I finished year C early, so I began work on psalms I missed: Psalm 119, Year D and others not in the lectionary. By the end of 2025, I have written a reflection for each psalm.
Advent of 2025 year A.
I use the Vanderbilt Divinity Library’s resource for lectionary readings and the PCUSA planning calendar to make text selections.
Year A Psalms
1st Sunday in Advent Psalm 122, 2nd Sunday in Advent Psalm 72, 3rd Sunday in Advent Psalm 146, 4th Sunday in Advent Psalm 80, Christmas Psalm 96, Psalm 97, Psalm 98, 1st Sunday after Christmas Psalm 148, 2nd Sunday after Christmas Psalm 147, 1st Sunday after Epiphany Psalm 29, 2nd Sunday after Epiphany Psalm 40, 3rd Sunday after Epiphany Psalm 27, 4th Sunday after Epiphany Psalm 15, 5th Sunday after Epiphany Psalm 112, Transfiguration Sunday Psalm 2 or Psalm 99.
1st Sunday in Lent Psalm 32, 2nd Sunday in Lent Psalm 121, 3rdSunday in Lent Psalm 95, 4th Sunday in Lent Psalm 23, 5th Sunday in Lent Psalm 130, 6th Sunday in Lent Psalm 118 or Psalm 31.
Easter Psalm 118 or Psalm 114, 2nd Sunday of Easter Psalm 16 or Psalm 111, 3rd Sunday of Easter Psalm 116 or Psalm 34, 4th Sunday of Easter Psalm 23 or Psalm 100, 5th Sunday of Easter Psalm 31 or Psalm 119: 9-32, 6th Sunday of Easter Psalm 66 or Psalm 115, 7th Sunday of Easter Psalm 68 or Psalm 21, Pentecost Psalm 104.
1st Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 8, 2nd Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 33 or Psalm 50, 3rd Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 116 or Psalm 100, 4th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 86 or Psalm 69, 5th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 13 or Psalm 89, 6th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 45 or Psalm 145, 7th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 119 or Psalm 65, 8th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 139 or Psalm 86, 9th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 105 or Psalm 119, 10th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 17 or Psalm 145, 11th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 105 or Psalm 85, 12th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 133 or Psalm 67, 13th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 124 or Psalm 138, 14th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 105 or Psalm 26, 15thSunday after Pentecost Psalm 149 or Psalm 119, 16th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 114 or Psalm 103, 17th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 105 or Psalm 145, 18th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 78 or Psalm 25, 19th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 19 or Psalm 80, 20th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 106 or Psalm 23, 21st Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 99 or Psalm 96, 22nd Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 90 or Psalm 1, 23rd Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 107 or Psalm 43, 24th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 78 or Psalm 70, 25th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 123 or Psalm 90, 26th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 100 or Psalm 95.
Sources and notes:
“This long psalm begins with the praise of the LORD’s everlasting faithfulness to his covenant with David and ends with a lament of bewildered anguish over the suffering and humiliation the LORD has brought on his anointed. The chosen one has become the rejected one. That reversal is the plot of the psalm and the problem with which it wrestles.” Mays p. 283
“Most of the psalm is devoted to an evocation of those former deeds of loyalty (vv. 1-37). The introduction announces the two related themes, the faithfulness that belongs to the heavenly king (vv. 1-2) and the covenant promise made to David (vv. 3-4). Mays p. 283
Rehab is the chaos dragon. “The myth is used to portray the LORD as the warrior God upon whose victory over his enemies the very existence of the world depends.” Mays p. 284
“The two pairs of attributes that characterize the LORD, righteousness/justice and steadfast love/faithfulness, are represented as aspects of his kingship.” Mays pp. 284-285
“The quoted oracle does not say why the LORD chose David and swore a covenant oath of faithfulness to his kingship. What the oracle does do is depict David’s kingship as a reflection of the LORD’s kingship.” Mays p. 286
“This version of God’s promise to David reckons with the failure of David’s descendants (vv. 30-32, also II Sam. 7:14-15; cf. Ps. 132:11-12). They are subject to the conditional covenant made at Sinai between God and people. The laws of God apply to them. They are subject to judgment and punishment without reservation. But their faithlessness does not cancel the faithfulness of God. They may violate his covenant with God, but God will not violate his covenant with David (vv. 33-35). Mays pp. 286-287
“The psalm turns to the painful present (vv 38-45).” Mays p. 287
“The psalm contains no resolution of the dilemma, save appeal to the faithfulness of God.” Mays p. 288
Tate considers psalms 73 &74 with psalms 88 & 89 as book ends for Book 3 of the Psalms. “Thus at both ends of Book III there is a psalm which deals with the theological distress of an individual followed by a psalm which expresses the distress in terms of the nations. In fact, Book III seems to deal over and over with the bafflement of believers who are struggling with the gap between promise and reality” WBC p. 429
“Both Ps 88 and 89 end without a resolution…. They do not end with domesticated consonance. In the long run, however, their dissonance may be a greater source of strength and comfort. …. Pss 88 and 89 give no “beautiful answers”; rather lament, questions, and pleas. The psalms do, however, presuppose a listening God … who hears both praise and bitter lament, and who always has the capacity to remember–a God who does not forget.” WBC p. 430 Even for Christians who believe Jesus is the Messiah, there is no closure, because Christians are still waiting for the second coming.
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, 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, Joan. (2011). Songs of the heart: reflections on the psalms. John Garratt Publishing.
Cudjoe-Wilkes and Wilkes 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, 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, James Luther. 1994. Psalms. Louisville, KY: John Knox Press.
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, 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, Matthew Richard. 2018. 70 Hebrew Words Every Christian Should Know. Nashville, TN: Abington Press.
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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