In your strength I rejoice, O my Beloved,
and in your Presence my heart finds rest!
You heed the heart’s desire, answering the cry of the soul,
and You bestow blessing upon blessing;
Your Love is as a crown of fine gold upon my head.
I asked for life; and life you did provide, eternal life comes through your Love.
All glory be yours, O Loving Presence, splendor and majesty are your raiment.
Yes, your blessings are forever; You delight me with the joy of your Presence.
Forever I will put my trust in You; and as I abandon myself to You in love,
I am assured of peace.
You root out my fears; standing firm beside me as I face the shadows within.
Like a blazing sun your light shines.
My fears flee from your sight; your fire consumes them.
Generations to come will sing to your glory
in gratitude and joy for creation’s bountiful gifts of life.
For You put fears to flight, that love and justice might reign.
All praise be yours, O Wondrous One!
Forever will I be grateful and give witness to your peace and love that free us.
Nan C. Merrill Psalms for Praying
Reflection:
Psalms about the king are clear that the human king is always subordinate to the divine king. God is the one who hears prayers and blesses the king. The hope is that a king would ask for blessings that would directly impact his service to the people. For example, Solomon asked for wisdom to govern well. The king is to trust in God’s loving-kindness as he leads his people.
It can sometimes be easy to swap out king for elected leader and hope that our officials are people who trust in loving-kindness and are practicing their faith in a way that supports the people they serve.
This psalm can remind each of us, that our prayers are not wish lists for God to fulfill our selfish desires, but that our prayers should be that we follow God’s desire that we treat each other with loving-kindness.
May God transform all our hearts so that we may love each other well.
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
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 posted Psalm 119 and began work on missed psalms from Year D and others not in the lectionary. 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 D Psalms that I haven’t come across in the other lectionary years, yet:
18, 144, 44, 110, 73, 75, 76, 28, 12, 61, 11, 88, 108, 64, 60, 10, 120
These are the psalms I haven’t found in any lectionary, yet:
5, 21, 53, 64, 81, 131, 134, 135
Sources and notes:
“The psalm may have been composed for recital in the ceremonies of enthronement (see v. 3) or for rituals celebrating and renewing the reign of a king. As in the other psalms for the king, the theological purpose of Psalm 21 is to subordinate the human king to the divine king. Everything the king is, has, and does comes from God. The royal person is cause and reason for praise , trust, and hope in God. Mays p. 104
“The summary terms for the benefits bestowed on the king are blessings (vv. 3, 6) and saving help (vv. 1-5). Blessing is the life-enhancing effect of the LORD’s presence and favor. Saving help is the deliverance from enemies. The specific benefits listed here are the crown, a full complete life, and the glorious majesty that belongs to a ruler whose God is with him when his enemies threaten. It is interesting to reflect on this list in the light of the story of Solomon in I Kings 3:3-15. When Solomon was give the right of petition, he passed over long life, riches, honor, and power over enemies to choose an understanding mind to govern, the ability to discern between good and evil. The story sets the higher value on a gift that was directly a service to God and the people (see Psalms 72 and 101).” Mays p. 105
“Verse 7 teaches that the king’s relation to the Most High is based on trust in the divine loving-kindness (hesed). It is through trust that the king prays for and acts in the strength of the LORD. He must rely on the LORD to stand by his choice of and promises to the king.” Mays p. 105
“In the post monarchial period, faithful Israelites would have found in this psalm, read as Scripture, instruction that blessing and salvation come through the prayer of those who trust in the loving-kindness of the LORD.” Mays p. 105
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, 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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