May 27, 2023 – Psalm 42

“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng. 

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon —from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life. I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy? ”My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, “Where is your God?” Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” Psalm 42 

“Does it seem to you that there are a whole lot more bad days than good days? When nothing seems to be going right, who do we blame? You’ve heard the questions before. If there is a God, why does He allow bad things to happen to good people? Is that what the Psalmist did here in the 42nd Psalm? We see no blame expressed in this Psalm; instead, the Psalmist yearns for God. Even when his enemies taunt him by asking, “Where is Your God?” the Psalmist still does not complain against God. We see him remembering the days that he went with the multitude to the house of God in joy and praise. Then, he responds by saying, Why are you cast down, O my soul? . . . . Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.” (devotional-reflections-from-the-bible.com; Psalm 42)

We all know that there are some mornings where we seem to come alive as soon as our feet hit the floor — we hit the day saying “Good morning, G-d.” And then, there are those other mornings, those days where we can hardly drag our bodies out of bed — where we can only manage to pry open our eyelids, sit dejectedly on the side of the bed and say, “Good G-d, it’s morning.” 

It is the later of my examples that are in view here — those mornings of dejection and self-pity. The Psalmist comes to us with an answer for each blue mood, each bad day, each time we want to give up: “Hope in G-d;” in other words, wait for G-d. G-d is in control — even when everything around us seems to be telling us different. G-d is working out G-d’s purposes — we just need to hang in and hang on — and to continue to praise G-d for all G-d has blessed us with. 

Prayer: Lord God, never-failing fountain of life, through the saving waters of baptism you called us from the depth of sin to the depths of mercy. Do not forget the trials of our exile, but from the wellspring of the Word satisfy our thirst for you, so that we may come rejoicing to your holy mountain, where you live and reign now and forever. 

Amen. 

May 26, 2023 — Psalm 41 

“Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the LORD delivers them in times of trouble. The LORD protects and preserves them—they are counted among the blessed in the land—he does not give them over to the desire of their foes. The LORD sustains them on their sickbed and restores them from their bed of illness. I said, “Have mercy on me, LORD; 

heal me, for I have sinned against you.” My enemies say of me in malice, “When will he die and his name perish? ” When one of them comes to see me, he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander; then he goes out and spreads it around. All my enemies whisper together against me; they imagine the worst for me, saying, “A vile disease has afflicted him; he will never get up from the place where he lies.” Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me. But may you have mercy on me, LORD; raise me up, that I may repay them. I know that you are pleased with me, for my enemy does not triumph over me. Because of my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever. Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.” Psalm 41 

As I look back on my life I have to admit that the people who have hurt me the most usually have been those whom I considered my closest and most trusted friends. I know my enemies do not want anything good to come of my life — but I do not expect this behavior to come from a friend or Christian “brother” or “sister”. 

While it has been said to “keep your friends close, but your enemies closer”, perhaps there are times when it would be wise to evaluate your friends on a regular basis. It is most important that we enter all friendships and relationships with eyes open knowing that we are part of a broken race, a fallen humanity where we may be hurt by the ones we love and sadly, even cause hurt to those we love. We must live every day trusting the mercy of G-d, and the love of Jesus so we can offer that love, unconditionally. It is when we lose sight of this love, when try to navigate this life on our own, that we get ourselves in real trouble. The life of the Christian is to give love no matter how little we receive back. That is being conformed to the image of Christ. 

Prayer: Lord Jesus, healer of soul and body, you said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” Teach us to come to the aid of the needy in a spirit of love, as we have been received and strengthened by you; and to you be the glory and praise now and forever. 

Amen.