Psalm 93 — August 2

The LORD is king, he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed, he is girded with strength. He has established the world; it shall never be moved; your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting. The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their roaring. More majestic than the thunders of mighty waters, more majestic than the waves of the sea, majestic on high is the LORD! Your decrees are very sure; holiness befits your house, O LORD, forevermore.

The Lord is forevermore — from the beginning of everything to the end of all things, the Lord “Is”.

This understanding of course moves beyond our fullest knowing. How can we fathom what was not — before what was? We cannot — at least I cannot. I think this is why I like G-d’s response to Moses — Moses, who in Exodus 3 has this exchange with God: “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”

You see, G-d is an action — G-d’s name is a verb. G-d is not a thing — nothing we can actually put an image to — though that has not stopped us throughout the millennia. For example, when we hear the Psalmist say the “Lord is King” — well we know what a king sitting on a throne looks like — so that must be what G-d looks like. But that is a reductionist way to see our King.

I like to think of G-d as Spirit — as Creation — as Redemption — and as Sanctifier. Those are words that move, that demonstrate action, that keep G-d alive and active in my world. Yes, G-d is King — and Jesus is Lord. But they are not static and motionless among us. They are moving and acting in our world today — like the waters of a flood, they cannot be stopped.

Let us pray:

Lord Jesus, triumphant Victor and glorious King, continue to spread Your kingdom on earth, converting the nations from the power of darkness unto Your light. Preserve Your Gospel in its truth and purity to us and to our children in all generations. Grant us to worship You in righteousness and true holiness all our days, and finally receive us into those glorious mansions that You have prepared in the house of Your Father.

Amen.

Psalm 92 — August 1

It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre. For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy. How great are your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep! The dullard cannot know, the stupid cannot understand this: though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever, but you, O LORD, are on high forever. For your enemies, O LORD, for your enemies shall perish; all evildoers shall be scattered. But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; you have poured over me fresh oil. My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies; my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants. The righteous flourish like the palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God. In old age they still produce fruit; they are always green and full of sap, showing that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him. It is good to give thanks to the Lord. Always. It is also hard to give thanks to the Lord, always. It is hard on good days, and it is hard on bad days.

We have had a lot of bad days lately. We look around the world and wonder what G-d might be doing: is G-d punishing us, teaching us a lesson, or just playing around?

Like the Psalmist says, the thoughts of the Lord are too deep for our understanding. Job finds out this reality when he complains to G-d. Moses finds out this reality when he balks at his calling to save the people from the Egyptians. Peter finds out this reality when he denies Jesus — and yet still receives forgiveness. Of course, we see Moses and Peter and Job as the best of the best — so what about you and me? Will we also receive forgiveness even on our worst days?

Here the Psalmist talks about righteous people — and the word Righteous means “very, very good”. Only G-d is truly righteous. But people receive righteousness when we love and serve the Lord — when we love the Lord and want to obey him. Those who love the Lord will not be as grass and weeds that do not live long — that whither in the heat of the day. Instead, the righteous will be like trees — palm trees that produce fruit and as the cedar tree which lives for centuries.

Even on our worst days, the Lord is still present — acting in ways we cannot see — present in the places we least expect.

Let us pray:

Oh, that I had a thousand voices — To praise my God with a thousand tongues! — My heart, which in the Lord rejoices, Then would proclaim in grateful songs. To all, wherever I might be — What great things God has done for me.

Amen. (LSB 811:1)