Advent 2
Preaching
Hear My Voice
Preaching The Lectionary Psalms for Cycles A, B, C
(See Proper 12/Pentecost 10/Ordinary Time 17, Cycle C, for an alternative approach.)
This psalm is a communal prayer for help. After acknowledging the great help of the Lord to their ancestors (v. 1), these psalm-singers plead with God to do the same again (v. 4). Though the circumstances are not named, many scholars believe this psalm refers to impending return from exile, looking forward to the intervention of God in history. The themes of the psalm are like those of Second Isaiah -- "his salvation at hand," "that his glory may dwell in the land." Thus the themes are also those of Advent. In fact, though not quoted in the New Testament, verse 13 brings to mind John the Baptist, the herald of Christ. In this setting, however, righteousness is the herald of God.
Note especially verses 10-11, with the poetic naming of characteristics of the day when the Lord will return. The situation of Israel as this psalm was written was far from ideal, and it was not characterized by steadfast love, faithfulness, righteousness, and peace. Together those things are the ideal conditions for human life together, but they are never fully present this side of the Lord's coming. Perhaps, to speak of them poetically (and with hope) is the only viable option for those who do not wish to surrender to despair. So the psalmist waxes poetic: "Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other."
Two weeks after 9/11, Terri Gross of National Public Radio's Fresh Air interviewed the new U.S. poet laureate Billy Collins. She asked him if the terrorist attacks affected how he saw his role as poet laureate. Collins replied, in the days following the attack:
There was a kind of surge of poetry activity, and it seemed there was a kind of need for poetry -- and people turning to me as the laureate for reactions to this ... I found it interesting that in a time of national crisis, that we don't turn to the novel. We don't say, well we should all go out and see a movie that would kind of make us feel better. We turn to poetry....
He added that the attacks tore a hole in the nation and that normal language cannot fill it. But poetry is the best effort for this, he said, adding that one of poetry's "oldest functions is to give a place for grief to go, a place to ritualize grief and make it possible to express in some coherent way feelings that seem to resist expression" (from Fresh Air, broadcast September 26, 2001).
Maybe it will be useful to acknowledge the poetic nature of the psalms, and this psalm particularly -- and then to ask, how can the poetry of the scripture fill the holes in our hearts?
-- S. P.
This psalm is a communal prayer for help. After acknowledging the great help of the Lord to their ancestors (v. 1), these psalm-singers plead with God to do the same again (v. 4). Though the circumstances are not named, many scholars believe this psalm refers to impending return from exile, looking forward to the intervention of God in history. The themes of the psalm are like those of Second Isaiah -- "his salvation at hand," "that his glory may dwell in the land." Thus the themes are also those of Advent. In fact, though not quoted in the New Testament, verse 13 brings to mind John the Baptist, the herald of Christ. In this setting, however, righteousness is the herald of God.
Note especially verses 10-11, with the poetic naming of characteristics of the day when the Lord will return. The situation of Israel as this psalm was written was far from ideal, and it was not characterized by steadfast love, faithfulness, righteousness, and peace. Together those things are the ideal conditions for human life together, but they are never fully present this side of the Lord's coming. Perhaps, to speak of them poetically (and with hope) is the only viable option for those who do not wish to surrender to despair. So the psalmist waxes poetic: "Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other."
Two weeks after 9/11, Terri Gross of National Public Radio's Fresh Air interviewed the new U.S. poet laureate Billy Collins. She asked him if the terrorist attacks affected how he saw his role as poet laureate. Collins replied, in the days following the attack:
There was a kind of surge of poetry activity, and it seemed there was a kind of need for poetry -- and people turning to me as the laureate for reactions to this ... I found it interesting that in a time of national crisis, that we don't turn to the novel. We don't say, well we should all go out and see a movie that would kind of make us feel better. We turn to poetry....
He added that the attacks tore a hole in the nation and that normal language cannot fill it. But poetry is the best effort for this, he said, adding that one of poetry's "oldest functions is to give a place for grief to go, a place to ritualize grief and make it possible to express in some coherent way feelings that seem to resist expression" (from Fresh Air, broadcast September 26, 2001).
Maybe it will be useful to acknowledge the poetic nature of the psalms, and this psalm particularly -- and then to ask, how can the poetry of the scripture fill the holes in our hearts?
-- S. P.
