Easter 5
Preaching
Hear My Voice
Preaching The Lectionary Psalms for Cycles A, B, C
(See Christmas 1, Cycle A; Christmas 1, Cycle B; and Christmas 1, Cycle C for alternative approaches.)
The theme of this psalm is the glory of God. The praise is extravagant and unrestrained. The psalmist makes good use of repetitive themes to drive home the central message of the psalm, namely that God is worthy of praise. The psalmist, with great deliberation, leads worshipers through a litany of causes and effects that demonstrate the praiseworthiness of God.
Starting with the lofty places where God resides, the poet moves us from heavenly heights where angelic hosts are called to praise, all the way down to the birds of the air and the creeping life upon the earth.
The psalmist moves the call for praise into the human realm and begins again to move, in descending order, from kings all the way down to the very young and the very old.
The psalmist concludes this sweeping litany of praise with the reminder of a hope. God has given life to (raised up) a "horn for his people." The word "horn" is a symbol of power and leadership. The gospels take up this refrain as we hear Jesus say, "God is glorified in me." Jesus is the horn God has raised to provide life and hope for God's people. He is God's glory and God is glorified in him.
The themes and the movement of this psalm create a unique opportunity to understand something that is intrinsic to the gospel. While moving resolutely to the fulfillment of God's promise to save God's people, the psalm allows us to follow the movement of praise from the heights to the depths. The gospel message, particularly in John's Gospel, does the same thing. Jesus is the one who leaves heaven to embrace the pain of creation. He leaves the heavenly realm, to the praise of the heavenly host, and descends to the earth. There, among God's creatures, Jesus discloses God's plan of redemption. As the heavenly hosts praised Jesus on his descent, so do the lowly creatures of this world -- including us!
In the realm of humankind, the psalm continues to anticipate the movement of the gospel. Starting again at the top of the human order, kings praise the salvation of God. This praise continues all the way down to the lowliest among us: the very young and the very old.
The gospel message heralds this descent away from political power and wealth toward the lowly and the weak. God's "horn" is for all people, but in the real world good things often go to those who have the money to buy them -- or the power to take them. The weak and poor are often left with only leftovers. But this is not the way it will be in God's new economy. There will be praise from every quarter, because there is salvation and hope for every person.
In this, Jesus said, God is glorified.
-- J. E.
The theme of this psalm is the glory of God. The praise is extravagant and unrestrained. The psalmist makes good use of repetitive themes to drive home the central message of the psalm, namely that God is worthy of praise. The psalmist, with great deliberation, leads worshipers through a litany of causes and effects that demonstrate the praiseworthiness of God.
Starting with the lofty places where God resides, the poet moves us from heavenly heights where angelic hosts are called to praise, all the way down to the birds of the air and the creeping life upon the earth.
The psalmist moves the call for praise into the human realm and begins again to move, in descending order, from kings all the way down to the very young and the very old.
The psalmist concludes this sweeping litany of praise with the reminder of a hope. God has given life to (raised up) a "horn for his people." The word "horn" is a symbol of power and leadership. The gospels take up this refrain as we hear Jesus say, "God is glorified in me." Jesus is the horn God has raised to provide life and hope for God's people. He is God's glory and God is glorified in him.
The themes and the movement of this psalm create a unique opportunity to understand something that is intrinsic to the gospel. While moving resolutely to the fulfillment of God's promise to save God's people, the psalm allows us to follow the movement of praise from the heights to the depths. The gospel message, particularly in John's Gospel, does the same thing. Jesus is the one who leaves heaven to embrace the pain of creation. He leaves the heavenly realm, to the praise of the heavenly host, and descends to the earth. There, among God's creatures, Jesus discloses God's plan of redemption. As the heavenly hosts praised Jesus on his descent, so do the lowly creatures of this world -- including us!
In the realm of humankind, the psalm continues to anticipate the movement of the gospel. Starting again at the top of the human order, kings praise the salvation of God. This praise continues all the way down to the lowliest among us: the very young and the very old.
The gospel message heralds this descent away from political power and wealth toward the lowly and the weak. God's "horn" is for all people, but in the real world good things often go to those who have the money to buy them -- or the power to take them. The weak and poor are often left with only leftovers. But this is not the way it will be in God's new economy. There will be praise from every quarter, because there is salvation and hope for every person.
In this, Jesus said, God is glorified.
-- J. E.
