It might take a lifetime, but justice will be done

This will be the last Reflection for the month of June. I will be away for a while. Reflections will resume on Tuesday, July 5.

Psalm 37, final reflection

The rest of the psalm is a reflection on good and evil, reassuring God’s children that evil will not triumph. The terms of this reflection are set in the first two verses:

Do not fret because of the wicked;

do not envy those who do evil:

for they wither quickly like grass

and fade like the green of the fields. (vv. 1-2)

Sometimes we have to wait quite a bit before things are set right. Sometimes it takes more than a lifetime. Consider that the Hebrews were slaves in Egypt for over 400 years before their cry for redemption was heard. So what is called for is patience rooted in faith in the long term.

Here are a couple of verses which speak to our main theme, which is “how God cares for us.”

He protects the lives of the upright,

their heritage will last for ever. (v. 18)

The Lord guides the steps of a man

and makes safe the path of one he loves.

Though he stumble he shall never fall

for the Lord holds him by the hand. (vv. 23-24)

Then turn away from evil and do good

and you shall have a home for ever;

for the Lord loves justice

and will never forsake his friends. (vv. 27-28)

The salvation of the just comes from the Lord,

their stronghold in time of distress.

The Lord helps them and delivers them

and saves them: for their refuge is in him. (vv. 39-40)

In closing, I would just like to point out that some of these promises might only be realized on the other side of the grave. Jesus was tortured and died before his vindication came forth. But my experience has been that these promises come true in my lifetime. I pray the same is for you.

God bless you.

What do we truly desire?

Psalm 37, third reflection

“he will give you your heart’s desire” or “he will give you the desires of your heart” (v. 4b)

Referring back to yesterday, the first part of this verse is “commit your life to the Lord.”

It is true that when we commit our lives to the Lord, He showers us with blessings. (Mark 10:30 says that we receive persecutions besides, and all we have to do is consider the lot of the Christians in the Middle East to see how true that is.) But I would like to reflect a bit more on this notion that He will give us “the desires of our hearts.”

Do we even know that those true desires are? I don’t think we always know for sure, and I know from experience that it takes a lot of self-scrutiny and silence and meditation and prayer for us even to get close to the “heart” of things. This side of the grave, we poor creatures live in an almost constant state of delusion, as if a veil is over our eyes and we see dimly if at all. Consider your own history: how many times have you discovered that what you held to be right and true and good for you turns out to be false in the light of present knowledge and experience.

A very recent example: Earlier this week I was praying for some particular favor. I didn’t receive what I was praying for. After discussing it with a couple of friends, I came to realize that I was deluded in even asking in the first place. “What was I thinking of?” I ask myself now. I am far better off not having what I asked for. At the time I asked, I was convinced it would be a good thing. In retrospect, I can see how I was mistaken—deluded, if you will. In refusing my prayer, God, in His wonderful way, had my back. He was looking out for what was best for me. And now I realize that He has given me the true desire of my heart, which is to live with a measure of peace that the request wouldn’t have given me—in fact, it risked bring turmoil into my life.

All this, and it was just a little thing, or so I thought when I asked. Can you relate to this?

The Hebrew word for heart is not referring to an organ in the chest. It refers to the very inner essence of a person, the seat of the self—the true self, not the false self that we so often live out of. And that is why it takes time and patience and grace and struggle to grasp.

One thing I do know: when we commit our lives to the Lord, our lives begin to change, to become transformed into something we never could have imagined before we turned to the Lord. And what we discover as we live through this process of constant transformation is that things are what we actually desired all along.

The French mystic Jean-Pierre de Caussade, in his classic work Self-abandonment to Divine Providence, says that God doesn’t mind disappointing us. We want to sail in one direction and he changes the winds to come from the other direction. But in the end, he brings us “safely to port.” If we had gotten to where we think we wanted to go, we would have suffered ship-wreck. (By the way, this is a book that I highly recommend you read, or reread every couple of years, particularly when things aren’t going the way you thought you wanted.)

God bless you.

The need to "savor"

Psalm 37, 2^nd reflection.

“If you find your delight in the Lord,

he will grant your heart’s desire.”  v.4

Not only does this verse offer a great promise; it also issues a challenge. Do you (or us) take delight in the Lord? The Hebrew word here doesn’t imply “joy,” but rather a certain delicateness, daintiness even, in the things of God. Might I suggest that it has something to do with our ability to savor what is sacred and therefore precious (assuming that we do savor these things).

Our Abbey Church, which also serves at the chapel for our college, is spectacularly beautiful and awe-inspiring. I remember the first time I walked into the church—it took my breath away. This particular house of God speaks to me of love, craftsmanship (some of which is no longer available in the world), simple elegance. Stand in silence and contemplate it for a while and it is possible to get in touch with the extraordinary care that was put into its construction. There isn’t a single corner or hidden space where things were allowed to get sloppy. Even the stairwells exhibit the same care and painstaking craftsmanship that is in evidence in any of the more public parts of the building. All of this gives glory to God and tries to present to Him the very best that the builders had to offer.

It saddens me, day after day, when tours are given of the church by the Department of Admission to prospective students for the college. Tour guides walk into the church with their charges and immediately begin speaking. They give them no time at all to simply stand and let the church speak to them, or to savor the beauty that is all around them. And I’ve noticed over the years that very few people in the groups seem to be moved by what is around them. As for the tour guides, well, for many of them this is just another building that is being taken for granted. They might as well be walking into the cafeteria or the coffee shop, or the bookstore or the ice arena. (Hold that thought! The ice arena might possibly arouse more awe than the church).

Last year I wrote a reflection about a man who had come to savor the things of God in a special way. I think he is the type person this psalm verse is speaking about. I’ll copy the whole reflection for you here. I entitled it “the gift of capacity.”

God bless you.

from June 18, 2015:

The gift of capacity

He settled into his pew. The wood was old and creaky and actually felt softened by use. Nestled is a good word to describe the feeling. No one was within touching distance. Ah, it is so good worshipping in huge old cathedrals where this sort of “privacy” is possible. “Just you and me,” he said to the Deity. Suddenly, the organ chimes began tolling the melody to a favorite old hymn of his, a bit out-of-season but nonetheless very, very welcome--and appropriate: “Come Holy Ghost, Creator blest and in our hearts take up Thy rest.”

This was indeed a time of rest and refreshment. He thanked God for having given him the capacity to savor so many things: an ancient melody, the sound of the carillon, the text of an old prayer, the blessed time of private solitude, the beauty of an old church. He thanked God that his heart was so disposed that the meaning of those words brought him a very real sense of Presence, and peace, and giftedness.

What do you savor? How great is your capacity, the capacity to savor simple things which lift the heart and spirit beyond the limits imposed by daily existence? Would you like more? It wouldn’t hurt to ask, you know.

God's action in YOUR life

From time to time, we have been studying the psalms to gain a greater appreciation of how God loves us and cares for us. Today’s focus is on Psalm 37, which is one of my favorites.

I remember the time in my life when I was just beginning to think about religious life or priesthood. As I began thinking that way, I had to do battle with all sorts of discouraging thoughts—about my unworthiness, about all the obstacles that had to be overcome, about what would I do about my career, my home, and so on. One day when I was in New York I entered St. Bartholomew’s Church in Park Avenue and sat down to pray. I opened my bible and my eyes fell upon the words of Psalm 37 and it seemed like the Lord was speaking directly to me and cutting through all the fog of worries and concerns that preoccupied me so much. Here is what I read:

If you trust in the Lord and do good,

then you will live in the land and be secure.

If you find your delight in the Lord,

he will grant your heart’s desire.

Commit your life to the Lord,

trust in him and he will act.  (!!!!!) (Psalm 37, vv 3-5)

The message was so clear, especially the last verse. It kept going through my mind: He will act!

I didn’t know how, I didn’t know when, I didn’t know anything other than the promise of this verse. And do you know what? It all came true, sometimes in ways now consider to be miraculous.

I’ll leave you with that today. Memorize these verses. It’s good to have them close to your heart.

There is a lot more to be discovered in this psalm. We’ll save that for another time.

God bless you!

The Wisdom to Know the Difference

“Detachment is often misunderstood as passivity or indifference, but true detachment means that we must be willing to act if necessary or to draw back if that is better.” Philip St. Romain, Reflecting on the Serenity Prayer, p. 31.

He speaks of detachment in terms of the last phrase of the Serenity Prayer: God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

It takes time, patience and self-discipline to reach the stage of wisdom that is spoken about here. Detachment is an excellent way of describing the work that has to be done for us to find true peace and serenity. Detachment means that we recognize what comes from our desires, our selfishness, our lusts, our preferences, our preferences, et al., and that we are willing and able to set these things aside as we try to make a true assessment of any issue that we have to face.

As long as we are attached, we cannot discern what is right to do or to avoid. Sometimes we have to wait until the desire to control or manipulate something in order to achieve our own goals has been quieted down. It might still be there to some extent, but we have to be willing and able simply to set these thing aside as we seek what is God’s will in any given circumstance, and with any particular issue, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. In fact, it may very well be that we first have to work on the little things before we can move on to the more important or powerful issues in our lives.

The ability to do this is rightly known as wisdom, which the Biblical tradition teaches can be an infused gift from God, or a reward for a certain disposition we have worked to achieve. It is possible to grow in wisdom, and this is something that we should continually pray for. The Serenity Prayer is a particularly helpful tool for our prayer.

I’ll conclude by quoting from the Book of Wisdom and pray that the passage will serve to educate and hopefully to aspire to what it describes:

Resplendent and unfading is Wisdom, and she is readily perceived by those who love her. (*note that Wisdom is personified as a woman in the Biblical literature.)

She hastens to make herself known in anticipation of men’s desire;

he who watches for her at dawn shall not be disappointed, for he shall find her sitting by his gate.

For taking thought of her is the perfection of prudence, and he who fro her sake keeps vigil shall quickly be free from care;

Because she makes her own rounds, seeking those worthy of her, and graciously appears to them in the ways and meets them with solicitude. (Wisdom 6:12-16)

God bless you!

Changing the way you think

“This is one of the greatest powers given to human beings—the freedom to choose the way we think about the events and situations of our lives.” Philip St. Romain, Reflecting on the Serenity Prayer, p. 18.

He’s not talking here about changing the events and situations in our lives. Many people live with events and situations that simply cannot be changed—a particular illness, perhaps, or a troubled marriage, or a disability. Other things can be changed—an unjust situation, a bad job, or the overwhelming power of a particular addiction (even though there are times when it seems impossible to get free).

Nonetheless, what I want to reflect on today is not the power to make changes in what is outside of ourselves, but rather on the power we all have, a power which has been given to us by God, to change our way of thinking. And once this is transformed, it might very well be that we discover we have the power to transform the circumstances which have trouble us perhaps for a lifetime.

Why do I say this power is innate? Well, as rigid as our minds may be a times, especially regarding parts of our lives that cause us pain, we still, with God’s help, are able to adjust or renew the way we have been thinking perhaps for a lifetime. St. Paul encourages us to do so: “. . . you must lay aside your former way of life and the old self which deteriorates through illusion and desire, and acquire a fresh, spiritual way of thinking.”

I find the word illusion to be the most powerful in this passage. It seems to say that the way we are thinking now; that is, before conversion of our minds, is nothing but an illusion. The thoughts that habitually run round and round in our minds, making us miserable, bitter and unhappy, are not real. Just because we think something is so, does not mean that it truly is so. Saint Paul is inviting us to be open to receiving a way of thinking that frees us from a kind of self-afflicted misery.

Let me see if I can give you an example from personal experience. For years, I have been oppressed by judgmental thoughts about a certain confrère. I began praying for him, and one day I found myself thinking about him in a different way, a way more sensitive to the particular kind of pain that weighs on him. As a result of this, I stopped judging and began thinking more compassionately. Eventually, it had an effect on the way I would interact with him, especially during times when the “thorns of contention” (a phrase used by St. Benedict) would spring up.

He didn’t change his behavior; I changed the way I thought about his behavior. And that has made all the difference.

God bless you!

Unconditional love

God’s love for us is unconditional. It does not depend on anything we do, make, achieve, achieve. All of these things happen because they are gifts of God’s love for us. But they are temporary. They can change, evolve, weaken, dissolve or even disappear over the course of our lives. Nonetheless, God’s love for us is unchangeable. No matter what changes take place in our lives, God is still there loving us with an love that is greater than anything we can fathom. We cannot wrap our minds around the height, breadth, length or size of God’s love.

And as long as we keep this reality of God’s love before us, especially in prayer, we can also rest in a happiness which does not depend on the circumstances of our lives. Often people who live in the most dire of circumstances have a gentleness and peace about them which it unattainable for those who are obsessed with climbing the ladder of success. “What happens,” it has been asked, “when you find out that the ladder you were climbing was up against the wrong wall?”

Many parents love unconditionally, but it is also true that many parents are not able to do so, and love conditionally. What happens in such a situation is that a child learns right from the beginning that it is necessary to earn love by conforming to another’s set of requirements and standards, and this misunderstanding exerts its power over one’s life in every aspect of life. This is something that has to be healed in so many these days.

Just remember that God’s love does not have to be earned. It is there. It is available to us at all times, even when we fail bitterly, even when we are lost in sin, even when we have made a total mess of our lives. It is precisely in this that God proves his love for us: that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom 5:8)

In your prayer, rest in that love. When things go wrong, rest in that love. When you fail, rest in that love. When calamity befalls you, rest in that love. And look around you for signs of that love. There are so many. This morning I spent some time admiring a birch tree which stands tall in our cloister garden. It spoke to me of God’s love for me, God who placed that tree in my world so that I could admire it.

Look for God’s love that already exists in your life.

God bless you.

the secret to serenity

Another quote from the booklet Reflecting on the Serenity Prayer by Philip St. Romaine:

“We can lose serenity . . . by neglecting to nurture our faith. During such times, we are thrown back upon our own resources. Anxious preoccupation returns along with the willful desire to manipulate the world and other people to conform to our own deluded model of happiness.”

We live in a perpetual tug-of-war between the states of serenity or spiritual happiness on one hand and the anxiety and preoccupation that exists when we think we are the authors of our own happiness.

Someone might object: “I have created a life of happiness for myself,” but how long will it last? And what small thing or big thing might occur to change the circumstances that such worldly happiness depends on?

Examine your own life and see whether or not these observations are true. How often have you perhaps created your own happiness only to see it dissolve or be wiped away suddenly and unexpectedly? Does your happiness depend on freedom from care or anxiety? Does it depend on a certain relationship, or measure of success? I particularly like St.Romaine’s mention of the willful desire to manipulate the world and other people. How has that project gone for you? Is it working?

Of course not. And if you are able to understand this right now, then you are already someone who has had the experience of existential serenity, or even have it regularly and consistently.

“My shepherd will supply my need,” the old hymn goes. God is providing you with everything you truly need, not necessarily with anything you think you want. And what it takes to “switch modes” between worldly and spiritual serenity is simply the thought that you are a child of a benevolent God who is working out your greatest needs through the circumstances of your life. (And, of course, when the going gets rough, we sometimes think He is doing so in spite of the circumstances of our lives.)

In the Gospel for today’s Mass (Thursday of 11^th week in Ordinary Time), Jesus reminds us that ”your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” (Matthew 6:8) And we must never forget that a great deal of time, we often don’t know what we truly need since we cannot see the bigger picture or trace the trajectory of our lives.

Never forget what St. Paul promises: All things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

I was inspired this morning by reading a bit of the biography of a little-known saint, a 13^th century mystic: “In the last eleven years of her life she became completely blind, an affliction she accepted as an occasion for greater detachment from the visible world. When she felt herself close to death she received a vision of the Lord, advising her to praise God for the graces she had received, to pray for the conversion of sinners, and to rely on God alone.” (emphasis mine).  (.This was found in Give Us this Day, June edition, p. 166.)

God bless you

Peace in times of trial and turmoil

Continued notes and reflections from the booklet Reflecting on the Serenity Prayer by Philip St. Romaine.

“Spiritual peace . . . is not the absence of problems.”

The worldly peace we are so conditioned to cling to quickly disappears when problems arise on the surface and we begin to think, “I’ll be at peace as soon as this particular problem is settled.” It is short-lived and can quickly be taken away from us by persons, circumstances and inner moods and dispositions. We seek peace where there is no lasting peace.

Before being spiritually enlightened, a man thinks he may attain peace through his own efforts: peace when he is successful, peace when he attains a certain stature in the eyes of others, peace through power and security. But we only have to take a look at the world around us to see that none of these things lead a man to peace. Spiritual peace is another thing altogether. It is a gift from the Lord, and is not something that we can logically explain or analyze. “Peace I give you, my peace I leave with you.” says the Lord. “Not as the world gives peace do I give it.” (John 14:27)  The Letter to the Philippians speaks of the peace of God which surpasses all human understanding (4:7) James doesn’t explicitly speak of peace, but he does speak of difficulties and calamities and trials that occur in live and tells us to suffer them with joy: My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4)

What James has to say gives us at least a bit of understanding of what spiritual peace is. I would put it this way: “Yes, I am suffering through this particular trial, but God’s peace is with me and is not disturbed, because in His wisdom I know that good will come about as a result of what is happening right now in my life. In this predicament I am being watched after, and will get through it, and will benefit from it in a way which I can’t possibly understand right now.” That would be a statement of a person who is in touch with spiritual peace, and I can tell you it is true because I can attest to its truth by telling you that it has occurred in my own experience, and more than once.

If you would like to grasp more of this type of peace, I recommend that you read Transitions: making sense of life’s changes; strategies for coping with the difficult, painful and confusing times in your life by William Bridges. Bridges is in touch with the type of peace we’re discussing here.

How do we gain this type of peace? Through being completely open to God’s action in our lives, by nurturing a faith which is undergirded with a trust that God is, at all times, working things out for our good. All shall be well was the message that Julian of Norwich received in a vision, and that phrase is a gift to us to be used especially during those times when all does not seem to be well. Never forget that there is a different dimension of reality that operates beyond the day-to-day struggles of life. Therein you can find your peace.

God bless you!

Spiritual Serenity

Coming back to the monastery after time away is like slipping into a pair of comfortable shoes. The rhythm of the life, which connects us to a regular prayer regimen, helps us to “switch modes” gently but quickly, and settle into the life anew with renewed vigor.

I find it difficult—no, impossible, to maintain my connection with God when I’m away for a length of time. There are so many distractions in the “outside world,” and I generally fall prey to them. I came away from vacation with a new respect for you who are working at your spiritual growth and well-being in a world filled with “stuff,” all stuff that makes it so easy to lose your connection with God, even for a time. I pray that you have established some sort of anchor to hold your day together, and to give you the peace which you long for—not the peace of the world, but rather the peace of the spirit.

As I return from vacation I decided I would like to do some simple reading, and I have settled on a little booklet called Reflecting on the Serenity Prayer by Philip St. Romain (Ligouri Press) for my lectio for now. The book is simple, but also profound, and I found something right in the beginning chapter to share with you about spiritual peace.

Spiritual peace is the experiential realization that, amidst the pain and brokenness of our lives, all is well. Our lives are unfolding as they should if we are seeking to walk in union with God. Spiritual peace is the experience of our connection with God whose reign already exists in heaven, even though it has not yet been fully established on earth. Serenity is a taste of heaven on earth: through it, we experience the Spirit of God dwelling in our hearts, giving us the energy to stand on our own two feet and break free from the need to succeed, to impress, to gain power, or to have security.

Such peace is the foundation of true love and joy, enabling us to give of ourselves with no thought other than the joy of seeing another grow.  (p. 4)

The next few reflections will be based on this quotation (God willing).

God bless you!

"Love to the loveless shown"

Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

June 3, 2016

Note: I will be on vacation starting this weekend. The next daily reflection will be posted on Monday, June 13.

This is a feast of great depth. There are several things to contemplate:

·         The depth of Jesus’ love, which is far wider and deeper than any of us can imagine. “  “Your love, Lord, reaches to heaven, your truth to the skies.” Psalm 36:5, which we just considered yesterday. Can you imagine a love which reaches that far? His love goes even farther than that. And, of course, He demonstrated that love through His Passion and Cross.

·         The depth of Jesus’ mercy, which again goes deeper than we can imagine, and reaches out to the greatest sinners of all time. If it didn’t, well then, we could put a limit on the depth of Jesus’ mercy. Consider your own situation: can you realize in the depth of your heart, that Jesus’ extends his mercy to you in every aspect and facet of your life, and will continue to do so throughout your life?

·         The depth of Jesus’ pain. Pain not only of body, but also of heart since He experienced His friends betraying Him, abandoning Him, hiding from Him, misunderstanding Him, hearing even those He had healed crying out with the crowd, “Crucify Him!” His pain is so great that we can reach to Him in any pain we have ever suffered or ever will suffer, and we will find in Him a companion in suffering, and in some way that is practically impossible to understand, His pain transforms our pain and gives it meaning.

·         Finally, the depth of the wounds in Jesus’ heart. Unite your woundedness to His; perhaps He will heal you, and even if He doesn’t heal your wounds, as Fr. Anselm Gruen has written, He will transform your woundedness into a gift which you will be able to bestow on others.

Sometime this past year, I wrote a reflection on the hymn verse, “love to the loveless shown that they might lovely be.” Consider that over these days. Pray that you, too, may have an occasion to show that love to another, and in Christ, you will become a force for transformation in a world which needs it so badly.

God bless you!

Your choice: ignorance or understanding?

Our Psalm study today brings us to Psalm 36, a psalm of contrast.

The first part of the psalm speaks about the godless, or one who has known God but then has chosen to turn his back on Him.

“Sin speaks to the sinner in the depths of his heart. There is no fear of God before his eyes . . .  To such a one, says the psalmist, all wisdom is gone. (1,4)

There is one line in this part of the psalm that we do well to pay attention to: He so flatters himself in his mind that he knows not his guilt. (v 3). I single out this verse because it speaks of something I know I have done in the past, and perhaps you as well. As we grow closer to God, our consciences become more refined and we begin to assess things more carefully before acting or thinking a certain way. At the same time, as our consciences grow stronger, we sometimes can look aghast at things we have said, thought or done in the past: this should move us quickly to the Jesus Prayer (Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner), and let we become despondent on our guilt, we need remember the verse from psalm 103:12 (As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our sins) and also perhaps pray from Psalm 25: Do not remember the sins of my youth; in your love, remember me.)

The second part of the psalm is mainly a psalm of praise, exalting the Lord for His wonderful care. All of this is something which is unknown to the one who chose to tread the path of evil and sin.

Your love, Lord, reaches to heaven; your truth to the skies. (v6)  This love is unfathomable. Allow your thinking to blast far beyond any boundaries you may have set when thinking of God’s love. A bit father on, the psalmist exclaims, O Lord, how precious is your love! (v. 7d). (The Hebrew word for “precious” is the same word used to describe stones, jewels and gems.)

In this precious loving God we can take refuge: My God, the sons of men find refuge in the shadow of your wings. (Other translations use the word shelter.)

This God provides us with rich food and delightful drink (a type of the Eucharist?). God is the source of life (v. 10a), and it is in your light we see light. (v. 10b). Note here how the sinner in the beginning of the psalm is living in an ever-growing darkness, not light.

God is also a God of justice, and that justice is an aspect of His love: Keep on loving those who know you, doing justice for upright hearts. (v. 11)

The psalm concludes with a plea to be protected from the wicked, and also predicts their downfall: Flung down, they shall never arise. (v. 13)  This verse is especially helpful when we find ourselves the victim of some form of evil weighing in on us in our present situation.

I would sum up the contrast in this psalm in these ways:

                abandonment | protection

                darkness | light

                evil | justice

                ignorance | understanding.

Perhaps you can up with some contrasts of your own.

God bless you!

Plea for help in a crisis

Today we return to our study of the Psalms, seeking out the ways they express how God cares for us. Today we look at Psalm 35, which is mainly a Psalm of Lamentation.

Most of this psalm expresses the frustration and fear of a man who is being pursued by foes. Foes in battle, perhaps, and the battlefield may be a court-room or the court of public opinion. His foes accuse him, seek his life, plot evil against him, dig a pit for him to fall into, set a net to capture him, falsely accuse him, gather and mock him in his distress, tear him to pieces, act like raging beasts or even lions, and make deceitful plots against him.

Whom does all this cause you to think about? Yourself in difficult straights, perhaps? How about Jesus Christ, whose own suffering and death are expressed in these troubled verses.

The psalmist seeks vengeance and victory, and wants to see his foes crushed, scattered and vanquished. Do we sometimes seek the same thing? Here is one way the psalmist doesn’t speak the words of Jesus Christ, because rather than condemning His enemies, Jesus prays for them---and that is what He tells us to do as well! Nonetheless, can it perhaps be true that we ourselves have experienced an inner craving for vengeance and retribution against those who hurt us?

All of this is natural and very human, and when I pray this psalm I pray particularly for those who are living the same horror depicted in this psalm, that they may know the saving hope of the Lord.

And the Lord does come to save, and comes to set things right. And so, embedded in this psalm are cries to the Lord which express hope in him. My whole being will say: ‘Lord, who is like you who rescue the weak from the strong and the poor from the oppressor?’ (v. 10)

Even in the midst of his unfortunate circumstances, the psalmist occasionally takes a break from lamentation and reflects on what God has done for him in the past and what he hopes God will continue to do in these unfortunate circumstances. But my soul shall be joyful in the Lord and rejoice in his salvation. (v. 9)

At times it seems to him that God is standing afar off (v.22) and wishes that God would act sooner than He plans to do (do we ever feel that way?). How long will you look on? (v.17) This cry of “how long” is found in a number of psalms of lamentation. We want to cry out: “Come, Lord, fix this! Come quickly! Don’t delay!” And yet, for His own unfathomable reasons, He holds back until the time is right in his eyes.

The Psalm concludes with one last request which is expressed almost as a bribe. (Yes, the psalmist isn’t beneath bribing God---and again, we have to consider whether or not we do the same!)

Let there be joy for those who love my cause.

Let them say without end:

‘Great is the Lord who delights

in the peace of his servant.”

Then my tongue shall speak of your justice,

all day long of your praise.  (v. 27-28)

God bless you!