Psalm 4

Easter 3 - Year B


A psalm with some obscurity and choices of translation. How like life.

At the end of the day, at the end of some event's period of action, we need to sort out what was meaningful from what was not. Where did we chase after illusion? where did we trust, even if fearfully or tremblingly, and follow G*D's heartbeat with our own?
Did we find our pursuit of happiness depended upon others serving us or a particular amount of the world's resources being deposited in our account? Do we find ourselves still hungry for more? Have we settled for culture's economic consumption definition of meaning?

In Peterson's words, "Why is everyone hungry for more? 'More, more,' they say, 'more, more.' // I have G*D's more-than-enough, more joy in one ordinary day than they get in all their shopping sprees. // At day's end I'm ready for sound sleep, for you, G*D, have put my life back together."

Having sorted it through - learned what needed learning - now content of mind - we lie down praying our souls be kept - in peace we sleep - and arise to more fully live.
Thanks be to G*D for life and maturing and satisfied minds.

http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2003/may2003.html

 


 

In many ways poetry is the common language of all people. Yes, it is difficult to translate, but there is a feel that comes with cadence that moves beyond the content.

Here is a connection between the Psalms and Black Elk's Prayer found at [MISSING URL]

Psalms Relating to Black Elk's Opening Prayer

Psalm 4

4:1 Answer me when I call, O God of my right!
You gave me room when I was in distress.
Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer.  
4:3 But know that the Lord has set apart the faithful for himself;
the Lord hears when I call to him.   

Psalm 24

24:1-2 The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it,
the world, and those who live in it;
for He has founded it on the seas,
and established it on the rivers.   

Psalm 25

25:4-5 Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all day long.   

Psalm 86

86:1-7 Incline you ear, O Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
Preserve my life, for I am devoted to you;
save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my god;
be gracious to me, O Lord,
for to you do I cry all day long.
Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in steadfast love to all who call on you.
Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
listen to my cry of supplication.
In the day of my trouble I call on you,
for you will answer me.   

Psalm 136

136:1-9 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
O give thinks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
O gives thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
who alone does great wonders,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
who by understanding made the heavens,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
who spread out the earth on the waters,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
who made the great lights,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
the sun to rule over the day,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
the moon and stars to rule over the night,
for his steadfast love endures forever.

Black Elk's Opening Prayer

Hey hey! hey hey! hey hey! hey hey!
Grandfather, Great Spirit,
you have been always,
and before you no one has been.
There is no other one to pray to but you.
You yourself,
everything that you see,
everything has been made by you.
The star nations all over the universe
you have finished.
The four quarters of the earth
you have finished.
The day, and in that day, everything
you have finished. 

Grandfather, Great Spirit,
lean close to the earth
that you may hear the voice I send.
You towards where the sun goes down,
behold me;
Thunder Beings,
behold me!
You where the White Giant lives in power,
behold me!
You where the sun shines continually,
whence come the day-break star and the day,
behold me!
You where the summer lives,
behold me!
You in the depths of the heavens,
an eagle of power,
behold!

And you, Mother Earth, the only Mother,
you who have shown mercy to your children!  
Hear me, four quarters of the world--
a relative I am! 
Give me the strength to walk the soft earth,
a relative to all that is!
Give me the eyes to see and the strength to understand,
that I may be like you.
With your power only can I face the winds.  

Great Spirit, Great Spirit, my Grandfather,
all over the earth
the faces of living things are all alike. 
With tenderness have these come up out of the ground.
Look upon these faces of children
without number and with children in their arms,
that they may face the winds and
walk the good road to the day of quiet.  

This is my prayer; hear me!
The voice I have sent is weak,
yet with earnestness I have sent it.
Hear me!  
It is finished.
Hetchetu aloh!

http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2006/april2006.html

 


 

Psalm 4
Acts 3:12-19
1 John 3:1-7
Luke 24:36b-48

"...repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed...." (Luke 24:47)

"I will both lie down and sleep in peace; for you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety." (Psalm 4:8)

These two lines play well together. In a season of resurrection we can spend time on the process (focusing on what we know - betrayal, injustice, torture, death - rather than what we don't know - visits to hell, empty tombs, experience of continuity even when not immediately recognizable) or on resurrection's intention - changing direction and forgiveness.

To lie down and sleep can also be to die. We can do so in "safety" when expecting to arise forgiven and with a changed direction.

When life is revealed we shall see it as it is - healed, changed, forgiven, onward from here - and we will participate in those same dimensions.

- - -

we see health or healing and
we shy away from their politics

to admit unexpected healing
that which we were not a party
raises our already high anxieties
to the point of denial of our senses
being out of touch with ourselves
puts us out of community with others

our wonder and amazement can turn on a dime
from loud praise to louder death to loudest peace

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html


 

Here are two alternatives to the closing three verses (6-8).

6          Am I crazy? Am I a fool?
     Some would say so. They doubt you.
7          But I know the peace I felt when you opened your door
     and the warmth when you invited me to share your table.
8          I can let my eyes close.
     In your home, I am at home.

From Everyday Psalms by Jim Taylor

6-7 Why is everyone hungry for more? "More, more," they say.
          "More, more."
          I have God's more-than-enough,
          More joy in one ordinary day

7-8 Than they get in all their shopping sprees.
          At day's end I'm ready for sound sleep,
          For you, God, have put my life back together.

From The Message by Eugene Peterson

When writers and poets get hold of good material it can end up moving in several different directions. Jim's take tends in the direction of the Emmaus story, while Eugene's has more in common with the leaping lame in Acts.

What take do you see? It will be interesting to compare that with what you would have seen a year ago and what you might come to in another year. A literal approach to the Psalms is particularly deadly. May it continue coming alive in your time and may you launch forth from your current place of safety.

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2009_04_01_archive.html

 


 

Answer me!
You answered before!
Do it again!

   How long will you love vanity?
   How long will you seek after what you want to hear?
   Is this what I look like—shameful?

I know I’m worthily faithful!
I’ve been set apart, privileged!
So why aren’t I getting an answer, only a provisional response??

   You really are disturbed, but you you don’t have to go awry.
   It seems you have lost track of what is trustworthy.
   Spend more time in dreamland.

Oh.
Gladness is not dependent upon answers.
I can sleep in peace, and do.

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2012/04/easter-3-year-b-psalm-4-answer-me-you.html