Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17
Proper 7 (12) - Year A
How to live when it seems the choices of circumstance and specific others are going against you? Might this psalm be a song of Hagar?
We can rear up and call G*D to chase after and destroy those who have so wounded us. In fact, many have been the time we have done just exactly this - cry out for retribution.
Listen to the last two verses in a recent translation by Eugene Peterson and see if there is not a better way - restoration after we have been stripped bare.
So look me in the eye and show kindness,
give your servant the strength to go on,
save your dear, dear child!
Make a show of how much you love me
so the bullies who had me will stand there slack-jawed,
As you, G*D, gently and powerfully
put me back on my feet.
May the gentle be so powerful in your life that you will reveal G*D's love by not continuing the "bully" part of our traditions.
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2002/june2002.html
Here we are - - poor and needy, sunk in deep mire without a foothold. We look around for a way out and there is none.
Our behavior is that of bargaining with G*D. What else is there to do? Oh, yes, plead. We plead with G*D.
Both of these behaviors indicate the grief we are still feeling from the metaphoric time of garden leaving. The kids recognize this and murder most foul is afoot. Time after time we find ourselves going awry and trying to get back into good graces on our terms.
This is a tough cycle to break. If we remembered that G*D was outside the garden as well, steadfast in presence, if not in rescuing us from consequences, we might open our eyes to the possibilities of life and thankfulness and not focus quite so much on the disasters and petulance.
In the abundance of steadfast love we have a crack in our defensiveness, our sense of entitlement. Let's not settle for being free because of our enemies, but simply because freedom is what it means to be present to the Freedom of G*D. Whether rescued or not, we are already saved. It is G*D's intention.
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2005/june2005.html
Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17 or Psalm 69:7-18
Genesis 21:8-21 or Jeremiah 20:7-13
Romans 6:1b-11
Matthew 10:24-39
How do I arrive at a place of "fearing not"? A significant view of this is the magical concept of correspondence - if I am like something else, then I am that something else. This is similar to much of the self-help therapies. In each case it is important to identify the specific correspondence and run with that one little thing in expectation that it will grow into a fuller identity or protection.
"It is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master." In what way does this happen without a disciple becoming a teacher or a slave, a master? Is this perpetual adolescence?
"Everyone who therefore acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven." What are the limits of acknowledgement? Is it naming only? How much emulation or becoming of Christ in one's own setting is needed for acknowledgement?
"For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his." What death is a death like his? Is it the form of crucifixion? Is it looking beyond the current principalities and powers until they unite to legally murder? And what happens if you live like him, rather than die like him?
"Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac." When did Sarah stop laughing? What died in her? What fear rose up? It is one thing to begin to move from disciple to teacher, slave to master, and quite another to move from teacher to disciple and master to slave. Again we see limits of external correspondence.
- - -
finding our fearless place
pushes us beyond the surface
where crosses around necks
are protective amulets
saving one from so living
that a cross come to our back
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2007_06_01_archive.html
This psalm was probably selected with an eye to Hagar, extending her complaint in the wilderness.
There is a sense of this Psalm being more about shaming than survival. The reason I desire to be rescued is to put it to those who put me in harm's way.
All the buttering up of G*D is to get what I want – revenge.
Although difficult it is probably worth the exercise to listen to our actual language and our intentions for same. The seeds of hypocrisy are sown in this divide within ourselves of flowery language for base motives. Usually this is very difficult work for someone to do alone. Therefore the importance of a community of honest friends who will reflect to us our internal disconnect.
How goes it with those you are listening to? How goes it with those who are listening to you?
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2008_06_01_archive.html
We seem to bounce back and forth between our privileged assertions and our discouraged whines.
When it seems all is right with the world, i.e., I’m getting mine, there is not much room for consideration of the plight of others and we need to be importuned by those our privilege negatively affects.
When one too many strikes against us has happened, i.e., we are feeling worm-low, there is only one thing left for us to do and that to importune some hoped for universal possibility to re-balance the scales.
This is another of the many Psalms that calls out for our sense of privilege, of all being right, to be established or reestablished more securely than ever.
How does it suit you today?
- - -
Presuming verses 16-17 being a reference to Hagar, might we extend the personal plea at the end to also be a plea from Hagar against Sarah? How does that suit you? Would you hope for more from Hagar? From yourself?
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2014/06/psalm-861-10-16-17.html