Tag: Psalms

Scripture Focus: Psalm 8
1 Lord, our Lord, 
how majestic is your name in all the earth! 
You have set your glory 
in the heavens. 
2 Through the praise of children and infants 
you have established a stronghold against your enemies, 
to silence the foe and the avenger. 
3 When I consider your heavens, 
the work of your fingers, 
the moon and the stars, 
which you have set in place, 
4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them, 
human beings that you care for them? 
5 You have made them a little lower than the angels 
and crowned them with glory and honor. 
6 You made them rulers over the works of your hands; 
you put everything under their feet: 
7 all flocks and herds, 
and the animals of the wild, 
8 the birds in the sky, 
and the fish in the sea, 
all that swim the paths of the seas. 
9 Lord, our Lord, 
how majestic is your name in all the earth! 

John 15.5
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Reflection: The Moon and the Cross
By John Tillman

In 1969, Buzz Aldrin, an elder in his church, got permission to take communion elements to the Moon. From the Moon’s surface, he radioed Houston, calling for a worldwide moment of reflection. Then Aldrin silently read John 15.5 while taking communion. He read Psalm 8.3-4 over the air on the journey home.

The psalmist who wrote, “You have put everything under their feet,” might be shocked that the Moon would be under human feet one day. But the spiritual reality is even more impressive than the Apollo missions.

Psalm 8 is the first psalm without a hint of lament. It is a perfect circle of praise in the center of a group of psalms that are laments or mixed bags of praises and worries. 

The enemy, the foe, and the avenger are silenced. What stops these forces that oppose God and his creation? Fire from Heaven? A chaotic beast? A mighty warrior? No. At the center of this psalm, we see the power that defeats evil. It is not the command of a king or the sword of a warrior but the praise of infants.

When children praised Jesus, saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” religious leaders objected. Jesus was not the Son of David they wanted. He healed the sick and cared for the poor instead of throwing off Rome and stoning adulteresses. Instead of galloping in on a warhorse, Jesus plodded through the streets on a donkey. Jesus defended the children by quoting this psalm.

The contrast of Aldrin’s verses is interesting. In one, we marvel that the God who made the moon and stars condescends to honor humanity. In the other, we see the depth of that honor. Jesus sits with his followers at Passover. He has just washed their feet. The one whose fingers formed stars scrubbed dirt from human toes. He is about to die on their behalf. The one who hung the moon will hang on a cross. Then Jesus tells his disciples they can do nothing without him.

God uses the weak to oppose what is strong and what is humble to shame what is proud. If we give Jesus our childlike praise, we will find strength for our steps, no matter who scoffs at our weakness. Let childlike praise strengthen our steps for the great leaps of faith he will show us.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer
Know this: The Lord himself is God; he himself has made us, and we are his; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture. — Psalm 100.2

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.


​Today’s Readings
Job 27 (Listen 2:21)
Psalm 7-8 (Listen 2:58)

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Scripture Focus: Psalm 2
1 Why do the nations conspire
and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord and against his anointed, saying,
3 “Let us break their chains
and throw off their shackles.”
4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord scoffs at them.
5 He rebukes them in his anger
and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
6 “I have installed my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.”
7 I will proclaim the Lord’s decree:
He said to me, “You are my son;
today I have become your father.
8 Ask me,
and I will make the nations your inheritance,
the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You will break them with a rod of iron;
you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”
10 Therefore, you kings, be wise;
be warned, you rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear
and celebrate his rule with trembling.
12 Kiss his son, or he will be angry
and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him. 

Reflection: Kiss the Son
By John Tillman

Psalm 2 has layered meanings about both earthly politics and spiritual realities.

One layer is a coronation song about a newly installed king. At times of transition, enemies inside or outside the kingdom tested or threatened new rulers. We see this in scripture in many places, including the transition from David to Solomon and from Solomon to Rehoboam. When read this way, the psalm seems to say, Don’t test me. God’s on my side. But it’s not that simple.

God is on the side of order and peace rather than insurrection or war but that does not mean he supports every human ruler. If that were true, the psalm wouldn’t shift to dire warnings for human kings. Parts of the psalm probably were originally intended as a warning against rebellion and disorder but other parts don’t fit for a human ruler and never did.

If you continue to read the rest of the psalm from this human viewpoint, it doesn’t line up with reality. God never promised David or any king they would rule the world. These parts of the psalm have transitioned from talking about a current human king on Jerusalem’s throne to a future ruler on a heavenly throne. It is less about a king now than the righteous king to come. 

As we read, we know Jesus has come. He is seated at God’s right hand and we are united with him through the Holy Spirit.

We are adopted sons and daughters of God. We are commanded to ask our Father that his will would be done on Earth as in Heaven. We pray for the salvation of the nations and weep over those broken by rebellion. As co-heirs with Christ, we are warned to serve with fear and trembling and to take refuge in him. These blessings and warnings are not just for kings of the past or politicians of the present. They are for us, the regents and ambassadors of the kingdom of God.

Heed these warnings and seek these blessings not with the hubris of kings or the violence of empires but with the humility of the servant king on the donkey and the love of the slain yet living Lamb of God.

Christ’s rule is not oppressive. Neither should ours be. His burden and yoke are easy and light. So should ours be. Come close, kiss the son, and become like him.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer
Let my mouth be full of your praise and your glory all the day long. — Psalm 71.8

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Today’s Readings
Job 23 (Listen 1:43)
Psalm 1-2 (Listen 2:05)

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