The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid?
One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle
and set me high upon a rock.
Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me;
at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the Lord.
Hear my voice when I call, O Lord;
be merciful to me and answer me.
My heart says of you, "Seek his face!"
Your face, Lord, I will seek.
Do not hide your face from me,
do not turn your servant away in anger;
you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
O God my Savior.
Luke A. Powery and Willie Jennings write:
"The gift of direction most often comes into view as the central benefit of God's light. God directs us through and around those things of life that would harm us or even destroy us. God will guide us as we face the traps of our enemies and the unanticipated times of trouble. God's delivering hand is also God's guiding hand. Salvation encompasses sanctification. The action of God makes possible the response of humanity. The psalmist's heart speaks the right response to God's gracious direction: seek God. Ask for the help that God gives. The seeking in itself marks sanctifications form. To be sanctified is to be one whose life follows God and goes where God directs. A sanctified life is a life bound to God in fundamental movement toward God. Such movement gives meaning to the ideas of being set apart to God for service. This is the essence of the concept of holiness--a life of movement toward God, a life that follows God's direction (The Abingdon Theological Companion to the Lectionary - Preaching Year A, page 53)."
While I love what Powery and Jennings have written, I also think that this Psalm is a calling for us to trust rather than to fear. It is a mode of operation that all followers of God are called to---that is to wait on God, the one who is our Light and our Salvation. To lean into God in such a way as to seek and find light, life, strength,, courage and direction from God...even in the midst of the anxiety, inhumanity, brutality and greed of our 21st century context.
The Lord is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid?
One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle
and set me high upon a rock.
Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me;
at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the Lord.
Hear my voice when I call, O Lord;
be merciful to me and answer me.
My heart says of you, "Seek his face!"
Your face, Lord, I will seek.
Do not hide your face from me,
do not turn your servant away in anger;
you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
O God my Savior.
Luke A. Powery and Willie Jennings write:
"The gift of direction most often comes into view as the central benefit of God's light. God directs us through and around those things of life that would harm us or even destroy us. God will guide us as we face the traps of our enemies and the unanticipated times of trouble. God's delivering hand is also God's guiding hand. Salvation encompasses sanctification. The action of God makes possible the response of humanity. The psalmist's heart speaks the right response to God's gracious direction: seek God. Ask for the help that God gives. The seeking in itself marks sanctifications form. To be sanctified is to be one whose life follows God and goes where God directs. A sanctified life is a life bound to God in fundamental movement toward God. Such movement gives meaning to the ideas of being set apart to God for service. This is the essence of the concept of holiness--a life of movement toward God, a life that follows God's direction (The Abingdon Theological Companion to the Lectionary - Preaching Year A, page 53)."
While I love what Powery and Jennings have written, I also think that this Psalm is a calling for us to trust rather than to fear. It is a mode of operation that all followers of God are called to---that is to wait on God, the one who is our Light and our Salvation. To lean into God in such a way as to seek and find light, life, strength,, courage and direction from God...even in the midst of the anxiety, inhumanity, brutality and greed of our 21st century context.
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