Here is our King!
A Reflection on Psalm 93 by Canon Rob,
November 26th Sunday next before Advent
Unlike other Reflections, today’s is about the psalm set for Evensong, as we have already reflected upon the one set for the morning Eucharist. That was in March this year and the psalm was 95 with it’s opening words, “O come, let us sing to the Lord…” It was a call to worship and this evening’s psalm is just as joyful, celebrating the Kingship of God. As verse 1 puts it, “The Lord is king and has put on glorious apparel; the Lord has put on his glory and girded himself with strength.” Walter Brueggemann in his lovely book, “Praying the Psalms,” says of Psalm 93 and other psalms of celebration, “Those who pray this kind of Psalm will want not just to reflect on a general notion of well-being but to work with the concrete image of king, the gracious ruler who does manage well, provide for, protect the weak, and intervene for the helpless.” Verse 2 reminds us that it is God, “who has made the whole world so sure that it cannot be moved.” God, the Lord, is the Creator of all. However, He is not just the Creator, He is the One who subdues the chaos caused by floods. “Mightier than the thunder of many waters,….the Lord on high is mightier.” [See verses 4 and 5] As we reflect on this, we might want to take the words literally, but remember that the psalms are poetry and subjective. The author is telling a truth through metaphor and here his message is one of absolute reassurance, conveyed by the translation of verse 5 in the words on the picture here: “Mightier than the waves of the sea is His Love for you.” Even, and especially, in the midst of suffering, we can be sure that God loves us and is with us.
To put this in context, some commentators believe that Psalm 93 was written fairly soon after the Israelites returned from Exile in Babylon in 538 BC. If so, it marked a new beginning for God’s people. There are other psalms with a similar message. See, e.g., Psalms 47, 97 and 99. They are referred to as “royal psalms” or “enthronement psalms” and may have been used during the New Year Festivals in the autumn. They all recognise and celebrate the Kingship of God, who is Lord of all and who has existed from the beginning. So, in verse 3 we read, “Your throne has been established from of old; you are from everlasting.” God, the Lord and Creator of all, has chosen a people to be His own, to form a community under His Divine care and rule. But human kings were held in great honour too, especially King David. In the words of “The Oxford Bible Commentary,” The king was: “God’s anointed, as sacrosanct and the representative of the nation, the welfare of which depends upon his righteousness.” Today we celebrate Christ the King! He is the King of kings upon whom we can totally depend for he is Righteous.
This short psalm ends with words about God’s rule and laws. “Your testimonies are very sure; holiness adorns your house, O Lord, for ever.” [Verse 6] God is Holy and in the hymn book we use at St. Dunstan’s Church, one of the hymns we sing makes that very clear: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord, holy is the Lord God, almighty.” [285 in “Complete Anglican Hymns Old & New.”] In the Old Testament, including the Book of Psalms, that holiness implies separateness. God is ‘other’ who lives in heaven apart from we who live on the earth. The Holy God chooses when He intervenes in our lives, as He did, for example, through the leadership of Moses at the Exodus. Then, as they journeyed to the land which He promised them, God intervened again by giving the People His testimonies, or moral laws, known as the Ten Commandments. Being chosen by God, they are very privileged but, as always, that comes with great responsibility which is fulfilled if and when they obey His laws.
You have established your throne, O Lord, above the chaos of this world:
may your truth, which is from everlasting, be ours for ever and ever; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
[Prayer at the end of Psalm 93 in Common Worship, Daily Prayer]
If you watch any of Sir David Attenborough’s programmes you will see how brutal life can be for those who are vulnerable. A big cat, for example, killing a young impala or zebra. A great white shark catching a seal pup. We watch such events and a natural reaction is often to think they are cruel until we are told that the big cat kills to feed her young and the shark will only kill enough to satisfy its hunger and we have some sympathy and understanding.
The author of Psalm 70 has faith in God and believes He will save him. After he has asked God to “shame and confuse” and “turn back” those who seek his life 
Having encouraged others to rejoice in the power of the Lord, the author returns to his own immediate needs and the urgency of his request is repeated: “As for me, I am poor and needy; come to me quickly, O God.” 
One of the hymns we sing during the season of Epiphany, which follows Christmas and celebrates the Visit of the Three Kings to the infant Jesus, is “O Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” [552 in the “Complete Anglican Hymns Old and New.”] It is a beautiful hymn and, as we sing it, we can imagine ourselves following the example of the Kings, as they kneel before the child who they recognise as the Saviour of the world. The opening words of the hymn come from the first half of verse 9 in today’s psalm: a psalm which is a call to the whole of nature to worship the Creator; although you will need to read all the verses to fully appreciate this. Those who attend Morning Prayer (or Matins) will be familiar with the previous psalm: number 95, called “The Venite,” which simply means “Come,” and Psalm 96 continues that theme. As you reflect upon the verses, you may like to read 1 Chronicles 16.23-33 in the Old Testament and you will find that the psalm is reproduced almost word for word – depending on which translation of the Bible you read. In the Book of Chronicles, the psalm was recited when the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem whilst David was King. However, it is now generally agreed that the psalm was written first and then included in the Book. Whatever, Psalm 96 belongs to a group of what some commentators call “enthronement psalms” which celebrate the majesty of God and would be said, or sung, on special occasions. Indeed, if you look through Psalms 95 to 100, you will find that several phrases are common to all of them, rejoicing in the Kingship and Majesty of God who is worthy of our praise.
The Book of Psalms was originally written for worship by the members of the Jewish community and when we recite them, as we do during Evensong, we can easily remember that. However, it is natural that when we use them in church worship, we view the psalms from a Christian perspective. You will see this in the picture here, where verse 4 of today’s psalm is printed in the shape of the Cross on which Christ died and from which, we believe, he reigned as King. Referring to Psalm 96, the Oxford Bible Commentary says some of the Church Fathers “regarded the psalm as a prophecy of the cross, an interpretation reflected in the hymn ‘The royal banners forward go.’”[663 in the hymn book mentioned above which we use at St Dunstan’s Church.]
Whether or not that hope can ever be fully realised, it is worth hanging on to and praying for daily. Verse 9 of Psalm 96 certainly holds before us the desire for the “whole earth to tremble before [the Lord.]” Once more, looking through the eyes of our Christian faith, this verse can remind us of the final words uttered by Jesus at the end of St Matthew’s Gospel. Jesus is speaking to his disciples, his closest friends and followers, before he leaves them to return to his Father in Heaven. [See Matthew 28,16-20.] He says of himself, “full authority in heaven and on earth has been committed to me,” just as verse 6 of Psalm 96 speaks of “Honour and majesty are before him [the Lord.]” Jesus then tells his friends to “Go….and make all nations my disciples…” This is surely something else to keep praying and working for! Amen.
Psalm 19 can be divided into three sections. The first six verses In January last celebrate the Glory of God in His Creation and we reflected on those verses in January last year. Verses 7 – 10 are about God’s Glory in His Law and then the final four verses reveal what should be the human response to God, recognising that we fall short of what God wills for us. The difference in tone between the first six verses and those remaining is striking. God’s creation happens without humans being involved. The “law of the Lord,” referred to in verse 7, however is the Torah: God’s law revealed to Moses by which the Chosen People are to live.
“More to be desired are they than gold…..sweeter also than honey.” For the psalmist, and those who recited Psalm 19 in worship, keeping the commandments was the way to happiness. Verse 11 refers to God’s law as existing to teach His People and for those who were eager to learn and follow them “there is great reward.” As you reflect on these verses, imagine being in a classroom at school, or a lecture hall at college, where you are keen to learn because you love the subject being taught. That is the image which comes to mind as I am typing these words. The opening verses of this psalm are a celebration of God’s creation, but the celebration continues. Rather than being a burden, keeping “the law of the Lord” at this time in Israel’s history, was a joy
I suspect that most within our society today seldom use the word “sin.” Has it become the preserve of those who are religious? It’s easier to talk about ‘faults’ and ‘mistakes’ but ‘sin’ is a loaded word which can make us uncomfortable. In verse 13 of today’s psalm, the author writes of “presumptuous sins” which can “get dominion over me.” These are proud thoughts which can get out of hand. God’s help is called upon “so shall I be undefiled.” The final plea is that the writer’s motives, words, thoughts and actions will please God and be “acceptable in your [God’s] sight.” The psalm which began with celebration for the wonder of God’s creation and continues with much soul searching ends on a very positive note about the personal relationship which those with faith can have with their Maker who is “my strength and my redeemer.”
On 13th August, the psalm set for the Eucharist was 105, verses 1 – 10. The title of the Reflection was “Remembering what God has done.” Today we reflect upon verses 37 – 45 of the same psalm: verses which, to be honest, make me very uncomfortable, hence the title I have given to this Reflection. Psalm 105, especially from verse 23, is about the period during the Exodus when the Israelites, led by Moses, were eventually freed from years of cruelty and slavery in Egypt. [You can read about this in the Book of Exodus from Chapter 5.] The verses 23-36 of Psalm 105 include some of the account – especially about the plagues which God sent upon the Egyptians. There is no doubt that the Exodus was a huge, totally life-changing, event in the history of the Jewish people. However, as we reflect upon the verses set in today’s psalm, we do so against the backdrop of the continuing unrest in Israel/Palestine and the war in Ukraine following it’s invasion. Putting it bluntly, both are the result of ‘land-grabbing,’ something, like other nations in the past, we were guilty of. Another reason for my discomfort on reflecting upon Psalm 105!
Verse 44 is the one I find most difficult. “He [God] gave them [God’s chosen people] the lands of the nations and they took possession of the fruit of their toil.” Even given the terrible suffering that the people had gone through during their years as slaves in Egypt, together with God’s promise to free them and lead them to a new land which they could call their own, I struggle with what seems to be nothing short of a nationalism which leaves no place for justice. I’m reading a novel set during “The Troubles” in Ireland and reminded of the “land grabbing” that country suffered in the past too. [See also verse 11 where God says, “To you I will give the land of Canaan to be the portion of your inheritance.”]
Psalm 105 is, then, a hymn of praise. But it also conveys a sense of relief on the part of the Egyptians. In verse 37 we read, “Egypt was glad at their departing, for dread had fallen upon them.” After years of anguish and pain felt by those they kept as slaves, it is now the turn of the Egyptians to suffer. As the plagues became more severe, above all ending in the deaths of their first born children [see verse 36], life became unbearable for them and in Exodus 13 verse 17 we read it was at this point that “…the king of Egypt let the people go…” God’s people were free at last, but at what cost?
As the Book of Psalms, the hymn book of the Jewish people, comes to an end, the theme is giving praise to God, celebrating His goodness. It is as if those who compiled the book wanted to end on a high! As I have said before, the great thing about the psalms is that they express every emotion common to all human beings. In them we find tragedy and sorrow, wonder and joy and the whole range between. Today’s psalm is full of joy but, unlike Psalm 150 say, it has a “twist in its tail.” It begins with rejoicing but the tone changes completely in the last four verses. We are taken from music and dancing to vengeance! God is praised because He has won for His people a great victory. Yet the war is not over. Verses 5 and 6 sum up the situation very well. “Let the faithful be joyful in glory; let them rejoice in their ranks. With the praises of God in their mouths and a two-edged sword in their ranks.” (Note the change in the font denoting a change in tone.) The two-edged sword is to be used “to execute vengeance on the nations.” [Verse 6b] From reading about the two World Wars, it is clear that there were victories and set backs as, perhaps, there are in all wars – including that in Ukraine. The same seems to be true here.
As with all the psalms, we can’t be sure what battle the author has in mind when he wrote Psalm 149. However, as you reflect upon the words, note in verse 4 that “the Lord has pleasure in his people.” Then in verse 7 punishment is to be “on the peoples.” Here we see the distinction between the people of God, with whom God is pleased this time, and the “peoples” who are clearly the enemy. The “peoples” are those who do not acknowledge the One, True God and who will face judgement. [See verse 9]. The prophet Isaiah spoke of this. In Chapter 61, we read words which Jesus quoted to describe his mission and ministry: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me…” [See Luke 4.18-19] However, he ends his speech the line before Isaiah describes “…a day of vengeance of our God.” [Isaiah 61.2a in the New English Bible.]
Judgement isn’t confined to the Old Testament although I recall conversations about how the New Testament focuses more on God’s Love rather than His anger which we find very much in the Old. Several of Jesus’ parables allude to God’s judgement. [See that of the Sheep and Goats in Matthew 25.31-46.] St Paul, in his First Letter to the Corinthians [6.1-3] suggests that God’s people will be involved in judging the world: something which the author of today’s psalm may have had in mind when he wrote verse 5. “Let the faithful be joyful in glory; let them rejoice in their ranks,” As we reflect on these words of pride, we do well to recall with humility our membership of God’s family.
No wonder then, that Psalm 124 is fulsome in its praise of God. Only seven verses long, four of them identify God as the source of help. The Lord was on their side [verses 1 and 2], God is praised because He has “not given (the people) over to be a prey” for the enemy [verse 5] and in verse 6 the author describes freedom like that of a bird who is delivered because “the snare is broken.” A message which the author wants his readers to understand is that God, the Creator of all, has the power and desire to constantly care for His people. We might think we are in control of our lives, the lives of others and, with the increasing concern over climate change, the future of this planet. However, the psalm tells us otherwise. Those who have faith know that God is in the past, present and future and we are urged to entrust our lives and souls into His hands. 
The author of the First Letter of Peter in the New Testament puts it this way: “…even those who suffer, if it be according to God’s will, should commit their souls to him – by doing good; their Maker will not fail them.” [1 Peter 4.19] The first part of this quotation may make us feel uncomfortable today, but remember that many in the Early Church suffered and died for their faith. It gave them the courage to go on. The truth to hold on to is that no matter what we go through, or how much we feel we are not in control, God is with us today, as He was in the past and as He always will be in the future.
One of the readings set for this morning’s Eucharist is from the Book of Genesis: Chapter 37, verses 1-4 and 12-28. It tells the story of Joseph’s jealous brothers who plot to get rid of him. They sell him for twenty pieces of silver to a group of Ishmaelites who take him to Egypt. Far from being a disaster, this is the beginning of a new and privileged life for Joseph who, in Genesis 45, tells his brothers all that has happened to him was down to God. This is just one example of how God has worked in the past as He continues to do today.
Commentators point out that the first fifteen verses of Psalm 105 are found in the First Book of Chronicles, Chapter 16, verses 8 – 22. 
The remaining verses set for today are about the covenant God made with Abraham. [See especially verses 8 – 10.] However, this promise is not just made to Abraham but, as verse 8 says, “the promise that he made for a thousand generations.” In other words, for all time, and it was this covenant which was fulfilled in and through the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus. The covenant made with Abraham, in verse 11, was about the Promised Land and as we see in verses 9 and 10, it was confirmed with Isaac and Jacob as well. Whilst we can rightly use the verses of today’s psalm as a hymn of praise, we do so against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine and the violence in Israel/Palestine. This hymn of praise then can also become for us a reminder to pray for peace in the whole world which God created for all.
A month ago we had the opportunity to reflect on verses 1-10 of Psalm 86, verses which expressed the author’s anxiety, if not depression. Today, our focus is on the later verses of that psalm which are set for this morning’s Eucharist. If you read it in its entirety, you will find that it is almost like reading two very different psalms. Last month the heading was “A cry in the darkness.” Today, it is as if the psalmist has moved on. Having given thanks for all that God has done for him, he asks that God will guide him to do what is right. “Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth: knit my heart to you, that I may fear your name.” [Verse 11.] Here we see an act of re-dedication. The cloud of depression is lifting and he knows that God is with him. Indeed he can now thank God for all that God has done for him. In verse 11, as we have seen, he wants to “fear” the Lord. That doesn’t mean to be scared of God. On the contrary in verse 12 we have a clearer idea of what he means: “I will thank you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and glorify your name for evermore.” To fear God is to love God, to trust Him, and that, in turn, leads the believer to glorify – or praise, even thank – God. In verse 13 we find the reason. “For great is your steadfast love towards me, for you have delivered my soul from the depths of the grave.” Before we move on though, reflect upon the words “your truth” again in verse 11. Truth is critical throughout the Bible and when applied to God, it means that God can be relied on completely. He is “a fortress” and “a rock,” analogies which we have come across in several psalms before.
That is important to the author of today’s psalm. He finds himself under attack, presumably from evil men. [See verse 14.] He describes them as a “ruthless horde” who “seek after [his] life.” We have seen this kind of language in several psalms too. This “ruthless horde” are described as “the proud” who “rise up against” him. Whoever they are, and they are not identified, they are arrogant and cause terror to those who are faithful to the One, True, God: the Lord who made a covenant with those who would become His People: especially with Noah in Genesis 9; with Abram (Abraham) in Genesis 17; and with Moses in Exodus – see especially Chapter 24. This covenant, renewed as it was, was a huge privilege for God’s People, but it also laid upon them a huge responsibility, to obey God’s Commandments and to be faithful to Him and Him alone. No wonder then that the People of Israel, God’s own people, had many enemies who did not “set you (God) before their eyes.” [Verse 14.]
The author of Psalm 86 knows God though. Having come through his period of depression, in the earlier verses, he is now certain that God is with him and can be trusted to stand up against the enemy. Those, like him, who trust in the Lord experience Him as, “gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and full of kindness and truth.” [Verse 15.] These words are reminiscent of those we read in the Book Exodus, Chapter 34, verse 6, when Moses is given the Ten Commandments for the second time. “The Lord then passed in front of him [Moses] and called out, ‘I, the Lord, am a God who is full of compassion and pity, who is not easily angered and who shows great love and faithfulness’.” In the last two verses of today’s psalm, the author prays for strength to keep following God and also that others may see who God really is. “Show me a token of your favour, that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed; because you, O Lord, have helped and comforted me.
What a contrast today’s psalm is to the one we reflected upon two week’s ago: [Psalm 86.1-10.] Then the author was in a really bad place, suffering with depression and anxiety. Today though, there is much praise for the King who is soon to be married to a most beautiful woman. In one of my commentaries, the psalm we are reflecting upon is called “An anthem for a royal wedding” and although the verses set for today are 10 – 17, it is clear from verse 1 that the author – who may have been the court poet – is eager to write his hymn. The news is wonderful and he can’t wait to share it! “My heart is astir with gracious words; as I make my song for the king, my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.” It isn’t every day that the King will marry and his bride become a new Queen!
We know from verse 12 that the bride comes from Tyre, a city in Phoenicia, north of Palestine, but she is expected to leave that behind. “Hear, O daughter, consider and incline your ear; forget your own people and your father’s house.” [Verse 10.] We can presume from verse 13 that she is a princess for she is referred to as “The King’s daughter.” Soon though, she will become a wife and Queen and any children she will give birth to will be princes and princesses in her new country and home. Probably it is an arranged marriage and we don’t know how this princess really feels about leaving her father, family and all that is familiar to her. Hopefully though she and her husband will find love, if they do not already share it. What is clear, again from verse 12, is that the rich and famous from Tyre will be attending the wedding and bringing gifts, or tributes, seeking her favour.
“Instead of your fathers you shall have sons, whom you shall make princes over the land.” [verse 16.] All this is reinforced in the last verse: “I will make your name to be remembered through all generations; therefore shall the peoples praise you for ever and ever.” Once again, as you reflect upon the verses of this psalm, you may find it helpful to read the 2nd Book of Samuel, Chapter 7 which is part of the covenant made between God and King David. There we read, in verse 16,the Lord speaking to King David about the future of his kingdom: “Your family shall be established and your kingdom shall stand for all time in my sight, and your throne shall be established for ever.” Perhaps the King referred to in today’s psalm was David himself! Whoever it was, we can give thanks for the love which God gives to all those in close relationships and hope that the King, in the psalm, and his new Bride and Queen found that same love with each other, as have King Charles and Queen Camilla.