Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Lectionary Songs: Psalm 18:1-19

Reading today's daily reading from the ESV Book of Common Prayer lectionary pagewww.gnpcb.org/esv/devotions/bcp, I was bowled-over by the truth - and powerful poetry of this proclamation of praise and gratitude.  Especially as we continue to contemplate the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus, these literary images of God's immediate involvement in the rescue of David from his pursuer, the madman king Saul, are especially timely and well-chosen for this blessed season.

The God who came to rescue David in such a dramatic show that it brought out the well of his Spirit-directed creativity, word-pictures like, "The earth reeled and rocked... he came swiftly on the wings of the wind... the Lord thundered in the heavens... and the foundations of the earth were laid bare..." (so drastic and complete was God's rescue of David) came again - humbly, meekly, the child of the poor and the object of worship of shepherds, livestock and foreigners.  He again faced and conquered madman kings, and though it was done through a 33-year life, culminating in a three-year controversial ministry and sacrificial death, His resurrection, ascension, present rule and intercession and sure return all make me say, "The Lord is my rock... my fortress... my deliverer... I call upon the Lord, ...worthy to be praised... I am saved from my enemies... and the foundations of the world were laid bare."


This makes me want to grab my guitar and sing...

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, who addressed the words of this song to the Lord on the day when the Lord rescued him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said:

18:1 I love you, O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies.

The cords of death encompassed me;
the torrents of destruction assailed me; [1]
the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.

In my distress I called upon the Lord;
to my God I cried for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.

Then the earth reeled and rocked;
the foundations also of the mountains trembled
and quaked, because he was angry.
Smoke went up from his nostrils, [2]
and devouring fire from his mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from him.
He bowed the heavens and came down;
thick darkness was under his feet.
10 He rode on a cherub and flew;
he came swiftly on the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him,
thick clouds dark with water.
12 Out of the brightness before him
hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.

13 The Lord also thundered in the heavens,
and the Most High uttered his voice,
hailstones and coals of fire.
14 And he sent out his arrows and scattered them;
he flashed forth lightnings and routed them.
15 Then the channels of the sea were seen,
and the foundations of the world were laid bare
at your rebuke, O Lord,
at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

16 He sent from on high, he took me;
he drew me out of many waters.
17 He rescued me from my strong enemy
and from those who hated me,
for they were too mighty for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the Lord was my support.
19 He brought me out into a broad place;
he rescued me, because he delighted in me.

--
www.noisetrade.com/tomfisher

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