Psalm 22:
25 (24) For he has not despised or abhorred
the poverty of the poor;
he did not hide his face from him
but listened to his cry.”
26 (25) Because of you
I give praise in the great assembly;
I will fulfill my vows
in the sight of those who fear him.
27 (26) The poor will eat and be satisfied;
those who seek Adonai will praise him;
Your hearts will enjoy life forever.
28 (27) All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to Adonai;
all the clans of the nations
will worship in your presence.
29 (28) For the kingdom belongs to Adonai,
and he rules the nations.
30 (29) All who prosper on the earth
will eat and worship;
all who go down to the dust
will kneel before him,
including him who can’t keep himself alive,
31 (30) A descendant will serve him;
the next generation will be told of Adonai.
32 (31) They will come and proclaim
his righteousness
to a people yet unborn,
that he is the one who did it.
(Complete Jewish Bible).***
This psalm reminds us that God's sense of community is comprehensive and generous--the great congregation, the poor, the seekers, the families, the nations, those who go down to the dust and those yet unborn.
My vision for the kingdom is chronically nearsighted, but this scene widens my view. These promises live beyond our individual parishes or this era of church. They cannot be contained by one political party or the other. For generations, passages like this one have been reminding us that the Spirit is hustling across time and space to love and save the whole creation.
Lord of Kairos, You gather what is ancient and new for praise and promises. Thank you for pulling us into relationship with all that you have made. Teach us to practice commitment to everything you love and redeem. Amen.
Meta Herrick Carlson, '08
Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin Cities/Minnetonka Campus Pastor, Minneapolis, Minn.
Psalm 22:25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will pay before those who fear him.
26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord. May your hearts live forever!
27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him.
28 For dominion belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.
29 To him, indeed, shall all who sleep in the earth bow down; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, and I shall live for him.
30 Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord,
31 and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn, saying that he has done it. (New Revised Standard Version)
The Luther Seminary
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