From the Organ Bench

Psalm 85
I will listen to what God the LORD will say; The LORD promises peace to His people, His saints. But let them not return to folly. (v.9) Surely, Gods salvation is near to those who fear Him; That Gods glory may dwell in our land. (v.10) Love and faithfulness meet together; Righteousness and peace kiss each other. Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, And righteousness looks down from heaven. (v.11) The LORD will indeed give what is good, And our land will yield its harvest. (v.12) Righteousness goes before Him and prepares the way for His steps. (v.13) Psalm 85 was probably composed after the Babylonian exile. The People of God have returned to their homeland. The joy of returning is dampened by the reality of seeing home, devastated and unattended for fifty years. Given the life expectancy at that time, most of the returnees held no personal memory of Jerusalem, or the beloved Temple. Further, even though the People of God are home, they are still under the thumb of foreign influence, Persian style. The reality of the homeland could easily be a new frontier. The only thing familiar is their history as a people and their spirituality and prayer life centered on the LORD of Israel. This was a people experiencing a fresh start. Having experienced a LORDS Day on new, unfamiliar ground, I can relate to the setting of Psalm 85. What to do next is almost overwhelming. The psalmist, like a conductor of an orchestra, cues us to the songs dynamic: I will listen to what the LORD will say.

That seems easy. Or is it? I have to tune out idle chatter. I have to eliminate the white noise of my busy life. I have to focus on becoming still enough to be receptive to the Blessed Ones Voice. I have to re-direct my attention. Maybe I have to stop talking and stop thinking about what I am going to say next. Thats the full score of this verse. Listening is an act of full, focused participation. Why should I choose to listen to the Shepherding One of Israel? Because: He promises peace to His People, His saints. It seems that whenever saints appear in the original psalm texts, they disappear in the lectionary text. When this happens, we miss a view of the social structure based upon the LORDS holiness. God is holy. Everything that belongs to God is holy. Thus, Gods People are holy. They are His saints. God doesnt need a papal board of inquiry to determine sainthood upon individuals. God does it in one swift proclamation; one simple call to action: Be holy. For I, the LORD, your God, am Holy. Even Jesus, the incarnate face of God, didnt change this command. Jesus kept teaching it; preaching it; and died living it. Verse 9 of Psalm 85 concludes with some interesting words, spoken by the LORD. God, in a forthright manner, spins a commentary of his own, on the reception of His promise of peace. Like the word, saints, Gods concluding remarks have been suppressed in the lectionary text: But let them (the saints) not return to folly. As I stand on new liturgical ground, I cant help but wonder how long it will take for this idea of the LORDS to catch on. Maybe someday, it will be the centerpiece for a document crafted by the episcopal participants of Vatican Council III. Delma Rouleau 2nd Sunday of Advent 4 December 2011