Preaching the Psalms: Theological Affirmations and Questions
One of the most popular movements in preaching in the last thirty years has been to let the literary function and form of the text guide the function and form of the sermon. A song of trust, for instance, aims to encourage the congregation to trust in God. This approach often works especially well with the psalms since many of them have distinct functions in the life of the community as well as distinct patterns of movement. I call attention to the function of the psalms in the comments that follow.
Yet we should not be myopic about them. To be candid, some psalms make statements that many Christians today consider theologically problematic, as in the case of Psalm 137 below. Furthermore, while many expressions from the Psalms are ingrained in the language of the Christian community, congregations sometimes have limited, even caricatured, understandings of those expressions.
I have come to think that the uninterpreted use of some of the psalms in worship is sometimes more harmful than beneficial. If a congregation simply recites or hears a problematic part of a psalm, worshippers may assume that the problematic element represents the best of Christian perception. Without theological comment, the use of a difficult psalm may actually limit the church’s theological or ethical vision.
Throughout October, readings from the Psalms assigned with the continuous readings from the First Testament provide the preacher with a nice sample of different kinds of psalms and with a range of theological themes. By focusing on particular psalms for a month, a preacher can help a congregation develop a theological lens through which to perceive other psalms when they appear in the service.
October 7, 2007
Psalm 137
The Babylonians had invaded Judah and captured Jerusalem, sending the community’s leaders into exile in Babylon; Psalm 137 was written there. Verses 1–6 are an especially poignant lamentation arising from a people who had been removed from their home and were now forced to live in another land. They wept when they remembered Zion, that is, Jerusalem, a symbol not only of the land of Judah but also of the promises of God. (v 1) Their captors ridiculed the exiles (and exacerbated their feelings of destitution) by asking them to sing the songs of Zion, that is, songs that celebrated Jerusalem and the God of Israel. The exiles could only hang up their harps. (vv 2–3)
The psalm asks a question that resonates with communities in many different situations. “How could we sing [God’s] song in a foreign land?” (v 4) Yet as difficult as it may be to remain faithful in that situation, the psalmist invites personal difficulty if the psalmist should forget God’s faithfulness symbolized by Zion — the withering of the right hand (the hand of power and a hand lifted in praise) or the tongue clinging to the roof of the mouth (thus making it impossible to sing God’s song and to testify to God’s trustworthiness. (vv 5–6)
With respect to Psalm 137:1–6, the preacher can ask, Who in the congregation — and in the wider world — feels exiled today? Who finds it difficult to sing God’s song (so to speak) because they find themselves in a strange land? The sermon might help today’s exiles name their experience and their feelings, and it might also, in quiet and sensitive ways, assure the congregation that God is with them in exile.
Psalm 137:7–9 raises a dramatic theological problem. The psalmist prays for God to take revenge on the Babylonians by sending an army to ravage them. The exiles will be happy about the avenging army as it pays back what the Babylonians did to Israel. (vv 7–8) The psalm ends with one of the most horrific lines in the Bible: “Happy shall they be who take your little ones and dash them against the rock!” (v 9)
I have an ongoing debate with a colleague regarding this psalm (and other passages in the Bible like it). My colleague makes the point that the presence of such language in the Bible indicates that people can have complete freedom to say anything to God. By contrast, I believe that God is unconditional love and wills for all people to live together in relationships of love. Dashing the babies of our enemies against rocks contradicts those fundamental convictions. A preacher needs to preach against this part of the psalm. I consider Psalm 137:9 to be theologically reprehensible. It is one thing to believe that we can trust God with all of our feelings — no matter how ugly. It is another thing to ask God to act on those feelings in hurtful ways. Simply to read or sing this psalm without comment is to leave the impression that God legitimizes vengeful actions such as throwing babies against rocks.
October 14, 2007
Psalm 66:1–12
Psalm 66:1–12 is a hymn that is followed by a song of thanksgiving in verses 13–20. The lectionary assigns only the hymn for today. A fundamental purpose of a hymn in the Psalms is to recall the mighty acts of God in the past for the purpose of reinforcing the congregation’s confidence in God.
This hymn recalls the deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt and the entry into the Promised Land. However, it begins with a call not just to Israel but to “all the earth” to “make a joyful noise to God” (vv 1–4). Some scholars point out that the fact that this psalm invites all the earth to make a joyful noise means that the Exodus is not just for Israel but is significant for all peoples. The fundamental power of the universe is a liberating power who seeks to provide all peoples the means for security and blessing (represented by the land).
The heart of the hymn, verse 6, recollects the Israelites’ passing through the Red Sea on dry ground (Ex 14:1–15:21) and later crossing the Jordan and entering the Promised Land (Josh 3:14–17). These events are definitive signs that God rules forever and can accomplish what God wants. The psalmist sees these events as warnings to rebellious nations not to exalt themselves. In the Psalms, “nations” typically refers to the gentiles, and rebellion typically refers to idolatry, injustice, exploitation of the poor, violence, and other violations of God’s purposes.
When preaching on these first parts of the psalm, a preacher might help the congregation recall the stories of the Exodus and of the entry into the Promised Land as revealing the character and purposes of God for Israel and for all people. The preacher might also help the congregation recognize where God is at liberating work today and creating communities that are safe and that have abundant resources for blessing.
Psalm 66:10–12 raises a difficulty by suggesting that God either causes or uses some experiences to test the community. (v 10) Indeed, God brought the community “into the net” (in the manner that a bird is caught), “laid burdens on [their] backs,” “let people ride over [their] heads,” and watched as the people “went through fire and through water.” (vv 11–12) The psalmist presumably is speaking here about the hard times in the wilderness and other difficult experiences. The bottom line, however, is that God ultimately brought the community to safety in a “spacious place.”
According to Psalm 66:10–12, God either caused or permitted these difficult experiences or tests. Scholars sometimes say that the language used for testing presupposes that God favors the community and wants to find them innocent or worthy. However, if God loves with unconditional love, and if God has the power to intervene in history in dramatic, singular acts, then God would not intentionally cause or permit such tests that bring about pain.
While a preacher can offer a theological critique of the text, he or she could also affirm that while God does not send or permit painful experiences of judgment, people’s actions bring consequences upon us. When we violate God’s purposes, we set in motion the collapse of our own good fortunes. Nevertheless, God never abandons us but continues to be with us and to work with us for good. (66:12b)
The preacher could use this part of the psalm as a beginning point for reflecting on attitudes and actions in the congregation (and in the larger world) that diminish the quality of life in the community and in the wider world, and that could even lead to community collapse. To what degree are our thoughts and behaviors similar to those of the rebellious nations? The sermon could be both a pastoral warning to avoid such behaviors and a pastoral encouragement to respond positively to the omnipresent God who invites the community to live faithfully.
October 21, 2007
Psalm 119:97–104
“Psalm 119” is the answer to a Bible trivia question. “What is the longest chapter in the Bible?” Pilgrims to Jerusalem are thought to have memorized this long psalm and to have recited it. Psalm 119 is a Torah Psalm whose purpose is to celebrate Torah and call attention to the blessing in life that results from living in the way of Torah and the distortions of life that result from ignoring Torah. The appearance of Psalm 119 is a wonderful opportunity to help the congregation explore Torah.
Many Christians think of Torah as a legalistic set of rules that people must obey to earn God’s love. Such folk view the Jewish religion as teaching works righteousness and see the law as a terrible burden that enervates people. Psalm 119 exposes this misperception. Given the popular associations with the word “law” in contemporary North America, that word is a poor rendering of Torah. We think of law in connection with lawyers (sharks), endless wrangling, and a “justice” that often results in arbitrary decisions that are unfair. By contrast, the Hebrew term “Torah” means instruction, teaching or guidance such as that provided by a parent. Torah includes not only precepts such as “You shall not kill” (halacha) but also the formative stories of Israel (haggadah). The center of Torah is the covenant in which God pledges to be faithful to Israel and to show Israel the way to blessing. The precepts of Torah are practical instructions for living in the way of blessing.
Positive representations of Torah permeate the reading for today. “Oh how I love your Torah!” the psalmist exclaims. “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” The preacher might want to encourage similar responses in the congregation.
The Jewish community reads the Torah (from Genesis through Deuteronomy) each year in a lectionary format and observes an annual festival called Simchat Torah (“rejoicing with Torah”) that usually takes place in the middle of October when the community begins the lectionary cycle anew. The heart of this festival is a celebratory procession (including dancing) with the scrolls of the Torah. The preacher can point out that this celebration takes place close to the date that Psalm 119 appears in our lectionary, and the congregation might have its own celebration of Torah.
Christians sometimes say we are “free from the law.” Such language reflects Christian misperception (see above). It also overlooks the fact that both Paul and Jesus honor the law. (Rom 13:8–10; Mk 12:28–34; Mt 22:34–40; Lk 10:25–28). The Jesus movement is thus essentially Jewish in orientation. In the early days, gentiles did not convert fully to Judaism, because they expected the world to end soon. Gentiles can follow the spirit of Torah by loving God and neighbor. I refer to gentile Christianity as “Judaism lite.”
Psalm 119 consists of twenty-two stanzas arranged as an alphabet acrostic; that is, each stanza begins with a separate letter (in order) of the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The New International Version of the Bible catches this quality in the translation. A preacher who writes a manuscript might try to develop the sermon with each new paragraph beginning with a successive letter of the English alphabet (though 26 average length paragraphs would probably be much too long for the typical Sunday-morning sermon). This exercise would not only be a fascinating challenge but would also create a subtle resonance between the psalm and the sermon.
October 28, 2007
Psalm 84:1–7
This psalm is one of a group of psalms called Songs of Zion. These psalms honor Zion (especially the temple) as both a symbol of God’s promises to Israel and also a material place where the community can experience the living presence of God. Although the people of the First Testament largely did not think that God’s presence was limited to the temple, but believed that God was present in all times and places, the temple was a visible reminder of God’s promises. (How easy it is to forget those promises in only seven days!) The architecture of the temple represented the world as God intended it to be; thus, standing in the worship space, the community experienced life as God could make it possible. While people could encounter the divine presence any time and any place, they regarded the temple as a guaranteed place where the community could perceive God afresh.
In Psalm 84 the temple is beautiful. (v 1) The palmist longs for the temple in a visceral way. (v 2) This yearning is not for the stones but for the sense of the divine. Given the semi-arid conditions of the land of Israel, the lives of sparrows and swallows were tenuous. In pointing out that these birds find a home in the temple, the psalmist puts forward a vivid image of experiencing the providence of God. People who feel like sparrows can similarly discover the providential power that supports life.
The priests who dwell in the temple are blessed. (v 4) Those who make a pilgrimage to the temple are likewise blessed. The valley of Baca was probably a dry place through which pilgrims passed, but the knowledge that they are going to the temple makes that valley a place of springs and early rain. (vv 5–7) This journey through the valley is a powerful symbol for individuals and communities who find themselves in Baca-like circumstances. For such folk, the temple is not only a symbol of divine presence but also a real source of refreshment and renewal.
Some Christians are uneasy with the amount of attention (and financial resources) that congregations devote to buildings, especially when we consider how far such resources could go towards food, clothing, housing, and medical care for those without. I find myself joining others in speaking of the “edifice complex.” Nevertheless, congregations can benefit from having places that play roles similar to that of the temple. The preacher can help the congregation regard such a place as a means to an end. The building is to serve identity and mission. The mission of the congregation is not to preserve the building.
The preacher could take this psalm as an occasion to help the congregation think about the degree to which the church building does (or could) function analogously to the temple. How do the parts of the worship space (and the larger building) and the elements and movement of the service of worship facilitate the congregation’s awareness of the divine presence and purposes and represent God’s vision for the world?
More boldly, a preacher might consider places and experiences outside the church building or even outside the congregation that help people become aware of the divine presence and purposes similarly to the temple. The preacher might point to places, groups, or individuals who function in these ways though these groups may be under religious banners other than those of Christianity, or under banners that have no religious connotations.
