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Currently browsing thread: Prayer from Despair: A Psalm for Our Times Petersen Aug 25, 2005 13:47:03
Prayer from Despair: A Psalm for Our Times
Petersen
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Aug 25, 2005 13:47:03

(Quotes from Psalm 74 NKJ)
Could we not pray: "O God, why have You cast us off forever? Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?" Does this not embody our worst fears and seem obvious in face fo the evidence? Has God cast us off.

What smoldering faith we have hastens to add: "Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old, The tribe of Your inheritance, which You have redeemed -- This Mount Zion where You have dwelt." It is God who has bought us with His Blood. He has named us with His Name and adopted us as His own. He has promised to be in our Zions, the mercy seat of God in bread and wine, the Temple not built with hands from His right Hand to make us one. He is hidden in the words of a book and the words of a man. Remember, O God. Because sometimes it looks like you've forgot. And Remind us, as well.

We might glance around this fallen synod, our sinking country, and admonish God: "Lift up Your feet to the perpetual desolations. The enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary. Your enemies roar in the midst of Your meeting place; They set up their banners for signs. They seem like men who lift up Axes among the thick trees. And now they break down its carved work, all at once, With axes and hammers. They have set fire to Your sanctuary; They ve defiled the dwelling place of Your name to the ground. They said in their hearts, "Let us destroy them altogether." They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land. We do not see our signs; There is no longer any prophet; Nor is there any among us who knows how long."

Finally, with what hope is left, with that whisping faith of grace, by our fingernails or less, we dare to ask: "O God, how long will the adversary reproach?" But that faith is flustered, angry even with the curse and with sin. It goes so far as to accuse God. It says: "Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever? Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand? Take it out of Your bosom and destroy them."

But we are Lutherans. It can't stop there. No matter how bad things are, no matter how sorrowful and afraid we might be, we know that God is King. This is not our home. We go on: "For God is my King from of old, Working salvation in the midst of the earth." He has always been this way. He has always intervened, always rescued us despite our sins and selfishiness. His love has never failed. We pray: "You divided the sea by Your strength; You broke the heads of the sea serpents in the waters. You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces, And gave him as food to the people inhabiting the wilderness. You broke open the fountain and the flood; You dried up mighty rivers."

There is nothing left to fear. It is finished. We are done. The Victory is assured. Adn by that grace, even in our weakness, we confess: "The day is Yours, the night also is Yours; You have prepared the light and the sun. You have set all the borders of the earth; You have made summer and winter."

Still, we need help. Hell is done, but our journeys still go on, and the path is beset with demons and legions of those who would devour us. So like dear, niave, dependen children asking their dear father, we remind and ask Our Father: "Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O LORD, And that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name. Oh, do not deliver the life of Your turtledove to the wild beast! Do not forget the life of Your poor forever."

We know that He will hear us. We will have our way. Afterall, are not all things ours in Jesus' Name? He will not hold out forever. He has made a promise sealed in Blood. He broke death's doors and rolled away the stone. We remind Him and ourselves again: "Have respect to the covenant; For the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of cruelty. Oh, do not let the oppressed return ashamed! Let the poor and needy praise Your name."

And, finally, we remember that His cause is our cause. When His will is done it is for our good. we pray: "Arise, O God, plead Your own cause; Remember how the foolish man reproaches You daily. Do not forget the voice of Your enemies; The tumult of those who rise up against You increases continually."

Perahps Psalm 74 is the Psalm for our times.  

Comments...

  • Aug 26, 2005 06:25:25 Re: Prayer from Despair: A Psalm for Our Times - Pr. HR Curtis
    Great thoughts on the Psalm, Dave, but what about that picture? Is David praying to the Pope in heaven? Nice three-tiered tiara! Where is this picture from?
    • Aug 28, 2005 11:18:05 Re: Prayer from Despair: A Psalm for Our Times - Petersen
      I don't know what it is. It is supposed to be David praying even though this isn't a Davidic Psalm. I assumed he was praying to the Father but I didn't really look that close. I found the picture through Biblical Art on the Web, a neat site.
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