Psalms of Ascent

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 Although the enemy doesn’t deserve a blessing, the psalmist offers one anyway.

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Let them be like the grass on the housetops,
which withers before it grows up,
⁷ with which the reaper does not fill his hand
nor the binder of sheaves his arms,
⁸ nor do those who pass by say,
“The blessing of the Lord be upon you!
We bless you in the name of the Lord!”

 

After reading this portion of Psalm 129, you may find it somewhat disturbing and perplexing. But, let’s remember the Psalm as a whole. As the psalmist appropriately releases his emotions by honesty exposing them to God, we can observe his process as well as his conclusion. He begins by crying out about his affliction, then comes to the crux of his pain and declares a confident “yet” which acknowledges God’s protection and involvement amidst the struggle. Even when he recognizes God, he continues to express frustration concerning his opposition – even wishing and praying for them not to succeed.

In today’s reading, we notice the psalmist praying directly against his enemy. As if he shouts, “may my enemy never be greeted with God’s peace and blessing.” However, ironically, the psalmist stops. He pauses for a moment and looks back at what he’s written. Looking at the whole story, he sees how God has protected him and how the enemy has not won out. He realizes evil has not prevailed and although the enemy doesn’t deserve a blessing, the psalmist offers one anyway.

He turns back and says “We bless you in the name of the Lord” (Psalm 129:8). This is remarkable. Pastor Ryan reminded us on Sunday that there is a way we can walk through affliction with God where we come out with more life, more joy and more motivation to bless on the other side. He says, “perseverance positions us to extend the blessing of God.” As a challenge for today, consider the person you might turn to bless at the conclusion of your psalm of affliction. Use Numbers 6:24-26 as a guide to write out a blessing over that person today.

 

²⁴ The Lord bless you and keep you;
²⁵ the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
²⁶ the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
-Numbers 6:24-26

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By Yvonne Biel 

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We choose to forge greater hope when we expose our anger to God alone.

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“Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth”—
let Israel now say—
“Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth,
yet they have not prevailed against me.
The plowers plowed upon my back;
they made long their furrows.”
The Lord is righteous;
he has cut the cords of the wicked.
May all who hate Zion
be put to shame and turned backward!
Let them be like the grass on the housetops,
which withers before it grows up,
with which the reaper does not fill his hand
nor the binder of sheaves his arms,
nor do those who pass by say,
“The blessing of the Lord be upon you!
We bless you in the name of the Lord!”

 

Psalm 129 bleeds with raw human honesty. Just listen as the psalmist cries out. He exposes deep pain from prolonged affliction and screams out in anger. Bible scholars call this an imprecatory psalm, because the author is pleading with God to do violence against his enemy. As the Israelites choose this song on their ascent to Jerusalem, they are willingly identifying their own deep pain from generations of affliction.

In the American church, imprecatory psalms are not usually chosen to be recited at gatherings of worship, most likely because, affliction is uncomfortable to talk about. Yet, all humans face affliction in one way or another. And if we’re honest, our response to affliction is always emotive. Perhaps you can relate with the prophet Habakkuk when he cries out, “O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong?” (Habakkuk 1:1-2)

Whatever affliction you have faced or are currently facing, it probably provokes anger inside of you – especially if God seems passive. Pastor Ryan Paulson said in his weekend sermon, “We have a choice. We can respond to affliction in one of two ways – hope or hostility.” If we choose to act on our anger, hostility comes out in violence. If we choose to bury our emotions, we wind up bitter and hostility inevitably seeps out on the people closest to us. Or, we can choose to forge greater hope when we expose our anger to God alone – trusting him to mature something inside of us through the furnace of affliction.

Since God purposely designed us with emotions and intended emotions to come out, let’s determine to take those emotions to God today. Set aside time to let God examine your heart by writing or speaking out your present emotions to God.[/vc_column_text][us_separator height=”25px” size=”custom”][vc_column_text]

By Yvonne Biel 

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God is faithful to take our minuscule efforts and multiply their outcome.

 

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Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

 

Moving into the latter section of Psalm 127, Solomon turns a sharp corner and offers a multi-faceted metaphor. He begins by declaring the blessing children are from the Lord. This seems to be an illustration for his earlier comments on God’s sovereign involvement in our ordinary work. In this metaphor, children are a rich inheritance, a fruitful product and a valuable reward. Just as children are a wonderful result of a loving relationship, so is the reward of our work in partnership with God. Teaming with God results in an abundance of blessing – because God is faithful to take our minuscule efforts and multiply their outcome.

In A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, Eugene Peterson says, “the psalm praises the effortless work of making children… What do we have to do to get sons and daughters? Very little… We participated in an act of love that was provided for us in the structure of God’s creation.” So, it is with our work. God creates a beautiful – though paradoxical – structure by which we’re invited to team with him in the creative work he’s given us to do. When we faithfully do our part in loving relationship with God, results are bountiful.

The more we team with God finding rest in his love, the more we can reap divine benefit. Like many arrows in a quiver and many children in a household, Solomon notes the many blessings for those who do life according to God’s design – including freedom from shame (Psalm 127:5). Paul declares, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes… For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith” (Romans 1:16-17). This is the way of God’s kingdom – God uses an ounce of our faith to declare us righteous. He takes our small efforts to work with him and then lavishes us with abundant blessings. Let’s praise God for his abundance and the joy of doing life with him by listening to When I’m With You by Citizen Way.[/vc_column_text][us_separator height=”25px” size=”custom”][vc_column_text]

By Yvonne Biel 

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Failing to rest is not only missing out on a blessing, it’s defiance.

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Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. 2 For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,’” although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” 5 And again in this passage he said, “They shall not enter my rest.” 6 Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, 7 again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. 9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. 11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.

 

God is serious about rest. Not only does God create us with regular sleep rhythms, he models rest for us when he sets aside an entire day to simply enjoy all he created (Genesis 2:1-3). God lovingly commands us to follow his example by keeping a weekly Sabbath and entering his rest. Throughout the whole Bible, God reiterates his deep desire to give us his rest, and when we refuse, his unsatisfied passion infuriates him.

In Hebrews 4, we catch a glimpse of God’s passionate desire for rest – as the author quotes many instances when God’s children hardened their heart and failed to enter his rest. It’s clear the lack of true rest is consequence for disobedience. Failing to rest is not only missing out on a blessing, it’s defiance. Hebrews 4:10 says, “Let us, therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.”

Striving to enter rest is not merely scheduling a vacation or setting a few days aside to cease work. The rest God desires for us is a deep rest within our soul. Granted, this involves submitting to the regular rhythms he’s set in motion for us. Honoring our sleep cycle, setting down our agenda to spend time with Jesus and taking a weekly Sabbath helps put every day into perspective.

Rest takes courage. We have to let time pass without having control – without making more progress – without making more money. But, that’s the beauty of how God designed us – to let go and trust him. Rest is God’s good gift for us and when we refuse, we become an irritable child who stubbornly refused to take an ever-so-needed afternoon nap. So, schedule time in your schedule today to go on a walk or read scripture or simply allow yourself to be loved. Let’s become stubborn about enjoying God’s rest rather than refusing it.[/vc_column_text][us_separator height=”25px” size=”custom”][vc_column_text]

By Yvonne Biel 

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There is a sacred paradox between God’s work and ours.

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⁵ What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. ⁶ I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. ⁷ So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. ⁸ He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. ⁹ For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.

 

There is a sacred paradox between God’s work and ours. The Psalmist says “Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain” (Psalm 127:2). If God watches and we watch, who’s actually doing the watching? Both. “For we are God’s fellow workers,” Paul says to the church in Corinth. There is a holy togetherness by which we partner with God in the work he gives. We plant and water, but God makes things grow. We watch and guard, but God grants protection. We are responsible for certain action, but so is God.

When God enters our activity, he gives life and breath to the toil of our hands. He infuses our work with meaning and purpose. Sadly, we often fail to acknowledge this. We neglect to pray for his involvement or we forget to notice it entirely. Rather than embracing the tension of working together, we assume passivity on either end. Either we believe God remains passive leaving us alone to complete our work, or we believe God wishes for us to remain passive so he can get the glory. Ironically, this is not how it works!

God invites us to live in the tension between sloth and ambition. It’s tempting to fall on either end because laziness feeds our comfort and productivity our control. But, both are false gospels. God doesn’t want drop outs or workaholics. He desires something beautifully in-between as we do life “with” God. An invitation which is both empowering and relaxing. We can confidently step the way God’s divinely made us to be and relax into him because he’s in control over the fruitfulness and result of whatever we do. Take the next few minutes to ask God to infuse your work today.

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By Yvonne Biel 

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God gave us work as a gift – to help us participate in his grand story.

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Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.
It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.

 

From the dawn of life, before sin imposed, God strategically placed man in a garden and gave him a task. God tasks man with work (Genesis 2:15). This work is not a result of the fall but an inherent part of being human – and a beautiful reflection of God’s creative work forming and caring for us. God designs us to work, to labor and to expend effort in this life – caring for the world in which we live. If we continue reading the Genesis narrative, we’ll notice how work later becomes frustrated and a source of trouble for all humanity.

You can sense this tension in the first line of Psalm 127. The line sounds more like a proverb than a lyric with it’s pithy punch. “Unless the Lord builds the house, the labor is in vain.” The Psalmist feels frustration when labor turns to futility and he declares the unique paradox of God’s involvement in the work we attempt. The verse has been passed down to remember the way God infuses our work with purpose and significance.

Unfortunately, instead of seeing work as an opportunity to join God’s workforce, we often treat work as the means to earn purpose and identity. We even rank others based on their occupation and assign value based on what a person can “do.” Then, we turn the measuring stick back on ourselves to find our worth built on what we can achieve. However, God never intended work to give us identity, but to be a vehicle by which we express who we are. God gave us work as a gift – to help us participate in his grand story. Take the next few minutes to remember the blessing of work and write out a list of abilities God’s given you.

 

For we are his workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God prepared beforehand,
that we should walk in them.
– Ephesians 2:10

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By Yvonne Biel 

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The nature of joy is that it’s not fully realized until it’s expressed.

[/ultimate_heading][us_separator height=”20px” size=”custom”][us_sharing providers=”email,facebook,twitter,gplus”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]Walking back through the streets of Jerusalem after being in exile for 70 years, the Psalmist writes, “Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, ‘The LORD has done great things for them.’” Yes, going from being in captivity in Babylon to rebuilding and restoring the city of Jerusalem was a ‘great thing.’ It was a miracle. It stands in infamy to this day as a work so mighty only God could take credit for it.

The ability to choose joy demands an awareness of God’s divine grace. It’s what the people of Israel had as they stood inside the gates of the once felled city of Jerusalem. They saw the hand of God at work in their lives and they were conscious of the reality that God had been unnecessarily and abundantly good to them. However, the joy the Israelites felt about God’s restoration was not in awareness alone, it was a declaration they made! They “shouted for joy!” The nature of joy is that it’s not fully realized until it’s expressed. To summarize C.S. Lewis, the act of expressing joy is the consummation of truly receiving it.

How many “great things” does God do that we simply walk past? It is a discipline to see the work of God in our lives. As human beings, we have the tendency to take the air in our lungs, the tasks we can do, and bodies that function for granted. Often the consistency by which God blesses our lives erodes our ability to see His hand at work. What are some of the ‘great works’ of God you have taken for granted? What are some of the blessings you’ve walked past? Take some time today to cultivate an awareness of God’s hand in your life and then respond by expressing gratitude! If you’re on social media, post something and tag it with #psalmsofascent so we can celebrate with you. If you’re not on social media, write your ‘shout of joy’ on a post-it and place it somewhere you’ll see it throughout the day.

 

“I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation. It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are; the delight is incomplete till it is expressed. It is frustrating to have discovered a new author and not to be able to tell anyone how good he is; to come suddenly, at the turn of the road, upon some mountain valley of unexpected grandeur and then to have to keep silent because the people with you care for it no more than for a tin can in the ditch; to hear a good joke and find no one to share it with.” C.S. Lewis in Reflections on the Psalms

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By Ryan Paulson

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We continue to do everyday things because we know the potential for a good and beautiful outcome.  

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Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like streams in the Negeb!  Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!  He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.

Life for a farmer is full of unknowns. The soil they till and turn is just a single component of the complex life of a plant.  So many other conditions come into play.  The first verse of our scripture today speaks to the primary requirement: water.  In the Negeb, a bone-dry desert, water is the one essential with transformative power.  When these parched grounds are laced with water, amazing growth and color return.  As the sower heads out to plant, knowing the complexity of growth and possibility of disaster, and yet he plants, exercising hope in the future celebration of a fruitful harvest.

Our life is full of unknowns, too. Yet, we continue to do everyday things because we know the potential for a good and beautiful outcome.  When we worship, we bring all the good and bad along with us, hoping that God will get us through.  With our families, we continue to love them without fail, hoping their lives will be fruitful for the Kingdom.  With our work, we hope to influence those around us in their own lives, providing some reflection of the hope we experience in Christ.

In Ezekiel 37:1-14, God places Ezekiel in a valley of dry bones.  The dry bones represent Israel without hope, cut off from their life source.  God even describes them as being in a grave.  But, the end of the passage is full of hope for the people of Israel, with a guarantee that only God could give.  What a wonderful passage for us today!  While this Ezekiel passage seems long, read it all and then listen to “Beautiful Things” by Gungor in light of your reading.

 

¹ The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. ² And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. ³ And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” ⁴ Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.⁵ Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. ⁶ And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

⁷ So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. ⁸ And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. ⁹ Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” ¹⁰ So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

¹¹ Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ ¹² Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. ¹³ And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. ¹⁴ And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.”

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By Rich Obrecht

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God’s restoration of Israel reawakens their ability to laugh.

[/ultimate_heading][us_separator height=”20px” size=”custom”][us_sharing providers=”email,facebook,twitter,gplus”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]There’s something significant and even spiritual about sitting around a table with good friends, good food, and hearty laughter. Think back to the last time you experienced a time like that; my guess is it was magical. Moments like these remind us there’s a difference between existing and living. Laughter is said to be good for the soul, that’s true. Scientists have also recently identified laughter is also good for our physical bodies. It’s as though we’re created for experiences that allow us to feel the depths of what it means to be human.

When we go through seasons of doubt, pain, sorrow or loss, laughter is one of the first things that disappears. Pain has the ability to dominate our lives. Sorrow speaks over us in such a way that clouds our ability to enjoy good things. Perhaps if you’ve lost someone you love, you’ve even experienced guilt about laughing in the midst of pain.  However, the Psalmist writes, “When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter…” The Psalmist reminds us that God’s restoration of Israel reawakens their ability to laugh.

The restoration God brings is holistic. Not only is Israel restored to their land, their ability to appreciate the life they’ve been given has also been restored. The return of laughter is indicative of Israel’s ability to be present! It’s impossible to laugh in the past or in the future, you can only laugh in the present. The Israelites were able to step back from their immediate needs to appreciate the divine humor surrounding them. They were able to appreciate the world as it was, not as they wished it would be. The return of laughter was the fruit of freedom.

How often do you laugh? On average, kids laugh 300-400 times each day. Adults only laugh 15-20 times each day. What happens to us as we ‘mature’? What if we started to view laughter as a litmus test for the spiritual health of our soul? Spiritually healthy people have the ability to laugh! Let yourself laugh today! See the world around you and look for divine humor. Embrace the freedom of the cross that allows you to be present with the people around you. If you need a little help, watch this video![/vc_column_text][us_separator height=”25px” size=”custom”][vc_column_text]

By Ryan Paulson

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Memories are drops of hope on our hearts

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When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.   Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”   The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad.

Memories can be filled with wonder and delight.  Sometimes we’ll look across the dinner table at an old friend, and see a smile creeping across their face as they look off in the distance.  When we ask them what they’re smiling about, they respond with “Oh, do you remember when…” and then bring up a memory about some past adventure.  The truly amazing thing is though the event was dramatic at the time, we can smile now, recalling our comments of “You know, some day, we’ll look back on this and smile.”  Cascades of memories begin to flow like rivers of gladness as we share memories together.

The psalmist here is doing that very thing – recalling a memory of restoration and remembering the feeling of celebration it brought as he recounts the laughter and “shouts of joy”.  In Exodus 15:1-3, we find the Israelites delivered by the Almighty God and singing for joy.  Just a short time before, they were angry with Moses for bringing them out Egypt because they were afraid. Now, after being led out from slavery and again saved from the Egyptians who were in hard pursuit of them, they can rejoice. What a difference a little time and miracle from God can make!

All of us have stories to tell about being restored.  Chances are, one is tracing a path across your mind as you read this now.  And isn’t it wonderful  when these memories seem to find their way to us during a time we need them most?  The Holy Spirit knows, as we face struggles and difficulties, memories are drops of hope on our hearts, strengthening us to continue on.  As these memories come to mind, reflect on the great things that have happened in your past.  If someone asks what that smile is all about, tell them the memory!

 

Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying,
“I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously;
    the horse and his ride he has thrown into the sea.
The Lord is my strength and my song,
    and he has become my salvation;
this is my God, and I will praise him,
    my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
The Lord is a man of war;
    the Lord is his name.
Exodus 15:1-3

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By Rich Obrecht

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