Psalm 50:1-8, 22-23
What are we to make of this psalm, let alone the first few verses that overwhelm our senses. Consuming fire, prophetic declarations, and GOD, THE MIGHTY ONE, The LORD is present and with us; offering judgement and yes, salvation. It would be easy to run away, but remove yourself from that impulse and immerse yourself into the beauty and artistry of the psalm.
This psalm of Asaph, takes on a prophetic tone quickly. Like a herald, the psalmist desires for the audience to clearly understand who it is that is speaking. GOD (El), The GOD (Elohim), The One That Is! (YHWY) is speaking, and this emphatic succession of the three distinct and powerful names of God, may be where you want to base your sermon. GOD speaks with and through the prophets, in the various books named for those very prophets. GOD speaks to various people in Genesis, and significantly in Exodus, as GOD establishes GOD’s covenant with Israel, GOD’s chosen people. The naming of GOD (v2), the connection with Mt. Zion (GOD’s Holy mountain/earthly and heavenly sanctuary), the consuming fire(v3), the proclaiming of the heavens (v4), all of this is a sensory reminder that GOD is King, and “He is exercising authority.”
To make this as plain as possible to a congregation, one could elect to simply preach from vv 1-3a, carefully knitting together the important theophanies of the Old Testament. Moments where the names used by the psalmist for GOD, “El”, “Elohim,” “YHWH,” were as much opportunities for all to see GOD’s power, as well as GOD’s desire for relationship with GOD’s people. Why are names so important? Names allow you to identify something or someone, but names/naming establishes connection, née relationship. In Genesis, GOD establishes GOD’s self through his sovereignty over the patriarchs and the use of their names (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob). In Exodus, GOD’s name becomes action through the use of two verbs, (I AM THAT I AM), thus solidifying the active presence of GOD amongst a people whom GOD saves, and desires perpetual connection. One could easily make the tie between the naming of GOD in the OT to the naming/identifying of Christ in the NT, but it may not be necessary. There is great power in walking a congregation through a poetically crafted narrative of GOD’s story. Even if only narrated through the Old Testament, it is still a powerful and potent illumination of GOD’s majesty, but even more GOD’s love for GOD’s people.
Still, in the midst of the beauty and majesty, we cannot overlook that GOD is judge and authority over us all. The exaltedness of GOD is as present in this psalm as the “chesed,” or loving kindness or grace of God. GOD calls for those whom GOD establishes covenant with, GOD’s faithful ones, to stand in this natural/heavenly courtroom (established in the first few verses of this psalm), and give account. With GOD there is ALWAYS accountability, and there should always be sacrifice. No, we do not offer animal sacrifices as the Levites, but we should be familiar with the practice of sacrifice, and this sacrifice should be tangible, and costly. Perhaps a sermon based in this idea is important for your community.
Christians must be careful and accountable to the many negative ways that we can offer an anti-Jewish or supersessionist hermeneutic when preaching about sacrifice. It’s easy to wag fingers about ritual and the use of liturgy, but even in our own Christian context, we often use ritual and liturgy to separate the perceived sheep from the goats. Although these verses are omitted from the lectionary, vv.16-20 addresses these issues, and holds all to account for offering arrogance and supremacy over true sacrifice and worship. How often has liturgy and church ritual been a generational point of contention within your community? The tension of these issues may not find there way into your sermon this week, but perhaps it deserves further investigation in a small group setting, or leadership retreat. In the end, our worship, praise and sacrifice speak to our understanding, relationship to, and love of GOD.
Typically, this Psalm is used on Transfiguration Sunday, a time when the church travels with Jesus, up the mountain with the chosen disciples to be seen in ALL of His glory and effulgence. In this psalm we see GOD for who GOD is, a terrifying and terrific being whom we have no control over, and yet, we do have control over how we relate to this GOD. Corporately and individually, we are accountable to how we relate to God. How we come together each week to engage in the praise, work and worship of this GOD is significant. Our praise, the proclaimed and spoken words offered to GOD ultimately show up in our actions and how we internalize and live out the commands of GOD. Just as GOD was seen by GOD’s people throughout the narrative and promise of the Old Testament, Jesus showed us that we had the potential and ability to live and fulfill these commands. Even now, others need to see our actions and even our sacrifice as a continued legacy of a GOD who is very present, active and engaged with GOD’s creation.
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