O Lord, I lift up my soul

20Apr
To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; my God, I put my trust in you; 
let me not be humiliated, nor let my enemies triumph over me.

Let none who look to you be put to shame; 
let the treacherous be disappointed in their schemes.

Show me your ways, O Lord, and teach me your paths.

Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation;
in you have I trusted all the day long.

Remember, O Lord, your compassion and love, for they are from everlasting.

My eyes are ever looking to the Lord, for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.
  
Turn to me and have pity on me, for I am left alone and in misery.

The sorrows of my heart have increased; bring me out of my troubles.

Look upon my adversity and misery and forgive me all my sin.

Look upon my enemies, for they are many, and they bear a violent hatred against me.
Protect my life and deliver me; let me not be put to shame, for I have trusted in you.

Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for my hope has been in you.

-Psalm 25:1-5, 14-20


In my younger years, I often heard the saying, “nice guys finish last”. This bothered me a lot, and I think it would bother the psalmist here as well. It sounds as if the plea here is: 

“I am trying to be a good person, but I feel alone and miserable. This seems to delight my enemies. Don’t let those treacherous schemers get away with it.”


But as I reflect now upon theses verses there is a lot more going on as the psalmist lifts up their soul, opening their heart to God. We hear, “look upon my adversity and misery and forgive me all my sin”. Perhaps we can be our own worst enemies when it comes to keeping ourselves from God’s love and abundance. I actually have a hard time identifying enemies who would feel triumph in my humiliation. It is a lot easier for me to identify people I wish would get what they deserve. It easy to think of “those people” who seem to prosper from bad behavior. 


A deeper message here may be that dwelling on the wrong doings of others diverts us from the paths that God would have us follow, paths leading to lasting joy and prosperity. There are several references here to God’s way and God’s paths. The characteristics we hear associated with these paths are everlasting love, compassion, integrity and uprightness. The psalmist longs to be taught in these ways and to have their feet “plucked out of the net”. This net, keeping us from positive action ourselves, may well be spending too much energy thinking about how others might improve themselves. A clear path given for us by Jesus to his disciples at the Last Supper is to love one another as he has loved us. That is no easy path. Fortunately, we have Jesus’ promise that the Holy Spirit is with us to help us accomplish it. The psalmist, opening the depths of their soul, is also recognizing the need for God’s constant guidance.


Musical Reflection - Lead me, Lord (SS Wesley) - Wesley Methodist Church, Reading


Lord, grant me the daily presence of mind to remember that following you and your paths involves action on my part and not just longing for you to bring justice into a broken World. Lead me by the hand to carry and share the abundance of your love to those I meet during my daily doings. Amen.

Holy Spirit

Previous Page

Date
Category
Author
Latest Posts
Tags
#absalomjones, #abundance, #advent, #advent #preparation #waiting, #anger, #antiracist, #archive #crisis #strength, #archive #treasure #heaven, #art, #ashwednesday, #ashwednesday #preservation #labor, #awe #reverence #fear, #bannedbooks, #baptism #discernment #support #covenant, #bathroomfloor #damascus #women, #beatitudes #allsaints, #belonging #america, #beloved, #bible #authority #religious #thinplace, #bible #forgiveness #prodigalson, #blessing #loveyourneighbor, #breathe #silence #love, #brothers #jesus #father #faith, #burden #rest #peace, #camp #loss #death #humble #humility, #change, #change #renewal #growth, #children #education #faith #formation, #children #parenthood #graduation #bittersweet, #christmas #stnicholas, #commandments, #communication #words #voice, #community #welcome #unity, #confession #paul #imperfection #failings, #courage #parable, #creation, #creation #love #space, #crucifix #cross, #david #goliath, #death #allsaints #winter, #death #loss #grief #memory, #discernment #presence, #disciples #evangelism, #division, #divorce, #enemy, #enneagram #grace, #faith #jesus, #fear, #forever, #formation, #friendship, #good, #good #evil, #gratitude #mercy, #gratitude #sing #nature, #halloween, #halloween #allsouls, #healing #leper #miracles, #help, #help #thanks #wow, #history #love #women #justice #friendship, #humanity, #humility, #hymn, #inclusivity #diversity #allarewelcome, #individualism #wealth #camel #excess #humility, #injustice #racism #unconditionallove, #jesus #joy #suffering, #johnthebaptist, #joseph #jesus #prison #forgiveness #family, #journey #pilgrims #companions, #joy #example #light, #joy #faith #perserverance #psalm, #joy #fun #mission #medicalmission, #joy #trials #overcome #faith #endurance, #justinmartyr #civildiscourse #jesus, #keepcalm, #king #judgement #government, #kingdom, #kingdom #disciples, #kingdom #god #life #story, #light, #light #darkness #holyspirit, #light #gratitude #joy #awe #miracles, #listening, #love, #love #gratitude #peace, #love #imperfection #mother #flowers, #love #light #loveyourneighbor, #loveyourneighbor, #lyric #music #harmony #emotions #paul, #mardigras, #martinluther, #mary #joseph #jesus, #mary #martha #jesus, #marymagdalene #resurrection, #matthew #jesus #compassion #labor #suffering, #medicalmission #joy #prayer #healing, #medicalmission #youth #joy #laughter #connection, #memorialday #sacrifice #gratitude, #methodist #episcopal #eucharist, #ministry #work #labor, #miracle #friendship, #mission #medicalmission #healing #pentecost, #mission #medicalmission #serve #perserverance #loveyourneighbor, #missionstatement #inspired #strives #loveyourneighbor #dojustice #walkhumbly #archives, #money #fishing, #muppets #sabbath, #nativeamerican #land #blackfriday, #nature #retreat #moses, #neighbor #love #selflove #greatestcommandment, #painter #sailing, #parent #father #wisdom #family, #paul, #paul #jesus #authenticity #genuine, #paul #voice, #payphone #love, #peace #worry #martha #mary #vietnam #college, #perseverance, #peter #jesus #light #dark, #poetry #thanksgiving, #prayer, #prayer #grief #loss #pets, #prayer #peace, #prepare #crisis #faith #storm #jesus #archives, #psalms #mother #grandmother #gratitude, #psalms #rejoice #blessing, #quiet #retreat, #rage #unfairness #forgiveness #prayer, #rebirth #redemption #reconciliation #psalm #valley, #refuge, #remember #open #cryout #keep, #remembrance #september11, #rest, #retirement, #reward #loss #service #alcoholicsanonymous, #rock #support #foundation, #roshhashanah #judaism, #salvation #trust, #school #love #parents, #seeingjesus #hearinggod #vessel #handsandfeet, #selfrighteous #reconciliation, #serenityprayer #mary #martha, #serve #churchfamily, #solomon #failure, #standrew, #stars, #storms #peace #stainedglass, #story, #taize #prayer #listen, #teep #david #goliath #tlf, #tencommandments #sundayschool, #time #value #patience, #time #value #space, #todo #christmas, #tolerance, #transfiguration #mountaintop, #trees, #truth, #turntheothercheek, #waiting, #walkinlove, #weather #hurricane, #weddings #love #corinthians #patience, #williamtemple #singing, #witness #patience #presence #waiting, #women #mothers, #worry #trust, #worship #manygods #onegod, #wrangling #language, 12 steps, conviction, death, depression, doubt, easter, enemies, envy, eternal, eucharist, faith, female, grace, grief, holy spirit, hope, hypocrisy, jesus, judgement, love, make a difference, martyrs, medical mission, meditation, mental health, mission, mother, path, paul, pause, peace, peter, plan, power, powerless, presence, psalms, radiant, refuge, service, wisdom, youth

Stay Connected

Sign up to receive news and announcements from Trinity Church.

Sign Up