Proper 15
Preaching
Aids To The Psalms
Exploring The Message
Hear my prayer, O Lord;
let my cry come to you.
Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress.
Incline your ear to me;
answer me speedily in the day when I call.
For my days pass away like smoke,
and my bones burn like a furnace.
My heart is stricken and withered like grass;
I am too wasted to eat my bread.
Because of my loud groaning
my bones cling to my skin.
I am like an owl of the wilderness,
like a little owl of the waste places.
I lie awake;
I am like a lonely bird on the housetop.
All day long my enemies taunt me;
those who deride me use my name for a curse.
For I eat ashes like bread,
and mingle tears with my drink,
because of your indignation and anger;
for you have lifted me up and thrown me aside.
My days are like an evening shadow;
I wither away like grass.
But you, O Lord, are enthroned forever;
your name endures to all generations.
Alternate Image
The Singer sits in absolute despair, weeping. He had gotten
into a stupid argument at work and called his co-workers
base and vulgar names. Then when he came home he yelled at his
wife and belittled her activities when he was really mad at
himself. When his wife burst into tears at his unjustified
complaints, he stomped from the house and began to bang equipment
around in his workshop in their garage. His children came to see
what all the noise was about and he swore at them and yelled at
them to get away from him. In their haste to leave his little
girl fell and cut her knee. Now his children and his wife were
all in the house crying in bewilderment over his brutal and
callous actions. And so he sits in his garage crying and
wondering how can he be such a miserable contemptible creature.
His dog comes up and licks his face. He looks at his dog and
knows that even if he kicked his dog it would still come and lick
his face. Feeling one step lower than the scurviest cur that ever
lived, he goes back into his house and asks for his wife's and
children's forgiveness. They do. Even his co-workers the next day
accept his apologies and they continue their work together with
even greater commitment.
Reflection
Sparrows, the bird mentioned in this Psalm are not highly
regarded creatures, at least by most people. But there are times
when we feel more insignificant than sparrows and of less value.
Especially at those times when we embarrass ourselves by our own
behavior. Though the Psalmist in this case is more aghast at the
behavior of those toward him, we can find ourselves on both sides
of the fence of injustice. And at those times we feel powerless
to bring about any force for good and fairness. At those times it
is good for us to recall that God loves sparrows and even human
beings who act less than human.
let my cry come to you.
Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress.
Incline your ear to me;
answer me speedily in the day when I call.
For my days pass away like smoke,
and my bones burn like a furnace.
My heart is stricken and withered like grass;
I am too wasted to eat my bread.
Because of my loud groaning
my bones cling to my skin.
I am like an owl of the wilderness,
like a little owl of the waste places.
I lie awake;
I am like a lonely bird on the housetop.
All day long my enemies taunt me;
those who deride me use my name for a curse.
For I eat ashes like bread,
and mingle tears with my drink,
because of your indignation and anger;
for you have lifted me up and thrown me aside.
My days are like an evening shadow;
I wither away like grass.
But you, O Lord, are enthroned forever;
your name endures to all generations.
Alternate Image
The Singer sits in absolute despair, weeping. He had gotten
into a stupid argument at work and called his co-workers
base and vulgar names. Then when he came home he yelled at his
wife and belittled her activities when he was really mad at
himself. When his wife burst into tears at his unjustified
complaints, he stomped from the house and began to bang equipment
around in his workshop in their garage. His children came to see
what all the noise was about and he swore at them and yelled at
them to get away from him. In their haste to leave his little
girl fell and cut her knee. Now his children and his wife were
all in the house crying in bewilderment over his brutal and
callous actions. And so he sits in his garage crying and
wondering how can he be such a miserable contemptible creature.
His dog comes up and licks his face. He looks at his dog and
knows that even if he kicked his dog it would still come and lick
his face. Feeling one step lower than the scurviest cur that ever
lived, he goes back into his house and asks for his wife's and
children's forgiveness. They do. Even his co-workers the next day
accept his apologies and they continue their work together with
even greater commitment.
Reflection
Sparrows, the bird mentioned in this Psalm are not highly
regarded creatures, at least by most people. But there are times
when we feel more insignificant than sparrows and of less value.
Especially at those times when we embarrass ourselves by our own
behavior. Though the Psalmist in this case is more aghast at the
behavior of those toward him, we can find ourselves on both sides
of the fence of injustice. And at those times we feel powerless
to bring about any force for good and fairness. At those times it
is good for us to recall that God loves sparrows and even human
beings who act less than human.
