orichalcum

We went to services on Sunday morning at the First Church of Christ in Glastonbury, CT, which is a healthy and thriving congregation which could be used for UCC commercials about diversity. The theme of the service was about stress reduction, and this caused for me both some interesting thoughts, and a Moment of Zen. The Moment of Zen was caused by the minister having a soloist sing "You Raise Me Up," the cheesy American Idol/Josh Groban pop song, as part of the sermon about trusting in God. This was a little too much sugar for my religious tastes.

On the Complex and Provocative Religious side, however, he chose Psalm 32 for the reading, a psalm I was almost totally unfamiliar with.



Blessed is he
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.

2 Blessed is the man
whose sin the LORD does not count against him
and in whose spirit is no deceit.

3 When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.

4 For day and night
your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.
Selah

5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, "I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD "—
and you forgave
the guilt of my sin.
Selah

Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you
while you may be found;
surely when the mighty waters rise,
they will not reach him.

7 You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
Selah

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you and watch over you.

9 Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.

10 Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the LORD's unfailing love
surrounds the man who trusts in him.

11 Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!


Some thoughts:
The minister talked about the idea of the danger of silence, of suffering and failing to trust in God or friends. I liked this - and the image of bones wasting away and heat exhaustion well mirrors my experience of stress at certain points. Even though it's harder, the psalmist says, you need to be proactive about seeking help.

The idea of God as a hiding place, and as a figure who will protect you with songs, also resonates for me. This isn't God the King or God the Stern Lecturer, this is God as refuge and comfort. A. and I were talking last night about the differences in views of God as Parent versus God as Monarch, and how those perceptions have also been inextricably reshaped by changes in how people conceive of the family and familial roles. To me, verses seven and eight seem very paternal in the modern sense - a refuge, but also a teacher. At the same time, you have to be a willing student, one who understands the value of learning and seeking help, who doesn't need to be dragged towards enlightenment. This Psalm suggests a very interactive relationship between God and human, and one which is both without hierarchy and yet recognizes the superior wisdom and grace of the divine.

Selah, for the record, seems to mean something like "this is important," although no one's quite sure, from what I know, and it may just be a musical notation.