The Psalm Project

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2008-04-07T09:31:45-05:00

richard bruxvoort colligan

Psalm 46: "God, Our Home and Help"

2006-10-06T23:22:12-05:00

God, our home and help

O God, our home and help

We entrust our troubles to you

God, our home and help

O God, our home and help

We entrust our troubles to you

Psalm Synopsis

Psalm 46 is rich with layers. The eleven verses speak of God’s as an unshakable fortress. We have other metaphors for the dynamic nature of God—God as spirit/wind/breath, for instance—however, this Psalm centers on the mighty strength of God in the world. The antiphon in 46.7 and 46.11 is the central meditation: “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our haven.” (The Tanakh)

Liturgical Theology

In 46.1 God is named a refuge, shelter, or haven for God’s people. In the 21st century, we consider translating these as Home, a site of strength and safety. This choice means a shift from the indigenous meaning to a people with wandering in their blood finding a tent to rest in before continuing on. For nomadic Yahwists without land of their own-- and fresh in the collective cultural memory of Israel as she did get land—God’s character could indeed be taken to heart as a shelter come across in the midst of a desert trek.

In 46.1 we have a confession of faith so central to our Jewish roots. Israel’s relationship with Yahweh was dynamic, passionate, and personal. This short chant is for meditation a la Taizé community or Iona. The lyrics transpose the Psalm text so the singers may pray this song in the first person. Note that this is a corporate prayer, just as the Psalm itself is framed.

Place in Worship
Meditation Song, Holy Communion, Song For Prayer

Psalm 46: "There is a River"

2006-10-06T23:17:07-05:00

Verse

There is a river

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God

Refrain

God is our home, God is our journey

We will not fear though trouble comes, for we are carried

Psalm Synopsis

This part of Psalm 46, mainly 46.4 for the verse, 46.1-2 for the refrain, sings a beautiful image of how God’s presence surrounds God’s people. In particular, during trouble.

Liturgical Theology

One beautiful moment in Psalm 46 is the image of water flowing through Zion city. Whatever this river is, wherever its origin and destination, these streams are gladness to the community, the “city of God’ where the Most High lives. Consider it a metaphor for God’s healing, life-giving presence among God’s people. Note that community seems to be a condition of salvation here.

The refrain unpacks the image with the joyously gospel style. Our relationship with God is both something set in covenant stone through God’s claim on us in Baptism, and also a dynamic, developing, ongoing relationship. So God is both home (refuge, shelter, haven as in 46.1,7) and journey. The latter speaks of God as bestower of Torah, even as Christ is named the Way. I like this connection across the Testaments. It has been written by authors Donald Miller and Brian McLaren that faith in the post-modern era is about relationship, not belief. “God Is Our Refuge and Strength” insists both sensibilities are important. God is encountered in creed as a rational ascent to truth. God is also encountered in deep wordless mystery along the way of life.

46.2: “Therefore we will not fear…” Now, fear is not always a bad thing. Fear can save your life. But in the context of post-9/11 USA, the bold statement, “We will not fear” resonates with African-American spirituals as a radically counter-cultural confession. Some may see it as unpatriotic not to participate in the terror-feeling as a response to terrorism in our world. To be faithful in this time and place means exploring the ways we make our confession for a broken world.

Line two of the refrain, “we are carried” refers to the River of God’s covenant in Baptism that both supports us and always carries us outward from the ‘city’.

Place in Worship

A Call to Worship