Tools for Monday: Reflecting on the Psalms
Pastor James wrote the following article for the “Lectionary to Life” series from The Center for Congregational Ethics. The article is an example of how one can reflect practically on the Psalms. The Psalms are full of guidance for how, what, and why we pray. They also illustrate God’s personal and loving nature. Our God is involved in every aspect of life. As we read the Psalms, we can pause and reflect with thanksgiving on what God is doing around us and how we may respond.
A Reflection on Psalm 19
Where does Christian ethics begin? Our congregations likely put little stock in such an important question. The majority of American Christians today arguably view ethics in a vacuum—what Aristotle would refer to as “ethike arete,” or a set of well-mannered behaviors designed to fit a happy medium between extremes. Popular phrases like, “Be a good human,” or “Do what is reasonable” characterize this Aristotelian bent. This view unfortunately evades ultimate questions about life and behavior. Isn’t the Christian life more than utilitarian and mechanical moderation couched in God-language?
The Psalmist poetically and picturesquely nailed down the starting point for ethics in Psalm 19. In fact, the psalm may be the confluence of two hymns, each dealing with our limited reasoning skills and the utter futility of doing ethics from the rationalistic illusion that the good life is pedestrian. Consider, for instance, how the Psalmist described the deafening silence of revelation. Nature itself anthropomorphically speaks of God’s glory, yet it has no need for words. Human beings are left tongue-tied before this revelation, for it is a mystery that requires humility. We are indeed not the masters of our fate. Yet, there is personal One behind the mystery to whom we turn for a complete and perfect picture of goals, duties, and responsibilities.
Could the revelation of God be the starting line for decision-making? Perhaps so, especially since the revelation recorded in Psalm 19 is ultimately perfected in Christ. Our Lord appears to be the only one who can keep us from pretentiously presuming that all life’s answers and activities lie within our finite minds. The meditations of the heart, and the according words we speak, are to please the God of revelation and not the god of the Aristotle.