La Donna is feeling well enough to notice the mess I’ve left the house in. So, we know that is a good thing. Right? Of course it is a good thing. It means she feels better and has gotten to work tackling the cleaning jobs that she and Bertha can handle together, without too much trouble. Bertha? Yeah, that’s the name she gave her boot.
In case you missed it, my wife La Donna fell and broke her foot a few weeks ago on her way down the hill to walk the dogs one dewy morning and has been reluctantly obedient to her orthopedic surgeon on how best to heal from this mishap. But she hasn’t been happy. Obedient, but frustrated. Following instructions but counting the days. Taking it easy but - now anyway - noticing all that she ought to be doing. And the envelop is being pushed. Just sayin’.
No, I give her credit she has been very good. Much better than the kids and I expected. Both of whom, I should mention, kids I mean, abandoned her in her hour of need. Though they did step up and help out while they were here. But Maddie was heard to mutter the night before I drove her back to school something to the effect of “I’m glad to go back to college, this housewife stuff is hard!”
There were a couple of moment where we all longed for how it used to be. When there was a mom to take care of us. When we didn’t have to worry about whether anyone was going to find the lost sock or prepare a table to fill hungry bellies or have the solution to any of a number of those pesky domestic disputes and conundrums. We just wanted it to go back to the way it was before the fall.
Psalm 85:1-13 LORD, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob. 2 You forgave the iniquity of your people; you pardoned all their sin. Selah 3 You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger. 4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us. 5 Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations? 6 Will you not revive us again, so that your people may rejoice in you? 7 Show us your steadfast love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation. 8 Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts. 9 Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land. 10 Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. 11 Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky. 12 The LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. 13 Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps.
The superscription to this Psalm is interesting. It is one of those that doesn’t say “Of David.” Most scholars don’t believe that David wrote all the Psalms that say “of David” on them anyway. And that it really came to mean in the style of David, or kinda like the ones David used to write, or they were done by the King David Tribute band or something. But Psalm 85 says something different. It has three different statements: To the leader. Of the Korahites. A Psalm. You’d think that “A Psalm” would be a bit unnecessary, but then I guess some folks need to be reminded. To the leader might mean that this Psalm was a commissioned work, that it was dedicated to a leader, who had served well. Or who exemplified the kind of faithfulness that Psalm 85 calls for. Truth is we don’t know.
But it is the middle one that is the most interesting: Of the Korahites. We could spend a lot of time tracing the biblical history of this family, but it wouldn’t really serve the purpose of helping us wrap our arms around Psalm 85. Suffice it to say that the Korahites have a checkered history in the Old Testament. Korah was from the line of Levites, servants of the priests and of the holy, but who was among those who decided they could do better. He was a part of those who rebelled against Moses and his leadership.
Yet, somehow his children survived, escaping the punishment that came to Korah. And they became known as warriors, fighting alongside David when he was swept to power as Israel’s greatest king. These Korahites or Sons of Korah as they became known were not remembered because of their skill with sword or bow, however. They were like David in another way, not just able fighting men. They were also musicians of the highest caliber. David appointed them as leaders of worship for the people of God. They were singers and instrumentalists and truth tellers. A Psalm, you see. Not just music, not just words, but a Psalm, an act of praise but also a declaration of faith. A claim to the traditions of the people. But also a pointer into the future, a word of hope in dark times.
Which maybe means that the first superscription - To the leader - might not mean that it was a dedication to the leader, but that it is an instruction to the singers, to the congregation. Maybe it means “look to the leaders!” Look to those who go before, look to those who’s history might not be perfect, who had to climb out of some difficult times. Look to those who might have known the anger of the Lord they served. Who might have known what it was like to feel abandoned. Look to those who know what it is to be revived. Look to those who lead the singing.
That’s our story, isn’t it? That’s the song we sine. Of being restored and then losing it, of being revived and full of life and then being drained and dead on our feet. That’s our pattern too, not just the people of the Old Testament, but us, right here, right now. Don’t we cry out for restoration again and again? Don’t we bump up against the walls of our own making, the walls of our own doubting, our own wandering, don’t we get lost in the maze of trying to walk each day and satisfy all the hungers within us?
So, how do we climb out of those pits? How do we turn around from the wrong paths? From the desperation of the everyday? By remembering. That’s why we follow the leader, that’s why we sing the songs of faith. Morning by morning new mercies I see, all I have needed thy hand hath provided, great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me. We sing those songs because they were true. And because they were true, and because they will be true. And the great joy of Psalm 85 is that because they were true and because they will be true, they are true.
Compare English translations of Psalm 85. You’ll find that while my favorite translation says “will” – He will speak peace ... Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet ... righteousness and peace will kiss each other ... Faithfulness will spring up from the ground ... righteousness will look down from the sky ... The LORD will give ... our land will yield ... Righteousness will go before ... and will make a path. It is a hope, a promise, a not yet in a world of striving and often failing, a world of conflict and brokenness, a world of division and hatred. Kissing seems out of the question. Singing seems out of the question.
And yet, I’ve been kissed before. I have sung the songs of faith. You have too. There is connection already. Other translations make it present tense. Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other. 11 Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven. From the NIV. Mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed. From the New King James. Unfailing love and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed! From the New Living Translation.
Why the confusion? Because we can’t always tell. Because even while it seems absent, this righteousness and faithfulness of God, it also seems really present. It is in the air around us, coming up from the ground beneath us. If we look. If we pay attention. If we live in hope and confidence. If we attempt to be as faithful as the one who shows us faithfulness every single day, every morning., then we will be restored, then we will be alive. Even as we walk in darkness. Even when we feel like we have failed the one who loves us more than we can imagine. The very essence of God - steadfast love and faithfulness, righteousness and peace - will seep into our bones and become the aspects of love that can define us. Will become a song on our lips and in our heart. Look to the leaders, the singers of songs and be revived, be restored.
And we who are broken can get up and walk along the path of righteousness. And maybe, soon, walk the crazy dogs too! We live for the day. Sing it again. Once more with feeling.
Shalom,
Derek
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