Monday, July 17, 2023  

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Today’s Scripture Reading 
Psalm 62

For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.

He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall never be shaken.

How long will you assail a person, will you batter your victim, all of you, as you would a leaning wall, a tottering fence?

Their only plan is to bring down a person of prominence. They take pleasure in falsehood; they bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse.

For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

On God rests my deliverance and my honor; my mighty rock, my refuge is in God.

Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.

Those of low estate are but a breath, those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath.

Put no confidence in extortion, and set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, do not set your heart on them.

Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God,

and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord. For you repay to all according to their work. (NRSV)

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Reflection
This psalm sings of lamentation, confusion about the assault of life on humans — even with God on their side — and the deception of power, lies, and what people say versus what they do: “They take delight in lies. With their hearts they bless, but in their hearts they curse.”

From this chaos of the incongruency of life, there is then presented a beautiful refuge in God. The most uplifting part of the psalm is the call to “find rest, O my soul, in God alone. God is my mighty rock, my refuge.”

I see many allusions to this adage: cross-stitched pillows and sayings painted on cute wooden signs found next to “The lake is this way” in small towns alongside Lake Michigan. There is something (difficult) to hold onto in that saying, both literally and figuratively.

A rock is steady but may not be the easiest thing to hold onto. It is certainly difficult to eradicate; a rock is still a rock to the high or lowborn regardless of riches. It is what we ascribe to the rock if it is a gem or a pebble in your shoe. Conversely, all are still the same to the rock, regardless of how we cling.

In the end the importance to cling to is that we are but a breath to God, for God is eternal.

In that let us rejoice in any deception, any lie, any riches, any life is but a happenstance.

In this let us hold onto what is steadfast and true: God.

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Prayer
O my soul, find rest in God alone, in God’s mighty power, God’s lack of deception, God’s congruency, God’s truth, God’s way. Remind me that to cling to God is to cling to that of a mighty refuge. It may not be easy at all times, but it is there for me and always will be. Amen.

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Written by Jessica Wang, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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