Rock and Salvation

Rock and Salvation: Psalm 62

I thought that this morning we might have a look at the Psalm that is set for today. To help with this, I have printed out copies for you, so that you can take it away and perhaps reflect back on it.

It might feel a bit odd to be engaging with a Psalm like this. They were originally written as songs and poems, resources for the spiritual life of the people of God. They are a bit like our hymns and liturgical prayers today, and we don't often spend time examining the meanings and stuff in these. However it seems to me that we might find them more nourishing if we spent a bit of time chewing them over and savouring them.

I'd like to suggest that this Psalm can be thought about as a series of contrasts between what God is like and what the world is like. Coming out of this contrast is a challenge for how we live and go about our business.

The Psalmist starts by looking at what God is like.

What is God like? God is our place of safety. God is the one who rescues us from danger, who keeps hold of us.

What is God like? God is like a rock that does not move. We can build our lives on this rock in confidence. We can shelter behind this rock in safety.

What is God like? God is like a fortress. Not just a place for us to hide, but a presence that brings peace and security to life. A people who lived off the land were very vulnerable to raiders if there was no garrisoned fortress nearby. The fact that there was a fortress there acted as deterrent to those who might think about attacking.

In contrast to God, what is the world like?

What is the world like? There are people who see a weakness and pick on it. Rather than supporting and building up, they attack and knock down.

What is the world like? There is tall flower syndrome. Anybody growing higher than the crowd around is cut off. Jealousy and envy run riot and prevent people from reaching the potential that God has given them.

What is the world like? There is back biting and gossip. Rather than being trustworthy, people are two faced and doubled tongued. Saying nice things to the face, but inside looking for a chance to trip up and cut down.

That can all be quite overwhelming and cause us to be hurt, it can put us through some tough times. So, we return to what God is like, to remind ourselves.

What is God like? God is our source of hope. When we are overwhelmed by the world, and there seems to be no light, we focus back on God and the hope that is given to us in the rescue that God gives. God is the rock, the fortress. God is our place of safety.

Once we remind ourselves of this, we can be strengthened and encouraged. Not only for ourselves, but also for those others who are being overwhelmed and are despairing. Not only is God a refuge for me, God is a refuge for us.

From the perspective of standing firmly on the rock, we can now see some truths about the world that we can also point out.

What is the world like? In the world there are false divisions between people. The world thinks that there are important people and not important people. The world is fixated by celebrity and dazzled by fame and riches. But this is all an illusion. It carries no weight in the end.

All that matters in the end is what God is like. God is faithful and powerful. God sees all that is done in the world and in the end will reward people according to their lives. According to whether they relied on the ways of the world, or walked in the ways of God. So, let us be still, and, with the Psalmist, wait in silence for God, trusting in God's protection and loving kindness, resolved to go from here to walk in God's ways and to encourage others to journey with us.

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