God is, period. “In the beginning, God” (Genesis 1:1). I’m still meditating on Psalm 57. Young David is on the run because jealous Saul is trying to kill him. Holed up in a cave, David imagines the darkness as the shadow of being under God’s protecting wings. What strikes me is David’s trust. “God will send out his steadfast love and faithfulness” (verse 3).
If your church has the good habit of following the liturgy, early in the service you have the general confession and absolution, the Introit or entrance psalm, and next the Kyrie, “Lord, have mercy upon us.” I suspect many people think we’re asking God to feel sorry for us sinners. That’s not quite right. Think about what has already happened in the service. God’s forgiveness has been spoken upon us. In the Kyrie we ask God to act for us, to show “mercy,” which in Psalm 57 is translated “steadfast love.” In other words, God, You have brought us into a covenant with Yourself. We trust You will keep Your promises for our well-being. “He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me. God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness.”
We live in time; God doesn’t. More than we can see, “God is…a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). In whatever swirls around us in our time-bound lives, we praise God because His steadfast love “fulfills his purpose for me” (verse 2). “My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody! Awake my whole being! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will give thanks to you, O Lord among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations” (verses 7-9).
“The world against me rages, / Its fury I disdain;
Though bitter war it wages, / Its work is all in vain.
My heart from care is free, / No trouble troubles me.
Misfortune now is play, / And night is bright as day.”
(Lutheran Service Book, 467, 5)
We believe in the resurrection, don’t we? Jesus came into our time and was dead for a time, but God kept His promise and raised Him on the third day. “Your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds” (verse 10). “And night is bright as day!”
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