My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; the one whose walk is blameless will to me. - Psalm 64:1

Today's Scripture Reading (August 28, 2025): Psalm 64

"Writing is like talking to yourself, just in a way that makes it look like you're not crazy!" I am not sure who said it, but I love the quote. Whoever it was that wrote these words was right. I am one of those people who talk to themselves. What makes my form of talking to myself even crazier is that I also answer myself. Maybe this is why I often like to spend some time alone; when I am alone, no other voices can disturb the conversation I am having with myself, and there are no people around to accuse me of being crazy.

I also admit that there are times when I talk to my television, although that practice seems to have diminished over the past several years. I used to talk to my television when I was watching sports, questioning what the teams were doing on the screen, like the 2015 failure in the Super Bowl of the Seattle Seahawks to run the ball from the half-yard line on a second-and-goal. Instead, they passed, the pass was intercepted, and the Seahawks lost the biggest game of their year, 28-24. "What are you doing?" That one was a bit embarrassing because I was in a public place at the time, and it wasn't a bar or a place where everyone was watching the game and asking the same question. I hope the television and the people in the airport have forgiven me for the frustration that I vented on it in that moment.

Another television target is religious programming. I love to argue with TV preachers. Yes, I know they can't hear me, but I talk anyway. I freely question the theology or absurdity of their comments and the strange beliefs of those who speak to me through the screen in my office or family room. A while back, I was listening to one of these television prophets talking about prayer, and he made this comment: When you pray, you speak out loud to God. We have a different name for silent prayer; we call it thinking. If you pray, you verbalize your request before God.

I am not convinced that is true. David writes this about his understanding of God.

You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely (Psalm 139:1-4).

David seems to understand that God heard his prayer when he spoke, but also knew the silent requests of the King when he was "just thinking." It is a concept that is not just found in the poetry of David; it is also in the prophecy of Jeremiah.

"I the Lord search the heart
    and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct,
    according to what their deeds deserve" (Jeremiah 17:10).

Again, Jeremiah seems to understand that God knows both his thoughts and his deeds, and that he would be judged according to both.

In the New Testament, it again seems to indicate that Jesus knew the thoughts of those around him. "Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts" (Matthew 9:4).

I believe that God hears your silent prayers, even if some want to demote such prayers to "just thinking." However, there are times when we need to verbalize our prayers before God. Here, David says that he voices his complaint; he states it out loud. I think one reason to lend our voice to our prayers is that sometimes when we hear our request coming out of our mouths, we have a greater sense of reality, and understand the truth of what God wants from and for us, and how foolish some of the things we say and pray for really are.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 65

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. – Psalm 62:5

Today's Scripture Reading (August 27, 2025): Psalm 62

American poet Langston Hughes writes, "Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die life is a broken-winged bird, that cannot fly." We all have moments of darkness when the walls seem to be closing in on our lives. In those moments, it is only the presence of hope that can help us to find the passage out. If it were not for our dreams, we would sit in the darkness and believe that this is the way life has to be. We probably know several people for whom this is the reality of their lives. There is no hope, only darkness. Their dreams have disappeared, and passage out of the night is well hidden. The situation is hopeless, and they are convinced that they will never return to life.

As David writes this Psalm, this is precisely the place that he finds himself. David was a celebrated and much remembered Poet-King. He was a great military strategist. He found himself at the center of a nation that was shaping the world around him, and yet he often seems to find himself in places where he experiences a lack of hope. The darkness often seems to surround him, and the dreams that should show him the way out of his dark night have all disappeared. For David, life often seems to be "a broken-winged bird that cannot fly."

It is in those moments that he turns his focus toward God. For as strong and as militarily proficient as David was, even he was not strong enough to meet all of the trials of life. He needed God. And if David needed God, then so do we.

Charles Spurgeon remarks that "Here the psalmist steps off the sand, and puts his foot on the rock. Happy is the man who can say to the Lord, 'My hope comes from him.'" God is the creator of our dreams and the author of our way out of the dark times of life. And even when everything seems lost, he is the commander of the cavalry that is hiding just on the other side of the hill. He is not merely the author of our hope; he is our hope. And without him, life really is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 64

See also Psalm 39:7

For you, God, have heard my vows; you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name. – Psalm 61:5

Today's Scripture Reading (August 26, 2025): Psalm 61

Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022, at the age of 96. Her reign was 70 years, 214 days, the longest reign of any British monarch and the longest reign for any Queen anywhere on the planet. The only longevity mark that Elizabeth II did not beat was that of Louis XIV of France, who ruled for almost two years longer than Elizabeth II, but he also ascended to the throne of France at the age of four. In contrast, Elizabeth was 25 years of age with a three-year-old son, Charles III, and a sixteen-month-old daughter, Anne, when she became Queen. 

The Sunday following the Queen's death was September 11, 2022, a day that was already full of meaning for people who live on my side of the pond. But on that Sunday, I decided to do something a little unusual. On significant days, I have been known to throw in the national anthem to sing in the worship service, even though I believe that my allegiance to the Kingdom of Heaven takes precedence over the nation in which I live and am a citizen. However, on September 11, 2022, the national anthem I chose to use to open the service was the anthem of the United Kingdom, a song entitled "God Save the King." The title of this anthem changes with the gender of the monarch. On September 11, 2022, I remarked that while I have sung the song "God Save the Queen" several times in my life, even though I have never been to Britain, this would be the first time I would sing "God Save the King." But first, in memory of over seventy years on the British throne, we sang "God Save the Queen," followed by "God Save the King."

Some severely criticized me for my decision. We have long memories, and the evils of rulers and their houses often dominate our memories. Why would I choose to sing that song, knowing all of the evil that the monarchs of the United Kingdom have perpetuated throughout history? Murder, slavery, false imprisonment, the sins of colonization in the New World, were just some of the sins for which the former Queen and the new King could be blamed.

My reaction was that I have a shorter memory, and blaming any of us for what our ancestors might have done doesn't make much sense to me. Elizabeth and Charles could be blamed for the sins that they have committed, but at the same time, so could we. And there comes a moment when what we need is to forgive each other. And so we sang.

God save our gracious King.
Long live our noble King,
God save The King:
Send him victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us:
God save The King.

David prays that "you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name." It is a phrase that speaks of his reign as King, but it also speaks of those who went before and those who would follow him. The words carry a similar meaning to the one we would find in "God Save the King." God, you have heard my vows, and even when I have failed you, I know that my reign and that of those who follow me will be in your hands. Therefore, you remain the one who deserves all of our praise.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 62

No, in your heart you devise injustice, and your hands mete out violence on the earth. – Psalm 58:2

Today's Scripture Reading (August 25, 2025): Psalm 58

Gerrymandering. You have probably heard the term and even know basically what it means, but do you know where the name came from? The name originates from one of the founding fathers of the United States, Elbridge Gerry. Gerry was the Governor of Massachusetts in 1812, and he signed the bill that created the first gerrymandered district. The idea behind gerrymandering is that it is sometimes possible to draw electoral districts in such a way that it benefits one party or the other. The idea is to create one or a few Districts with a high percentage of supporters for one party, and then several moderate districts that favor the other party. The result is that one party can receive most of the seats of an area, without most of the votes. And if they have a majority of votes, they can have an overwhelming majority of seats or, possibly, even all of the seats that are allocated to the region.

Someone noticed that the first artificially manipulated electoral district looked like a salamander, and so a name was born, Gerry from the Governor of Massachusetts, and "mander" from the salamander-like shape the new electoral area resembled; a name was born, gerrymander. That first manipulated district benefited the Democratic-Republican party.

With the use of computers, we have taken gerrymandering to a new height. Political parties can ensure their survival, not with better ideas and policies, but with manipulated borders for electoral districts within any region. It is possible that, in the future, the one who controls the electoral borders is the one who will control the election.

I know my district has been gerrymandered. The district borders seem to be in almost continual flux. The location of my house has bounced between different electoral districts a few times over the years.

Gerrymandering electoral districts is just one of the pieces of evidence that, in the depths of who we are, we like to devise injustice. No one gerrymanders the borders so that an election is fairer. The grand purpose of gerrymandering is to give one party an advantage over another and to devalue each individual vote. It is what makes some believe that the electoral system is inherently unfair. Shouldn't the one who has the most votes win an election? If there are ten house seats involved and the vote is a 60-40 split, then 60% of the ones seated would be from the party with 60% of the vote; in this example, it would mean that the winning party would get six of the ten available seats. The perceived problem with such a system is that it would make the opinions of rural voters have less impact.

Maybe there isn't an easy solution to the problem. However, the real problem begins within us. Our willingness to be involved in efforts like gerrymandering is a result of our desire for injustice over justice, especially if the injustice serves our beliefs, plans, and hopes.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 61

Do all these evildoers know nothing? They devour my people as though eating bread; they never call on God. – Psalm 53:4

Today's Scripture Reading (August 24, 2025): Psalm 53

I read an interesting response on social media this week. The post was dressed up as a Christian Post, but it really wasn't, and someone decided to respond to the post by saying, "I don't know anyone who cares about what the Bible says." The things that Christians have led the world to believe are in the Bible, but are actually debatable or outright false, are numerous. We often seem to want to make our opinions biblical. And then we speak with disdain when someone disagrees with us. In the process, what is actually in the Bible is often overlooked.

About a year ago, I had a conversation with a friend about what I believe is the central thrust of the Bible. The central thrust is not righteousness; it is love. And the response from my friend was honest, and I think he echoed the belief of many people. His response was, "Isn't there a list of commandments that we have to fulfill, and after that is done, then we love?" That is the way we live, and it is sometimes precisely what we teach. But it is also false. Listen to the words of Jesus.

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"

Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments" (Matthew 22:34-40).

Jesus's teaching is not to keep the commandments, and when you have done that, then learn to love. It is the reverse; Jesus says, "If you love, then you will have kept all of the commandments and all the instructions of the Prophets throughout history." If a prophet is preaching hate, then he is not a prophet. I have been struggling with this passage and have concluded that every law and every commandment that we find in the Bible finds its origin and its basis in the law of love. Or from the other side of the coin, the violation of every commandment is somehow a violation of love.

David seems to conclude that evildoers lack knowledge. Sometimes that might be true. But often I think the real problem is not that we don't know that we should love, but that we have decided that love isn't as important as something else. I also believe that if the church lived biblical love, then there would be many more people who would care about what might be hidden within the pages of the Bible.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 58

He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. – Psalm 40:2

Today's Scripture Reading (August 23, 2025): Psalm 40

On 586 B.C.E., as the army of Nebuchadnezzar prepared to take Jerusalem, one inhabitant of the city had a different message for the citizens. It was a message that the rulers of the city considered to be treasonous. The suggestion was that this time, the city was going to fall. One hundred and fifty years earlier, the city had been attacked by the Assyrian Empire, and had miraculously survived because God had rescued them. The Assyrian siege had happened during the days of Isaiah, and Isaiah had told King Hezekiah that God would come to the aid of the city and the nation. The war against the Assyrians would not be decided on the battlefield; it would end because of a miracle of God.

However, that had been 150 years ago, and a new prophet had a very different message. Things had changed. Jerusalem was going to be defeated; there was no miracle on its way to save the city. So, this Prophet of the early sixth century B.C.E. had a very different message from the message of Isaiah in the eighth century. The city was going to fall; there was no chance of it surviving. As a result, the army of King Zedekiah and the people of Jerusalem had a decision to make. They could fight for the city and die, or lay down their weapons and allow Babylon to take them into exile and live. The Prophet believed that exile was the better option.

The Prophet's name was Jeremiah, and his message was unusual. He was advocating exile, and yet he, while refusing to fight the Babylonians, showed no desire to go into Babylon. His intention seemed to be to wander around the ruins of David's city and the surrounding area. Or maybe he just wasn't taken into Babylon. In the end, supporters of the Prophet had to physically kidnap him and carry him with them into their self-imposed exiles in Egypt.

However, before the city fell, Jeremiah was accused of treason and placed in a cistern to die. Jeremiah himself related the story to his readers.

Then the officials said to the king, "This man should be put to death. He is discouraging the soldiers who are left in this city, as well as all the people, by the things he is saying to them. This man is not seeking the good of these people but their ruin."

"He is in your hands," King Zedekiah answered. "The king can do nothing to oppose you."

So they took Jeremiah and put him into the cistern of Malkijah, the king's son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah by ropes into the cistern; it had no water in it, only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud (Jeremiah 38:4-6).

It wasn't an unusual practice. Oriental societies had long used placing people in a deep hole that had been well watered, ensuring there was no way for the prisoner to escape, as a mode of execution. Everywhere the prisoner might want to step, he would only find a slippery surface that would leave them sinking deeper into the mud. These prisoners were not left there for a fixed time; this was the place where they would die.

This cistern would have been the place where Jeremiah would have died, except that someone came to his aid. David, writing long before the days of Jeremiah, spoke figuratively about what Jeremiah experienced literally. It is a description that David thought was the figurative reality of everyone who might read the Psalm. And centuries later, a hymn writer would pick up on David's theme as he wrote;

            He brought me out of the miry clay

            He set my feet on the Rock to stay

            He puts a song in my soul today

            A song of praise, hallelujah (Henry L. Gilmour, 1898)!

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 53

So I remained utterly silent, not even saying anything good. But my anguish increased; - Psalm 39:2

Today's Scripture Reading (August 22, 2025): Psalm 39

See something, say something. Homeland security has used the slogan since 2010, but the origin of the phrase and the trademark holder is the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority. After the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the NYMTA decided to ask the people to keep their eyes open for things that looked out of place. The idea was to get normal people to be their eyes and ears so that something like the 9/11 tragedy could never happen again.

We don't often use the slogan beyond terrorist prevention, but we do use the concept. It is used to protect minority groups and to prevent instances of vandalism. A neighbor of the church to which I am connected, and who doesn't attend the church, keeps an eye on the property and will contact us, often through Facebook or Meta, to tell us when something untoward is possibly happening on the church property.

Regardless of how we feel about specific hot-button topics, Christians should always be on the front line of the battle against discrimination. It is the story that we sometimes miss in the Good Samaritan. There were significant spiritual, racial, and political disagreements between the Samaritans and the Jews. But the tale of the Good Samaritan reminds us that people deserve to be treated with respect even if we disagree with their behavior or their beliefs. To put a point on this, Christians should be comforting and loving in their contact with the LGBTQ community, even if we feel the need to take a stand against homosexuality. We should be loving toward the young girls who have had an abortion, even if we believe that abortion is wrong. If we see abuse taking place even in these circumstances, we should be willing not only to say something, but to do something to protect the victim. There is never a reason for Christians to join with the abuser. Never.

David admits that he had decided to hold his tongue in the company of those who wanted to accomplish evil. Not only did he not say anything bad in their presence, but he refused to say anything at all. There have been many times in my life when I should have followed David's advice. But David also says that his anguish or misery increased. Some scholars have argued that David didn't trust himself not to speak wickedly even when he was trying to voice something good, so silence was his only option. However, I think that misses the point. David understood how swiftly life passes. As a result, he realized he had to make use of every opportunity to say what was good. Keeping silent about the good is not something we should aspire to. If we see something wrong, we have to say something, or even better, do something.

Maybe mom had it right when she taught us that "if we can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." But that did not mean that we needed to stay silent and not speak about the good when it is presented. We need to stand up and be counted for the good every time we see something that is wrong. We have to express what is good, or we will be complicit in all the evil that is being done in the world.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 40