Jenny's Psalm Reflections: 60 verse 2

Today’s verse is Psalm 60 VERSE 2

“You have caused the land to quake; you have torn it open; repair the cracks in it, for it is tottering.”

Background:

Psalm 60 is unusual because David did not write it in the middle of trouble. So many of his Psalms were written from a cave or a battlefield. But this Psalm was written after a great victory. The army had achieved a tremendous victory in Edom for the people of God. But there were also further battles to look ahead to! In verse 6 we read how God has apportioned up the land to various people but Gilead is his and Manasseh is his.

With the ongoing COP26 discussions, this Psalm reminded me of how God has divided up the created world: the sun and the moon and the stars; the fish in the sea and the birds in the air. Everything has been apportioned to its rightful place. However, with our misuse of earth’s resources things are ending up in the wrong place. People are being displaced from low lying areas which are now flooding, and animals are moved out of habitats where they live because we “need” more and more land for crop production and factories. The whole food chain is being disrupted, species are being wiped out and we can’t sit back and let the planet become uninhabitable for future generations.

The Creator God is also the God of today who moves within and across the world which he made. We have been given this wonderful planet to move in, in relation to him. Let us walk with him, learning to see the earth as he sees it and to love it as he loves it so that “the cracks in it can be repaired (verse 2)”.

Meditation

1. Reflect on our beautiful earth 

You may wish to reflect on the environment and the COP26 discussions taking place in the context of love. Bring something from outside into the house, like a flower, berry or leaf. 

2. FIND A QUIET PLACE. 

Make sure that you are in a quiet place. Sit comfortably but alert – feet flat on the floor, back pushed hard against the back of the chair. Start your reflection with hands cupped open ready to be open to God’s presence.

3. Focus on your breathing.

Pay attention to in-breaths and out-breaths. You may think of breathing in God’s life and peace and breathing out any tension.

4. Be aware of your body.

Let your aches and pains be there. Rest your hands in your lap; you don’t need to be doing anything with them now. Rest your feet on the floor; you don’t need to go anywhere. Shrug your shoulders, ease your neck. Take time to become still and repeat verse 2.

5. Listen to god.

In the stillness listen to what God might be saying to you about the planet and how we should respond to the emerging initiatives. Finish with the prayer below.

7. Finish with this prayer:

Unite your Church, Lord Jesus, that we would be agents of justice and hope for those who are already suffering the impacts of a changing climate, even as we repent of our part in its causes. Help us each to reflect honestly and hopefully on our own actions and teach us what needs to change. Amen.