Advent Workshop Ps. 80 4th Sunday

 Ps. 80:1-7

Why do we not preach on Psalms more? In this case, a communal lament doesn't seem to fit the season. It is a plea for restoration, a different take on Advent hope. It runs counter to the flow of the readings, but its communal lament certainly demonstrates the difficulty in Advent waiting and preparation when how long is the burning question. When we are at the end of the rope, we need to be rescued, delivered, saved. We cannot do it all on our own.

1) save us-This could be a good time to consider the depth of the word salvation. With the feast of the Incarnation approaching, it could be a good time to talk about its senses in this world, as well as the world to come--enthroned upon the cherubim-ark image from Ex. 25, is it a cosmic one as well?. 

2) restore- this is repeated, always an important sign in Hebrew. face shine note how it works off the Aaronic blessing. Literally, it is return (the root is sub in Heb, so it could connote repenting as well). Some of us yearn for the old days and ways at the holidays. The face of God is reflected in the face of a newborn child very soon.

With that introduction the prayer moves to a familiar lament-how long? The new year approaches, and this is familiar territory for us.

3) fed with bread of tears is a most arresting image-who is fed with that bread right now, as compared to the bread of presence?

4) angry=  smoke pouring out of nostrils (like a bull/dragon?) We moderns would not deign to use such a natural image, would we? What are some images of God that we use that may be sneered at as primitive in the future?How do you think God would be smoking mad with prayers? How do you interpret the angry/smoking hot God today? would it be their content or the context, as in Amos of prayers without justice?

5)Scorn in v. 6 is from Syriac, while the Hebrew would be  contention or strife (madon) a favored word in Proverbs. This could be entry into family strife during the holidays, especially when many of us seem so on edge and itching for contention. V. 7  repeats what we just heard earlier. What is the effect of that quick repetition? When do we repeat things?

6) One could play a bit with the character of Asaph and maybe even make up a  story on prayer and song. Maybe it could morph into a story about the composing of Silent Night.

7) Limburg reminded me that the shepherd image is frequent in the Asaph psalms in the the seventies in particular. How could we work with the Shepherd of Israel and the shepherds upcoming in a few days for Christmas Eve.? Here the shepherd seems to be asleep at the wheel, inattentive as folks watching football  during a holiday gathering.