Justin Appel

Beloved,

Today's readings include Psalm 13, a psalm of David, which seems to reflect a heartfelt prayer in the midst of trouble.

Read it here.

At first glance, this psalm might seem to emerge from an exceptional context -- from some particular social or political turmoil of the psalmist's experience. However, if we can extricate ourselves from a historical-critical way of thinking for a moment, there opens up a traditional and allegorical interpretation of the text that transforms the psalm from a historical curiosity to a deeply devotional act, if we should take these words and turn them into our own prayer.

This psalm teaches us four basic postures that speak to a profoundly-felt and universal need. In the first case, we learn to turn from our sins and to feel sorrow for them. Rather than being an extraordinary situation, repentance is a way of responding continually to the darkness in our lives. According to this traditional interpretation, repentance protects us from our enemies in this life: the Evil One and our own sinful desires.

A second posture is essentially a gift, namely, enlightenment. The psalmist's frequent request for God to grant light, understanding, even enlightenment have made their way into the corpus of traditional Christian prayers.

'Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes!'

Enlightenment protects us against the 'sleep of death' -- a lackadaisical numbness that would steal from us the ability to think correctly and to act faithfully. There is an ungodly sorrow that leads us to inactivity and sloth. I am prone to this second kind of sorrow, this vice of sloth, I must confess.

Third, and importantly, we 'hope in [God's] mercy'. This posture is one of deep self-abnegation. 'The sacrifices of God are a humble and a contrite spirit.' Humans are a contradiction, in a sense. We are capable of immense wisdom and goodness. We are made in the image of God. We simply cannot save ourselves, however, and we can put obstacles in our own path to God. I know this painfully well.

This psalm also teaches us a fourth posture, that of praise. I am glad that the Christian tradition teaches both the ascetic realities while also bringing us into corporate worship. When we do our work of repentance -- and yes, it is an ongoing, minute-by-minute struggle -- it frees us to offer our full and undivided thanksgiving to God: free, without hesitation, without compulsion, free of anxiety, trustful, unselfconscious. This also is a gift.

In the end, Psalm 13 can teach us a great deal about our own live and struggles, and when we take the words into our mouths, they teach us to pray with self-understanding and with an openness to those things we need but do not possess.

Yours in Christ,
Justin