Today's focus on Psalm 91 seems, on the whole, to have been well received and helpful for those who listened. It is a well-known and easily skimmed psalm but one which, when we read it properly is rich in metaphor and meaning. The subject matter - God's faithfulness in a trying and bewildering world - is not so different from Psalm 90, but its tone is totally different. If Psalm 90 is a 'vertical' (Godward) rant, Psalm 91 is a horizontal (human to human) encouragement. Interesting metaphors - again, God as a place of shelter and safety, and then, as one who releases trapped birds from snares, as a mother bird protecting her young, as a pair of shields, one small (buckler, hand to hand combat) and one large (perhaps like a riot shield). All metaphors that involve risk and possible injury on the part of the protector - the battle-scarred shield, the mother bird unable to fly to safety, the one who risks the wrath of the fowler by freeing the trapped birds... Thus we have a suffering God rather than an impassive one.
We also had a bit of a play with circling prayer - the ancient Celtic caim or compassing prayer which has regained popularity in some parts of the church. The physical tracing of a circle around ourselves and invoking God's protection... not everyone's 'bag of mashings' but I think everyone gave it go. The idea of being surrounded by God's love - above, below, beside, around, within, outside, in joy, in sorrow, is failure, in success - is both simple and profound. I think western protestant non-conformists are a bit wary both of the physicality and the almost charm-like nature of the circling prayer, but perhaps as a result we lose something of the mystery that our forebears enjoyed?
One of the songs we used was Timothy Dudley Smith's 'Safe in the Shadow of the Lord'. Finding a recording of the 'right' tune has proved tricky, but here it is on an organ in Wales! The words then follow
Safe in the shadow of the Lord,
Beneath His hand and power,
I trust in Him,
I trust in Him,
My fortress and my tower.
My hope is set on God alone,
Though Satan spreads his snare,
I trust in Him,
I trust in Him,
To keep me in His care.
From fears and phantoms of the night,
From foes about my way,
I trust in Him,
I trust in Him,
By darkness as by day.
His holy angels keep my feet
Secure from every stone;
I trust in Him,
I trust in Him,
And unafraid go on.
Strong in the everlasting Name,
And in my Father’s care,
I trust in Him,
I trust in Him,
Who hears and answers prayer.
Safe in the shadow of the Lord,
Possessed by love divine,
I trust in Him,
I trust in Him,
And meet His love with mine.
(c) Timothy Dudley Smith