Psalm 47
"Ascension" - Years A, B, C
“God has gone up
led Christians to associate the psalm with
the ascension of Jesus to heaven;
with the sounds of a trumpet
led Jews to associate the psalm with
Rosh Hashanah, New Year’s Day.”
–NISB note.
led Christians to associate the psalm with
the ascension of Jesus to heaven;
with the sounds of a trumpet
led Jews to associate the psalm with
Rosh Hashanah, New Year’s Day.”
–NISB note.
Ahh, how a perspective one brings along determines what one sees and hears and experiences.
So, is this the best of the Psalms to associate with Jesus’ ascension? Probably not, given the overlay of subjugation that is present. It simply adds to our propensity to turn an ascension metaphor or experience into unredeemable judgment. Somehow we keep turning G*D’s little artistic touches into additional excuses to subdivide people, losing many along the way.
Ascension is in some way a confirmation of our orphan-hood. We are no longer simply disciples being filled, but a next generation of folks attending to and pointing toward G*D’s presence. Time to get on with it without trying to get everything to fit into a nice, neat package. Time to risk what it might mean to take another step in perfecting love.
- - - - - - -
everywhere we go
people want to know
who we are
so we tell them
we are trumpeters
we are shouters
we are journeying
they scratch their heads
and still want to know
what in the world
we are trumpeting
shouting and where
we are going
and we jump up and down
and trumpet our shouts
the louder
repeating and
repeating
our shouting
their scratching
our jumping
cacophony
shifting strategies
everywhere we now go
we whisper along the way
what’s that—they now say
and we pause to talk
finally joy
Ahh, how a perspective one brings along determines what one sees and hears and experiences.
people want to know
who we are
so we tell them
we are trumpeters
we are shouters
we are journeying
and still want to know
what in the world
we are trumpeting
shouting and where
we are going
and trumpet our shouts
the louder
repeating and
repeating
their scratching
our jumping
cacophony
everywhere we now go
we whisper along the way
and we pause to talk
As found in Wrestling Year A: Connecting Sunday Readings with Lived Experience
Note from The New Interpreter's Study Bible: "God has gone up led Christians to associate the psalm with the ascension of Jesus to heaven; with the sounds of a trumpet led Jews to associate the psalm with Rosh ha-Shanah, New Year's Day."
Ahh, how a perspective one brings along determines what one sees and hears and experiences.
So, is this the best of the Psalms to associate with Jesus' ascension? Probably not, given the overlay of subjugation that is present. It simply adds into to our propensity to turn the ascension metaphor or experience into unredeemable judgment. Somehow we keep turning G*D's little artistic touches into additional excuses to subdivide people, losing many along the way.
Ascension is in some way a confirmation of our orphan-hood, we are no longer simply disciples being filled, but a next generation of folks attending to and pointing toward G*D's presence. Time to get on with it without trying to get everything to fit into a nice, neat package. Time to risk what it might mean to take another step in perfecting love.
- - -
everywhere we go
people want to know
who we are
so we tell them
we are trumpeters
we are shouters
we are journeying
they scratch their heads
and still want to know
what in the world
we are trumpeting
shouting and where
we are going
and we jump up and down
and trumpet our shouts
the louder
repeating and
repeating
our shouting
their scratching
our jumping
cacophany
shifting strategies
everywhere we now go
we whisper along the way
what's that - they now say
and we pause to talk
finally joy
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2007_05_01_archive.html
“Highness” is emphasized in both Psalms. Whether talking about the quality of being or a title, we have a long heritage of up being better than down. In so many ways the children’s game of King of the Mountain is a model of life. Capturing the high ground brings a tactical edge (at least until drones came along). We still use some arbitrary moral high ground as a basis from which to whip up the winds of war.
This natural law naturally claims that G*D must be the highest of all highnesses. If we can’t quite get there, we can be associated with that we claim can be at the pinnacle.
As we easily consider ascension as separation from, it might be worth raising a question about any purpose of being above and beyond. Such a position can help question any status quo. When looked at from the perspective of subjected people, the status quo is better than anything worse, even if not as helpful as something else. Coming at life from a generational perspective rather than an individual one allows a questioning of present authority. Ascension can give the distance needed to better evaluate where we have been and come to an insight of where we might yet be. Ascension allows a look over the next range of hills.
This can cut several ways. We may look into a new land and claim there are giants there; retreat! We may also look beyond and see a new community worth all the trouble it takes to get to.
Are you willing to ascend or just leave that to Jesus?
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2014/05/psalm-47-or-93.html