Psalm 148
Having just finished Late Nights on Air, by Elizabeth Hay, I am struck by the barrenness and wildness of the world. Her novel evokes the remoteness of the north, breaking apart the illusion that our world is entirely civilized. Instead, she calls to attention that we do not know what lies beyond the edges of our maps, and even the spaces contained within those lines are mostly unknown.
As I read Psalm 148 I felt this same wildness evoked in the natural imagery. In my mind, God has bound the wildness of the elements in creation; God has rendered them good, has made them to be more than a primordial force. Their praise in the psalm celebrates the triumph of God’s creation, but at the same time there is a tension between their joy and the mystery of what lies beyond the limits that God has imposed.
Does the unknown make the world greater or lesser? And how does that change how we perceive God?
-Josh Zentner-Barrett
It is in that barrenness and starkness of the world that we each come to terms with what matters most. The experienced difference between night and day and the dancing of the sun and the moon remain mysteries of wonder that give us time to recover from the personal triumphs and tragedies in our own lives. The geographical distancing of one man from another can never separate us from the amazing closeness of knowing that God is always with each of us. What matters most is drawing nigh to him amidst the unknown storms that surface across the miles while affecting many unknown faces. We face ourselves best through walking with God across the naked landscapes.
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