mini-reflection

Psalm 50

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“From Zion, the perfection of beauty, God appeared.” (50:2)

Scripture tells us that from Zion comes Torah (Isaiah 2:3, Micah 4:2), blessing (Psalms 128:5, 134:3, 135:21) and salvation (Psalms 14:7, 53:7). How are these three products of Zion connected to beauty, a word associated with physical appearance? Surely God does not manifest only in beautiful vessels! Every human being is created in the image of God, whether or not a given individual conforms to societal norms of beauty. Just as every person has a quality of beauty because he or she is the image of God, so too Zion is beautiful because it is a place which radiates God.

Psalm 49

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“The wise die; together [with] the foolish and ignorant, they perish.” (49:11)

We cannot avoid death. Our soul’s only chance at bodily existence could be interrupted at any moment with illness or sudden trauma. We might chase possessions or pleasurable experiences in order to avoid thinking about death. As the end of our lives approach, we might waste the potential wisdom of our elder years in fear focused on fighting death. Fear of death causes us to miss opportunities to do good in this world. Better to let our mortality energize us in pursuit of building a better world for others.

Psalm 48

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“They were stunned, they were terrified, they panicked.” (48:6)

In my day, driver’s training taught that if the car goes into a skid, we take our foot off the brake and pump the brakes gently, steering in the direction into the skid. I needed to unlearn this behavior when I bought a car with anti-lock brakes and learn instead to steadily keep my foot on the brake. The goal of driver’s training is to prepare us to make split-second decisions correctly so we won’t panic and freeze. There is no way to prepare for every unexpected event, but we can remember to breathe and calmly think our way out of the situation.

Psalm 47

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“All peoples, clap hands.” (47:2)

There is no better boost to your enjoyment of music than clapping hands to the beat (except if you are at the symphony listening to classical music). Sway, move your arms and legs, and dance. Let your body vibrate in tune with the music. During prayer, as well, let yourself transcend the intellectual experience of reading words on a page. At appropriate moments, sing along with the cantor and encourage your soul to vibrate to the tune of gratitude, thanksgiving, and dedicating yourself to God’s mitzvot (commands). Some prayers intend to move God to action. More often, prayer intends to transform the pray-er.

Psalm 46

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“Nations rage, kingdoms topple.” (46:7)

Anger is not a good emotion for a leader. Anger clouds the mind and perverts judgement. Angry people make poor decisions, leading to poor outcomes. Anger is a volcano – showy, frightening, and generally destructive. Volcanic anger led to the annihilation of Pompeii, Minoa, and Montserrat. It led to Mount St. Helens, which exacted a toll of over $1 billion in damage to industry, massive environmental damage, and 57 human lives. A good leader knows how to calm rage before it reaches destructive proportions.