Psalms

Psalm 94

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“Rise up, judge of the earth.” (94:2)

To call upon God to judge and punish the guilt and exonerate the innocent is not to abrogate our responsibility to support a just society. However, the teaching from Pirke Avot (1:6), “Judge every person with the assumption of merit,” the Rabbinic equivalent of of the principle of “innocent until proven guilty,” ought to rein in our zeal to condemn and punish. When you are angry because you think someone perpetrated an injustice against you, imagine yourself in their place before judging them (Pirke Avot 2:4). Ask yourself: might you be misreading their intent or lack thereof? Might they be distracted by a stressful situation unknown to you?

Psalm 93

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“The ocean sounds its thunder.” (93:3)

Those of us who spend our lives on dry land enjoy the sense of moving about on a surface which moves so slowly as to be imperceptible most of the time. It doesn’t take too much time on a small boat to realize that most of the surface of the planet is literally fluid, moving about in somewhat predictable but generally uncontrollable ways. It is a great metaphor for the human life. We want to live in stable, controlled environments, but every once in a while the ocean roars and overturns our carefully constructed lives. At that point, all we can do is hang on and ride the wave.

Psalm 92

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“How very deep are Your designs!” (92:6)

Ask anyone who has been treated for cancer or another serious illness — the design of the human body is complex and when something goes wrong, the treatment throws other parts of the body system out of balance. When all is working, the system is a coordinated ballet of organs and circulation doing their job in perfectly balanced harmony. The design of every replicating entity, from the tiniest virus to a single-celled organism to plant and animal life is beautiful and miraculous in its design.

Psalm 91

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“I will rescue him and honor him.” (91:15)

Psalm 91 is commonly read as part of the Jewish funeral liturgy. In that context, it suggests that one who has faith and fidelity in God’s sheltering presence will be protected from harm and live to a ripe old age. To my mind, however, there is an implied promise of salvation beyond the grave that is more important than the immediate promise of long life. The person who embraces a life of mitzvah will be honored during his or her lifetime to be sure, but beyond as well.

Psalm 90

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“Let the work of our hands prosper!” (90:17)

Whether we sit at a keyboard and produce words, mold clay into aesthetically pleasing or useful shapes, or work with glass, metal, plastic, or wood, in the end we might hope that the product produced by our hands adds value to the world. The knowledge that the increase in value came from the interaction between our own hands and the raw materials is eminently satisfying. It makes us feel useful and this is emotionally satisfying. However, the artist and the inventor who go one step beyond, who create something that has never before existed in the history of the world, might feel the march of human progress through their very hands. How exciting is that!