Psalm 29

Epiphany 1 – Year A

Psalm 29

Verse 11
May the Lord give strength to his people!
May the Lord bless his people with peace!

1) It is helpful to relate giving to blessing. Any giving that is worth receiving will be blessing.

2) What gives strength? At least one response is that justice gives strength to both individuals and communities. This then can be related to peace – also related to justice. Peace is not sweetness and light as much as it is the strength to do justice.

3) The qualities of gift, blessing, strength, and peace are all variations on a theme of belovedness. When we are raised from our dead places we are effectively baptized, we recognize we are beloved by and in the universe and called to share such with others.

When we recognize we have been strengthened to be just and to advocate for justice for others, we recognize the presence of G*D.

When we catch on to having been blessed with a wholeness named shalom/salaam/peace and we use such blessing to bless others, we recognize the presence of G*D.

Now, from the position of the end of the psalm we can return to the first verse and yell, "Bravo!" for gifts and blessings of strong justice and whole peace.