Psalm 98

Easter 6 – Year B

Psalm 98

The word "victory" shows up three times in the NRSV in the first three verses. In our current ears this sets us up to hear this psalm militarily, not relationally.

Imagine what some word substitutions for "victory" could do for us. First they would put us in a better position to hear the action of G*D at end of the psalm to be the healthy, positives of righteousness and equity. Victory doesn't really get us to that spot.

Here then are some words that we might substitute for "victory":
     - partnership
     - love
     - friendship
     - joy
     - relationship

The whole "victory" approach leads us to the dead-ends of "Truth" with a capital "T", Orthodoxy that emphasizes style of reporting a G*D experience rather than the experience itself, and Creeds that purport to be the last creed needed because it is the best we can do today.

If joy is to be expressed because of the presence of G*D, it needs something larger than a victory that we know will always be ephemeral, partial, and the set up to more conflict.