Today we’re looking at a psalm of reorientation. Remember that a way of categorizing some of the psalms are in groups of orientation, disorientation, and reorientation. Quick recap those look like this: Orientation, life is good, God is good and faithful. Disorientation, life is chaotic, where is God, how long will this last. Reorientation, God surprises us and brings us back to a place of joy and a new place of orientation.
Our psalm of reorientation is Psalm 30: Listen for the themes of restoration, joy, peace, praise and thanksgiving at what God has done.
As we looked at Psalm 42, a psalm of disorientation, we realized they aren’t for the faint of heart. It’s hard work grieving, and lamenting, wondering where God is and waiting for God to act. It’s difficult to hope when all the light around you seems to have gone dark. Disorientation can last for a short time, or sometimes for years, if not longer. As we explore Psalm 30 and the reorientation it describes, let’s remember that sometimes it can be quite the journey before we finally discover God’s restoration.
Psalm 30 begins like a lot of psalms of thanksgiving and reorientation with recognition of their plea for help and God’s faithfulness in deliverance. The psalmist calls us, the faithful ones of God to give thanks and praise God’s holy name. Weeping may indeed last for the night but joy comes in the morning. The question we face in the midst of those nights is how long will the night last on this season of our lives, but trust and look forward to the day when we experience the joy of God in the morning of a new day.
Verses 6 and 7 speak to the reality of life for a lot of us. We get proud and arrogant, and begin to trust in ourselves when things are going well in our lives, we won’t be moved we think. But when God hides his face from us all of what we thought held us up can no longer sustain us and we realize our deep need for God. Too often, we try and fill the God-shaped hole in our hearts and souls with things that cannot satisfy.
Reflecting on their life the psalmist remembers pleading for God to act, challenging God with questions about what is gained if they die, will the dust praise you God. No, so hear me, and be my help. And at some point in their life, God did just that turning wailing and weeping into dancing and joy. For this reason, the psalmist in thanksgiving will sing praises to God forever.
How does this psalm of reorientation and thanksgiving prompt you to think about God’s faithfulness in your own life? How does a psalm like this speak to you when you are in a place of disorientation? Can you find hope from God’s faithfulness to others, or does a psalm like this remind you of the questions you already have for God?
May you continue to be reminded of God’s presence in the dark places of life and in the places of joy and thanksgiving as you reflect on God’s faithfulness.
For our hymn lyrics today we have “My life flows on”
My life flows on in endless song,
above earth’s lamentation.
I catch the sweet, though far off hymn
that hails a new creation.
No storm can shake my inmost calm
while to that Rock I’m clinging.
Since Love is Lord of heav’n and earth,
how can I keep from singing?
Through all the tumult and the strife,
I hear that music ringing.
It finds an echo in my soul.
How can I keep from singing?
No storm can shake my inmost calm
while to that Rock I’m clinging.
Since Love is Lord of heav’n and earth,
how can I keep from singing?
What though my joys and comforts die?
The Lord my Savior lives.
What though the darkness gather ‘round?
Songs in the night he gives.
No storm can shake my inmost calm
while to that Rock I’m clinging.
Since Love is Lord of heav’n and earth,
how can I keep from singing?
The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,
a fountain ever springing!
All things are mine since I am his!
How can I keep from singing?
No storm can shake my inmost calm
while to that Rock I’m clinging.
Since Love is Lord of heav’n and earth,
how can I keep from singing?
Here’s a list of other psalms to explore:
Psalms of Orientation: 1, 8, 14, 24, 33, 37, 104, 119, 145
Psalms of Disorientation: 6, 13, 22, 35, 42, 56, 57, 74, 79, 86, 88, 109, 137
Psalms of Reorientation: 29, 30, 40, 65, 66, 73, 93, 96, 97, 99, 100, 114