June 14, 2009 Message

Psalm 72
“Honest To God”

“Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to a king’s son. May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice.” (1-2)

This song is offered on behalf of a new Hebrew king, on whose shoulders the prosperity, success and health of a nation would rest – or so the people thought. So, what is its importance for us, as we are neither Hebrew nor king – or one on whom success or failure rest? Or are we? Maybe each of us, for just a short time this morning, could put ourselves in the place of this king and listen to the prayer of the psalmist as if it were for us. “Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness…”

Do you hear the poet’s song: his petition for your long life, your influence on more and more people, and for an even greater reputation. Be cautious though. Don’t let the poet’s overstatement of things for you - your longevity, extended power, and durability of fame - obscure or cloud the main point, which is: the king lives under the scrutiny of God. The king does not have the final say – God does. You are only God’s helper.

Today’s gospel reinforces that it isn’t the king of this Psalm or the one who sows the seed - or any of us – who has the final say in the outcome of things, it is God. Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how.” (Mark 4:26-27) Some things are beyond the understanding of even kings.

The people were God’s people, and therefore entitled to a rule of righteousness; the poor were God’s poor, and thus entitled to the rule of God’s justice. They still are. Leaders tend to forget that, even today. Looking at people as only ‘constituents,’ they get caught up in the mandates given them by their consistencies, forgetting their real mandates for rule are from God – to provide justice for all God’s people.

Psalm 72 offers the revelation that if the king rules with justice and righteousness, the troubles of the poor will cease and the whole of God’s people will prosper. If the people should live together lovingly under God’s rule – then their “well-being” and blessing would follow. Some would say that is the true meaning of shalom, of God’s peace and that it is God’s purpose our fellowship include everyone and that we share our love and concern with those who need it.

God’s justice, righteousness, and peace have always been important. The ideals of justice, prosperity for the people, and the cause of the poor have lost little, if any, weight after all these years. This psalm, more than any other, says it is the duty of those in positions to do so to help and care for the poor. It emphasizes God’s concern for social justice and helping the needy - which by the way always has been a Methodist thing!

Psalm 72 is thought by some to be a messianic text. In other words, it reveals the reign of the coming messiah. It says that the rule of God's Chosen One will be a kingdom that will last forever. His rule will be as refreshing as springtime showers. He will defend the poor and help the needy. When the Lord Jesus returns he will take away the evil in the world and set up a peaceful kingdom. Those who are godly and do what is right will flourish (do well) under his care. And yet the great Protestant thinker John Calvin warned against our considering this poem’s message as simply a prophecy of the kingdom of Christ to come. For him, we are not to wait!

Those in positions of power and leadership, including the church, are to put into practice acts of justice reflecting God’s justice. Praying the same prayer as the psalmist, we are to ask for God’s peace, justice and righteousness; which is a way of saying, “give our leaders honesty… so that they can be, in everything they do, “honest to God.” And then, as examples, their honesty will become characteristic of the people as well. Like the mustard seed mentioned today in Mark, our acts of justice, our care and concern for others, will multiply and grow - ever enlarging the kingdom of God.

In the 'mays' of this prayer, there is a sincere and passionate appeal for God’s way to be the king’s way, the people’s way, and our way.

1. May God’s righteousness flourish, and God’s justice abound in you… as long as the sun and the moon are in the sky. May it always be! In these words, we find hope that God’s “right way of living” shall never be broken during the king’s lifetime or that of his descendants.

2. May righteousness (God’s way of doing things) be for you, “like the rain that falls on the mown grass, like the showers that water the earth!” – timeless, predictable; and life renewing as you adopt for your lives God’s foundational values of kindness and concern for all God’s people.

3. May everyone honor and respect you not because of what you can do for them, but because of what you will do for “the needy… the poor and voiceless… and those who are weak as you keep them from being stepped on and used – all because, they do matter.”

4. May there be more than enough for everyone everywhere… more than enough justice for even the underdog… more than enough prosperity for even the poor… and more than enough peace for all creation.

This too is to be our ‘song of hope’… our prayer that God’s justice will prevail in this world and God’s kingdom come. And prevail it will… as this wondrous seed of God’s justice and righteousness, planted in each of our hearts, "grows up to become the greatest of all shrubs, putting forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.” I have no idea just how it is going to happen, but I trust it will… because I don’t have the final say, God does!

“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things. Blessed be his glorious name forever; may his glory fill the whole earth. Amen and Amen. (18-19)