Psalm-ing on July 4

Of course, neither our President nor any nation’s leader is the same as the Davidic king envisioned here, but the Davidic king can be seen as a template of kingship — with due adjustments for our world, and with all respect to our Canadians who have some of their official statements embedded in this Psalm.

Kris and I are on Cape Cod with family, almost within earshot and eyeshot of the famous tea party that gave plenty of colonialists a kick in the shins and a commitment to seek for independence from good ol’ King George. I won’t be able to read any Thomas Paine (Common Sense) today but perhaps some of you will. I’m tempted to read about Roger Williams, who got things rolling just up the road from us in Providence Plantation (now Rhode Island), as well. 

Perhaps today you could begin by praying for our President.

From BCP

For the peace of the world, for the welfare of the Holy Church
of God, and for the unity of all peoples, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

For our President, for the leaders of the nations, and for all in
authority, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

Psalm 72

Endow the king with your justice, O God,
the royal son with your righteousness.
May he judge your people in righteousness,
your afflicted ones with justice.

May the mountains bring prosperity to the people,
the hills the fruit of righteousness.
May he defend the afflicted among the people
and save the children of the needy;
may he crush the oppressor.
May he endure as long as the sun,
as long as the moon, through all generations.
May he be like rain falling on a mown field,
like showers watering the earth.
In his days may the righteous flourish
and prosperity abound till the moon is no more.

May he rule from sea to sea
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
May the desert tribes bow before him
and his enemies lick the dust.
May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores
bring tribute to him.
May the kings of Sheba and Seba
present him gifts.
May all kings bow down to him
and all nations serve him.

For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help.
He will take pity on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death.
He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
for precious is their blood in his sight.

Long may he live!
May gold from Sheba be given him.
May people ever pray for him
and bless him all day long.
May grain abound throughout the land;
on the tops of the hills may it sway.
May the crops flourish like Lebanon
and thrive like the grass of the field.
May his name endure forever;
may it continue as long as the sun.

Then all nations will be blessed through him,
and they will call him blessed.

Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel,
who alone does marvelous deeds.
Praise be to his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen and Amen.