ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
October 4, 2022
This coming Sunday, I will be referencing a Psalm called an enthronement Psalm. Psalm 96 is one of many such Psalms, and as you can imagine, it depicts God as a king. Like a lot of titles for God, we must remember that they are metaphors or comparisons used to communicate certain attributes. Is God really a king as we humans have understood a king? What kind of king? As we have recently learned with the new King of England, the title is mostly ceremonial. I don’t believe that’s the way the ancient world understood it. And like every analogy, this one is flawed. There is no such thing as a perfect comparison using language. History tells us that there were more bad kings than good. Many of them were arrogant, greedy, unfaithful, unjust and enjoyed their power. None of those descriptions make sense when talking about God. It makes me wonder if people in the ancient world liked using the metaphor as a critique of their own kings. I imagine people dreamed of a king who was full of grace, beyond merciful and willing to be self-sacrificing for the sake of those most despised in the kingdom. For those living under a less than stellar king, it was probably helpful to think, ever so quietly, “At least I have a true king in heaven who is perfect in every way.” So, in that case, the title of king could have also been a source of hope, with a hint of rebellion.
Holy One, Source of Being, I am thankful for the many ways we attempt to speak of you, yet every word falls short. Encourage us to continue to strive and seek, while also finding peace with mystery and uncertainty and a lack of control. Amen.
