Editor’s Note:
We apologize for the delay in posting this edition of Psalm-light. It is well worth the wait…

Psalm-light for the 5th Sunday after Pentecost, June 2021

Psalm 130

“My soul waits for the Lord; my soul waits for him;
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.”
(Psalm 130: 5)

One of the many lessons COVID has been teaching is that waiting is hard. I already knew that, but apparently, I needed reminders! Whether it has been serious waiting for the first and second vaccine appointments, or lighter hearted waiting for a professional haircut, or waiting for a host of things in life in pre-pandemic times, from matters grave to petty, waiting can put our character and inner resources to the test! Waiting can be frustrating and anger producing; or make us feel helpless or very anxious; but waiting can also grant perspective on our lives and help clarify options before us.

Psalm 130 touches on waiting for God. We may find ourselves waiting for Divine guidance, inspiration, healing, or answers to prayer. We do not wait for One who is absent to appear; rather, trusting that God is with us, we look for more of His love, mercy, peace, and grace to help in time of need. Faithful waiting on God is an expression of our desire to walk in step with Christ, rather than following our own willful impulses.

The watchmen in Psalm 130 who wait for the morning, do not sit on their hands waiting for sunrise. They have their rounds and duties to perform through the night. Our waiting on the Lord is an active waiting. Loving God, and loving our neighbor as ourselves, already gives us both compass and map for the living of our days, even as we actively wait for the coming of the Kingdom and the full revelation of Christ in glory.

Walking in the Light:
Are you in the midst of major choices and changes in your life that require waiting on your part? What might “faithful waiting” look like in your situation? Ask for God’s help, for we know that waiting is hard.

Submitted by Archdeacon Peter Crosby