
GENERAL/INTRO
Second Sunday of 4 week summer Psalm series: Psalm 69:1-16 and: Matthew 7:7-11; overview of series & notes for each week at https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=4073
Psalms as Expressions of Worship by John Hicks: Charts of psalms using the Orientation/Disortientation/Re-Orientation schema of Brueggemann that is being used by NL for its summer psalm series: http://johnmarkhicks.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2008/04/psalm-classification-and-worship-mood.doc
When the Floods Rise: This commentary explores the meaning of Psalms of disorientation and the messiness we experience in faith.
https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2505
A great paraphrase (from the Message) https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm69&version=MSG
THEMES
My husband, who is preaching this pericope, is leaning into Matthew 7:7-11 as an answer to what happens when we seek God. For Matthew resources (not included in this blog), see https://preachingandworship.org/search/matthew%207%3A7-11. For resources on that saying as found in Luke, see http://www.textweek.com/mtlk/lk11.htm
Another potential theme is the place and need for (and acceptability of!) lament in the Christian life and also in worship
If you go into the latter half of the psalm, it takes up Christological themes of the suffering of the righteous and Jesus’ suffering. One reference to that is found below under exegetical resources. For this theme, see preaching notes by Stan Mast on Ps. 69:7-18 as a prediction of Christ’s suffering but also a pastoral word for those who suffer as he did for righteousness sake. https://cep.calvinseminary.edu/sermon-starters/proper-7a/?type=the_lectionary_psalms and similar themes from Paul K.-K. Cho https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=3302
HYMNS for Ps. 69
Taize: O Lord, Hear My Prayer
City Hymn’s version of “Out of the Depths” adapted from “Out of the Deep I Call” by Henry W. Baker, 1868 and Psalm 130. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Gt9MkLeNO4
Out of the Depths CCL license/for purchase https://sovereigngracemusic.org/music/songs/out-of-the-depths/
“Create in Me a Clean Heart O God”
“Kyrie Eleison” (Lord Have Mercy)
“Lord Teach Us How to Pray Aright”
“What a Friend We Have in Jesus”
From Presbyterian Hymnal (1990)
Those in bold particularly appropriate
Those listing with .x, such as 73.3, mean that verse 3 is particularly appropriate in hymn #73.
Psalm 69.7-18
168 Lord, Why Have You Forsaken Me
182 Psalm 31.9-16
183 In You, Lord, I Have Put My Trust
189 As Deer Long for the Streams
190 Psalm 42
250 When Morning Lights the Eastern Skies
277 O God, Our Faithful God
Psalm 69.7-12
73.3 Swiftly Pass the Clouds of Glory
76 My Song Is Love Unknown
78 Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed
80 Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley
82 O Lamb of God Most Holy!
83 O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High
85 What Wondrous Love Is This
86 When We Are Tempted to Deny Your Son
93 Ah, Holy Jesus
97.2 Go to Dark Gethsemane
99 Throned Upon the Awful Tree
103 Deep Were His Wounds, and Red
149.4+5 The Head That Once Was Crowned
260.3+4 A Mighty Fortress is Our God
364 I Sing a Song of the Saints of God
393 Take Up Your Cross, the Savior Said
419 How Clear Is Our Vocation, Lord
425.2 Lord of Light, Your Name Outshining
Psalm 69.13-18
9.1 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
178.3 Lord, to You My Soul Is Lifted
249.1 O Lord, Make Haste to Hear My Cry
277.3 O God, Our Faithful God
303 Jesus, Lover of My Soul
342 By Gracious Powers
363 I Want Jesus to Walk with Me
373 Lonely the Boat
442.3+4 The Church’s One Foundation
Psalm 69.13b,16
186 Thy Mercy and Thy Truth, O Lord
205.4 All Hail to God’s Anointed
209 My Song Forever Shall Record
222 Psalm 103
223 O My Soul, Bless Your Redeemer
243 We Thank You, Lord, for You Are Good
251 Your Faithfulness, O Lord, Is Sure
253.2 I’ll Praise My Maker
254 Psalm 146
261 God of Compassion, in Mercy Befriend Us
276 Great Is Thy Faithfulness
298 There’s A Wideness in God’s Mercy
600.5 Song of Mary (Magnificat)
Psalm 69.14-15
114.1 Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain
115.1 Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain
165.4 When in the Night I Meditate
201.2 Praise Is Your Right, O God, in Zion
209.3 My Song Forever Shall Record
236 Now Israel May Say
249 O Lord, Make Haste to Hear My Cry
259.1 A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
286.2 Give to the Winds Thy Fears
303.1 Jesus, Lover of My Soul
308.3 O Sing a Song of Bethlehem
361.3 How Firm a Foundation
601.5 Song of Zechariah (Benedictus)
PRAYER: GOD HEARS
112.3 Christ the Lord Is Risen Again
144.3 Alleluia! Sing to Jesus!
(150.2) Come, Christians, Join to Sing
160 Psalm 4
169.2 In the Day of Need
187.5 Psalm 34.9-22
201.1 Praise Is Your Right, O God, in Zion
212.4 Within Your Shelter, Loving God
247.2 I Will Give Thanks with My Whole Heart
251.3 Your Faithfulness, O Lord, Is Sure
(286) Give to the Winds Thy Fears
295.3 O God of Love, O God of Peace
333.2 Seek Ye First
362 I Love the Lord, Who Heard My Cry
403 What a Friend We Have in Jesus
(416.2) Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation
(417.2) Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation
438.2 Blest Be the Tie That Binds
446.3 Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken
489 Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty
PRAYER: THAT GOD HEAR!
168 Lord, Why Have You Forsaken Me
178 Lord, to You My Soul Is Lifted
189 As Deer Long for the Streams
190 Psalm 42
249 O Lord, Make Haste to Hear My Cry
326.3 Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart
442.3 The Church’s One Foundation
SEEKING GOD/CHRIST
79 Kind Maker of the World
177.3 Psalm 24 (Lift Up the Gates Eternal)
189 As Deer Long for the Streams
190 Psalm 42
198 O God, You Are My God
199 O Lord, You Are My God
207 How Lovely, Lord
208 Psalm 84
228 O Thou, My Soul, Return in Peace
231.19 Psalm 118.14-24
232.19 Psalm 118.19-29
235 With Joy I Heard My Friends Exclaim
242 Come, All You Servants of the Lord
326.2 Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart
329 Break Thou the Bread of Life
365 Jesus, Priceless Treasure
489 Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty
510 Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts
511 Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts
Liturgical Resources
Prayer: Out of the Depths #2/”De Profundis” (Psalm 130)
https://www.catholicdoors.com/prayers/english/p05551b.htm
Unfolding of Psalm 69 with expanded prayers offered for each verse to illustrate what it would look like to make the kind of heartfelt humble prayer to God that the psalmist does; oriented toward sin and the cross. http://sincerespiritualmilk.blogspot.com/2013/01/psalm-69-heartfelt-humble-prayer-to-god.html
Opening Prayer (from Matthew 7:7-11, Living Translation) By Barb Hedges-Goettl; please give credit if using/adapting
O God, even we know how to give good gifts to children. But you know how to give good gifts even more than we do.
O God, keep us asking. Keep us seeking. Keep us knocking. As your children we pray, Amen.
CALL TO WORSHIP & PRAYER (from Ps.69, New International Version) By Barb Hedges-Goettl; please give credit if using/adapting
[One] In the time of your favor, in your great love,
[Many] O God, answer us.
Respond to us with your sure salvation. Rescue us.
O God, answer us.
Do not let the floodwaters engulf us. Do not let the depths swallow us up.
O God, answer us.
Keep the pit from closing its mouth over us. Out of the goodness of your love,
O God, answer us.
Turn to us in your great mercy.
O God, answer us.
ALL: TRUSTING IN YOUR GREAT MERCY WE PRAY—
AND WE WORSHIP. AMEN.
Confession of Sin By Barb Hedges-Goettl; please give credit if using or adapting.
*Call to Confession: God knows every sin that we have committed, yet God loves and calls us still. Let us turn to God in answer to that call.
*Prayer of Confession:
God, turn my attention to our relationship,
to your relationship with me and my relationship with you.
When I care more about what people say than about serving you, forgive me.
When I am reluctant to express my faith, forgive me.
When I am not as committed to you as I could be, forgive me.
When I do not sorrow for what hurts you in my life and in the world, forgive me.
When I am impatient with you, with others, and with myself, forgive me.
Renew my understanding of your love and my passion to serve you.
(Silent confession)
*Assurance of Pardon (Psalm 69:2, New Living Translation)
God answers our prayers because God’s unfailing love is wonderful. God takes care of us because God’s mercy is so plentiful. Thanks be to God for this Good News:
In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.
Prayer of Dedication By Barb Hedges-Goettl; please give credit if using or adapting.
O God, we dedicate to you all that we do, all that we give, and all that we are. Kindle in us love for you, that we may serve your Kingdom. Amen.
Children’s sermon:
Use the song “I’m being swallowed by a boa constrictor” to talk about how the psalmist feels and what s/he does about it.
See https://www.kididdles.com/lyrics/i114.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd0cX1dogtk
Exegetical Resources
General
Sermon on Psalm 130, which has similar themes of crying to God out of the depths https://www.cross-point.org/content.cfm?page_content=downloads_include.cfm&download_id=270
Exegetical walk through the entire Psalm in chunks: https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/1140-psalm-69-a-plea-for-gods-deliverance
Blog with scholarly and personal reflections on theme of deliverance by an older layman: http://2twokens.blogspot.com/2012/04/diliverance-psalm-691-18.html
Seeking the Hidden God
When You Can’t Stop Crying Out to God: Psalm 69:13 comes alongside Luke 18:1-8 in the example of repeated requests. We often ask for help, hoping and believing that God will answer his children with good gifts. https://www.theologyofwork.org/the-high-calling/when-you-cant-stop-crying-out-god
Commentary on Ps. 69:7-10, –[11-15], 16-18 from the RCL by Working Preacher; takes up theme of Hide-n-Seek.
http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2023
This one may be a bit further afield, but came up under “Hidden God” and looked interesting: Fear of Death, Harry Potter, and the Hidden God; Audio of a parishioner at Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Indiana sharing a sermon exploring what many philosophers have argued is our most primal fear – the fear of death. Pointing to the Christ-allegory in the popular Harry Potter series, Andy goes on to posit reasons for the hidden nature of God as it relates to love, sacrifice, and faith, and death. Listen to this beautiful and profound sermon, and be encouraged! http://standrewsgreencastle.org/fear-death-harry-potter-hidden-god/
Chasing the Hidden God: All the Light We Cannot See (sign up/in/on for free access to whole article): https://www.todayschristianwoman.com/articles/2015/august-19/chasing-hidden-god.html
Lament
See discussion of lament in the context of Psalm 69 in earlier blog by Katy Stenta: https://katyandtheword.wordpress.com/2015/06/09/many-waters-love-lament-psalm-69/
Katy’s blog refers to Many Waters and other works of Madeleine L’Engle; she is an author that insists that God is big enough to handle our anger and/or our doubt. For a slice of that viewpoint and references to which of her books address these themes, see “A Conversation with Madeleine L’Engle” at http://www.leaderu.com/marshill/mhr04/lengle1.html
15 page article by liturgical scholar John Witvleit on the role of lament in worship:
https://issuu.com/pmajorins/docs/reflections_on_lament_in_christian_
Brueggemann on “The Friday Voice of Faith: a serious theology of the cross requires a serious practice of the lament psalms”—why lament psalms don’t get used in worship and why that should change. https://www.reformedworship.org/article/december-1993/friday-voice-faith-serious-theology-cross-requires-serious-practice-lament-psa
ARTWORK: Psalm 69 bulletin cover https://www.flickr.com/photos/traqair57/3513945347/in/album-72157603288751629/
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