A few months ago, one of the news stations was interviewing a political strategist regarding what kind of career background would best help someone in serving as President of the United States. That’s an interesting question. I really didn’t have a strong opinion on this and so I wanted to hear what this expert had to say.
As the interview began, he went on to explain how politics really doesn’t compare with any other career background. And after mentioning some of the other choices, he basically came out and said that politicians make the best politicians.
As I tried to listen to this interview with an open mind, what he had to say had some merit. I mean, you can be a successful CEO of a company but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you will have the political skills to navigate through the power structures that you will face on Capitol Hill.
When the interview was over, I couldn’t help but to think of how important it is to pray for those who are serving in political offices. Politics is a very complex and messy enterprise. No wonder that there are probably more jokes about politicians than any other profession.
Which reminds me. Have you heard this one? A doctor, an engineer, and a politician were arguing as to which profession was older. "Well," argued the doctor, "without a physician humankind could not have survived, so I am sure that mine is the oldest profession." "No," said the engineer, "before life began there was complete chaos, and it took an engineer to create some semblance of order from this chaos. So engineering is older." "But," chirped the triumphant politician, "who created the chaos?"
Someone once made the observation that George Washington is the only president who didn't blame the previous administration for his troubles. That one liner might actually be true, come to think of it.
Have you ever noticed how the Bible doesn’t shy away from political talk? And that’s easy to understand since Israel’s history is interwoven with outside empires and powers such as Egypt, Babylon, Persia, and the Greco-Roman empires. Each of these empires ruled over the people of Israel at some point in their biblical history. In fact, it’s difficult to understand the bible without an understanding of the political situation that the people of God were facing at the time.
As we conclude our three-part sermon series on the Book of Psalms, we turn our focus today on a category of psalms of a political nature called the psalms of enthronement. These particular psalms speak an important word about who the Lord is in relation to the earthly powers that surround them and what this means for them as God’s people. And they also speak an important word for us in our day and age.
Psalms of enthronement are Psalms that celebrate God’s rule and reign over all of creation. Of the 150 Psalms, seven of them are considered Psalms of enthronement, and in a closely related category called “Royal Psalms” there are ten of those Psalms. The royal psalms celebrate whoever the human king of Israel was at the time.
So how can psalms of enthronement and the royal psalms help us to express our hearts?
The first way they help us to express our hearts is by reminding us to pray for those who are in positions of authority and power. This is what the royal psalms do for us. For example, Psalm 72, in speaking about the King, says, “May prayer be made for him continually, and blessings invoked for him all day long.”
In the New Testament, we are told that we should pray for those who are serving in positions of power. And it doesn’t say that we should pray for them only if we agree with their political decisions. It encourages us to pray for them, even as we voice our opinions, and hold them accountable for their decisions.
In Paul’s letter to Titus, he offers him the following specific instructions regarding the church under his care, “Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work.” This is just one example of where the bible recognizes the practical need for there to be a political system to provide security, stability, and support for its citizens regardless of their backgrounds and religious preferences. To not have such a system in place is to invite chaos and widespread injustice.
So, on this 235th anniversary of our nation’s independence, it is very appropriate for us to offer prayers on behalf of our President, his cabinet, and those who serve as elected officials. We are blessed to live in a nation that offers so many resources and opportunities, not to mention our many freedoms.
The second way that these psalms can help us to express our hearts is in how they remind us that God is the ultimate ruler over all power and authority. Psalm 96 is one of the Psalms of enthronement and begins by calling on God’s people to worship the Lord and tell of how wonderful the Lord is. In verse 10, the Psalmist exclaims, “Say among the nations, ‘The Lord is king!”
Now, just think about what an audacious claim this Psalmist is making. Of all the nations and powers that exist at that time, this Psalmist is saying that the God of Israel isn’t just king over the little nation of Israel, but is also the king over all other nations as well!
In a time period in which each nation and culture worshipped their own gods, the Psalms of enthronement boldly declare that there is one true God who rules over all. And the reason these Psalms can make such a claim is because of the biblical understanding that the God of Israel is the one who created the world and everything in it. And not only did the God of Israel create the world, this God also rules over all powers and authorities.
In other words, it wasn’t that God just created the world and then stepped back to let the world take over from there. This God is involved in the world, and is the one who allows nations to exist in the first place. Psalms of enthronement make it very clear that the God of Israel rules over all other power and authority.
But then these Psalms go even deeper. They don’t just proclaim that God is the ruler over all of creation including empires and nations. They also boldly proclaim that the Lord rules with justice and righteousness.
Right after the Psalmist says that the Lord is king, he also says in verse 10 that the Lord will judge the peoples with equity. And going down to the last verse, the Psalmist says that the Lord will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with his truth.
And that’s important because the royal psalms which I mentioned just a little bit ago, refer to specific human kings who were serving Israel at the time. But we all know that human kings and politicians don’t always rule with equity and righteousness in mind. To varying degrees, they rule out of self interest and greed. Israel had a checkered past with their kings, didn’t they? Some ruled better than others. But even when some of these Psalms are referring to specific kings, they always have in mind the Lord who is the true King and who rules over all.
Notice in this Psalm of enthronement how creation itself which includes the heavens, the earth, the sea, the fields, and the trees will sing for joy during that time in the future when the Lord will come to judge the earth. This is the hope that we find in the Psalms of enthronement; the hope that one day the Lord will return and all of creation will finally be claimed by God.
So when we encounter the brokenness and injustice in our world such as homelessness or poverty or the abuse of children, the Psalms of enthronement help us to not lose heart and to hold on to the hope that God who is the true king over all creation will one day make all things new. No matter how bleak things may seem at times, we worship and serve a king who is faithful, just, and true.
Hundreds of years after the psalms of enthronement were written, Jesus was born. During his ministry, many believed that he was the long awaited king who would finally bring about God’s kingdom of righteousness. Jesus saw this as his vocation and calling from God. At one point in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus prays, “All things have been handed over to me by my Father.”
Yes, it would be through Jesus, that God’s kingdom would finally begin, but the crown this king would wear would not be a crown of jewels, but a crown of thorns, and his throne would not be an ornate chair, but it would be a wooden cross. And his kingdom would not be one of swords and military might, but one of love and sacrificial living.
On the fortieth day after his resurrection, Jesus ascended to his heavenly throne to rule forever as king. And until he returns, we are called to worship Jesus, the King, and through the strength of the Holy Spirit, serve in his name and help to bring about God’s kingdom here on earth.
And this leads us to the third way that the psalms of enthronement and the royal psalms can help us to express our hearts. They remind us that we are called to serve the Lord, who is the true king.
This past spring, the world tuned in to watch the royal wedding of William and Kate. It was a spectacular wedding filed with pageantry, symbolism, and tradition. There is something about the royal line that intrigues us Americans.
A friend of mine once told me a story about Queen Elizabeth II that I have not forgotten. Several years ago, the Queen was visiting here in the United States and was having a conversation with a spectator who was part of a large crowd who had gathered to greet the Queen.
Just when they were introducing themselves to each other, the woman’s cell phone began to ring at the most inopportune time, right when she was meeting with the Queen. And Queen Elizabeth said to her, “You better answer it dear. It just might be somebody important.”
Now, I don’t know if the Queen meant for her comment to be funny or not. Who in that moment could have been more important than the Queen?
The Psalms of enthronement remind us that there is no one who is more important than the Lord who is King over all creation. And this Lord is not only the true king over all, but is also a king who has been made known to us in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus is King. And this is the meaning of the word, “Christ.” It’s a title. It means, “King.” Jesus, the King.
And this leads to two very important questions. The first question is, “Do I recognize Jesus as king of my life? And secondly, “Am I living as one of the king’s followers?”
Like my good friend, Pastor Rick Jones of Sixth Avenue United Methodist Church here in town puts it, “For Jesus to be your resident, he needs to be your President.”
When we acknowledge Jesus to be our President and our King, it means we offer him our full devotion and worship. And it also means that we serve him by sharing the good news of our faith, by caring for those who are in need, and by reaching out to those who suffer from injustice.
As we come forward to receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion this morning, know that the King has invited you and me to join him around his table. And he invites us to be citizens in his glorious kingdom.
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