What's a Meta Phor?

Psalm 48

When trying to express the inexpressible, we make use of what is available. When trying to convey some big reality, I fumble around for an “It’s like” – otherwise known as a metaphor. I find myself doing that in trying to explain something my sons ask me (although I find more and more they are helping me understand at lot!).

There is a concern within this Psalm to pass on what is most valuable to the next generation and beyond. What is most valuable is to know the Lord. After a celebration of the Lord’s power in history and over against the world’s mightiest rulers, the scene focuses in on Jerusalem and the temple, where the people gather to experience God together. This gathering together has always been vital to the Judeo-Christian community. In early years of the church, Christians gathered in homes, or wherever they could, for teaching, communion, and empowerment. But the apostles still went to the temple. This was at this point still a part of Judaism. But it became just as important for those little groups with their own worshiping lives and learning and serving to come together for the celebration of worship together as it was in Old Testament times. Christians might say there was even more to be called together to celebrate. The traditional Presbyterian worship service begins with a “Call to Worship” – and we still need to acknowledge somehow that we are called together in this way.

Anyway, having that kind of experience in the temple and looking around at its impressive features, this became the “It’s like” for the older worshipers instructing the younger ones. It was intended to point to the limitless power of the God acting on earth. And even in the pre-resurrection faith expressed here, it hints at the eternal life we are intended for with Him (verse 14).

Prayer:
Great God, expand my perception of you in the multitude of ways you reveal yourself. You make the impossible happen by allowing us to see and experience in tangible ways what is your glory. Help us develop ways of celebrating you and sharing you with whatever means that can help. About the worst sin your church could commit, apart from outright heresy and hypocrisy, would be to be boring. Let us do our utmost to give expression to the wonder of you in this generation, and for the next. Through Christ. Amen.