In the king’s time may the just flourish;
and let there be an abundance of peace
till the moon shall be no more. Psalm 72: 7
Reflection: This is not so much a reflection of faith, but only that of an earthling. I notice that the moon offers perspective for life on earth, even for the psalmist. It endures but it also prepares us for changes: it comes and goes, waxes and wanes, rises and sets. It hides behind clouds or casts moon shadows with its shining. It is the brightest light of night, but can also stubbornly invade the suns’s day—something the sun cannot do in return. The moon’s light is a mere reflection, and yet it is the source of much poetry. We gaze at the moon and it does us no harm while we shield eyes and skin from the sun. The moon tugs at our tides and keeps its unique time; so much so that we earthlings have charts to keep up with its rhythms.
This psalm is written in honor of a king, and it prays for a time when justice and peace flourish. As much as I long for justice to flourish and for there to be an abundance of peace, I have a hard time envisioning a time when the moon shall be no more. The moon provides its own subtle justice, shining equally on rich and poor alike. And until the invention of the human’s artificial light, the moon has always signaled space for all to rest during its watch, to love, to dream, to sink back into peace. Any king or ruler would do well to notice how the moon does her work faithfully, works for all, waxes and wanes, and provides space for her earthlings to love and dream.
Suggestions:
1. Take this verse with you and ponder its meaning for you throughout the day. What do you notice? What do you wonder? Is there a time or place where you like watching the moon? What do you like best about the moon?
2. Or read all of Psalm 72 to discover how this verse fits into the psalm or to discover a different verse.
3. Or comment with a photo of your own that illustrates this verse’s meaning for you.
Tomorrow’s verse is from Psalm 73:25.
Starting January 1, 2016, for 150 days I am posting a daily psalm verse with a photo that is a visual meditation on the text for me. Each day a verse from the next psalm is chosen until all 150 psalms have been featured. To participate you may subscribe to my blog at https://elainedent.net or “friend” me on Facebook and watch for the daily links to blog posts. Disclaimer: I am not a photographer and most of the photos are from a cell phone or small camera while hiking the Appalachian Trail or the C&O Canal/Great Allegheny Passage Trail.
Kelvin Wright says
Elaine Dent says
Yes.
Chuck Miller says
I hope there is a poetic rhythm to the way we reflect the Light and influence our world as well.
Kelvin Wright says
.
Elaine Dent says
I imagine our reflection (or at least mine) is quite a bit more irregular :-/
Richard Dent says
Moon at its closest approach to earth, 2011-03-18
Richard Dent says
.
Elaine Dent says
nice
Brenda Holston says
Recent lunar eclipse. Red moon.
Elaine Dent says
🙂