An exercise in alternative sermonizing

Every now and again, we're asked to write a sermon on a text that we're researching for a final paper.  This was the case with Psalms.  And the video below is the resulting Slam.
But first, read the Psalm that inspired the sermon:

Psalm 77
To the leader: according to Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A Psalm.
¹ I cry aloud to God,
   aloud to God, that he may hear me.
² In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;
   in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;
   my soul refuses to be comforted.
³ I think of God, and I moan;
   I meditate, and my spirit faints.
          Selah

⁴ You keep my eyelids from closing;
   I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
⁵ I consider the days of old,
   and remember the years of long ago.
⁶ I commune^* with my heart in the night;
   I meditate and search my spirit:^*
7 ‘Will the Lord spurn for ever,
   and never again be favourable?
⁸ Has his steadfast love ceased for ever?
   Are his promises at an end for all time?
⁹ Has God forgotten to be gracious?
   Has he in anger shut up his compassion?’
          Selah
¹⁰ And I say, ‘It is my grief
   that the right hand of the Most High has changed.’

¹¹ I will call to mind the deeds of the Lord;
   I will remember your wonders of old.
¹² I will meditate on all your work,
   and muse on your mighty deeds.
¹³ Your way, O God, is holy.
   What god is so great as our God?
¹⁴ You are the God who works wonders;
   you have displayed your might among the peoples.
¹⁵ With your strong arm you redeemed your people,
   the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.
          Selah

¹⁶ When the waters saw you, O God,
   when the waters saw you, they were afraid;
   the very deep trembled.
¹⁷ The clouds poured out water;
   the skies thundered;
   your arrows flashed on every side.
¹⁸ The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
   your lightnings lit up the world;
   the earth trembled and shook.
¹⁹ Your way was through the sea,
   your path, through the mighty waters;
   yet your footprints were unseen.
²⁰ You led your people like a flock
   by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

A Psalm of Lament

I'm taking a new 3-week course at the Seminar.  I just finished my first one last week...That was Biblical Theology.  This is Psalms.

It is truly fascinating.  I love the psalms.  My favourite right now is 24. (go ahead and read it; I'll wait).  I like the first two verses especially.  So validating, so all-encompassing.  Suffice it to say, I am very much enjoying my Psalms class. (ask me about translation another time....)

We've two assignments this week that I think I would like to share with you.  The first is due tomorrow.  It's our very own psalm.  We were to write a Psalm of Thanksgiving or a Psalm of Lament. (Believe it or not, there are some very complex forms and rules to Psalm-writing)  I wrote a Psalm of Lament.

Tomorrow night, a Psalm-drawing assignment.  I will share that too.  But first, my Psalm:

Psalm 180

A song of Lament.

¹ I stand to praise you in the sanctuary,

surrounded by a community of baptized worshippers;

            And the words and song come out hollow and empty.

² I sit in my car, hands tightly gripping the steering wheel,

music and praise plays on my radio;

And words of prayer escape silently from my face to pool on my lap,

³ The pain chokes me;

            A viscous slime that makes it hard to breathe.              Life.

⁴ I come closer and closer to endless Chaos;

            Despair overwhelms me,

⁵ I long to find solace in your Light;

            To be as a small, hurt child soothed in the lap of a loving parent.

⁶ But Darkness is my only comfort;

            A blanket on a rainy day giving small consolation.

⁷ It’s said bad stuff just is;

            Shit happens.

⁸ God gives you nothing you can’t handle;

            What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

⁹ Is there nothing that you can’t do?

            Why haven’t you spared me this pain?

¹⁰ Is there nowhere that I can escape?

            Why do I feel hidden from you?

¹¹ Did Christ die that you might know humanity’s suffering?

            Why would you allow any human to suffer at all?

¹² Yet my deepest desire is to turn my face to you;

            To see you turning to face me.

¹³ It is in singing that I feel your loving embrace;

            In singing the bonds of Pain are shattered.

¹⁴ How can Darkness survive so much Joy?

¹⁵ Open my ears that I would hear your Wisdom;

Open my eyes that I would see the reason for hurt;

¹⁶ Open my throat that I would sing true praise;

Open my heart that I would know the promise of life.

¹⁷ And I will stand to praise you in the sanctuary,

leading the community of faithful fellowship;

            And the words and song will be Love and Validation.

Peace to you all.