November 26th - Reflection

Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 (NRSV)
We shall be saved
Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph like a flock!
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth

before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh.
Stir up your might,
and come to save us!

Restore us, O God;
let your face shine, that we may be saved.

O Lord God of hosts,
how long will you be angry with your people's prayers?
You have fed them with the bread of tears,
and given them tears to drink in full measure.
You make us the scorn of our neighbors;
our enemies laugh among themselves.

Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved. ...

But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand,
the one whom you made strong for yourself.
Then we will never turn back from you;
give us life, and we will call on your name.

Restore us, O Lord God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved.

Reflection
I am focused on the phrase about the Shepherd leader who is "enthroned upon the cherubim" and what thoughts have come to my mind.

When I see the word cherubim and enthroned together I can't help but think of the mercy seat of the ark of the covenant. The place where God sits above the two cherubim guards in the presence of the people. So he sits "enthroned upon the cherubim."

As the psalmist cries out from darkness of separation from God, the psalmist cries for the light of salvation from God. A Light from the mercy seat of God depicted as the Shepherd. Then I'm reminded of the passages in the New Testament, especially in John, where Jesus is referred to as the "Light of the world" there are so many various images of light associated with God that it seems to emphasize my fascination with this psalm.

And finally the image of the Shepherd, I'm reminded of the Good Shepherd and Jesus. I think of God's promise that a Shepherd would rise up from the lineage of David from which we now have our Savior Jesus. But the irony of my whole fascination with this one phrase seems to be my realization that in salvation the Shepherd and the Sheep became one, slaughtered upon the cross for the sins of the people. Slaughtered on the mercy seat itself.

I read in a source that one item of the cross commonly used was a little platform placed of the vertical of the cross that was something like a seat which permitted the person being executed to barely sit to allow them to get a breath while hanging from the cross. One of the issues of hanging from a cross was that with arms extended the person would basically suffocate. This small platform would give short relief but was not positioned in such a way that you could just sit there upon it for any length of time. This platform was termed the "mercy seat."

When I take this small phrase from the psalm I am reminded of how Jesus was the Light of the world. I'm reminded of how Jesus light shown brightly from that cross as he gave us life being the Shepherd and the sheep from the mercy seat of the cross that Friday. I'm reminded of Jesus, "enthroned upon the cherubim"  and how when I look upon the cross I see Jesus and humbly plead to Jesus... "let your face shine, that we may be saved." Thanks be to God!


Prayer
Lord, I'm astounded at the rich meaning that your Word brings to my life. Lead me and guide me that I may see your face shine in all glory, for you graciously came to save me from my sin as you sat enthroned upon the cherubim of that mercy seat. As I see your face shine, may your Light shine in and through me this day to all the world. --- Amen