At the back of the organ was a large wooden lever, possibly about a metre-and-a-half in length. This could enable someone to pump the bellows manually. Some of us tried it out. It was important to maintain constant air pressure for the duration of a hymn or other piece of music.
It is said that a famous visiting organist was presenting a concert of organ music in a church. A young lad was behind the organ operating the pump. At the end of the first piece, the audience burst into applause. The lad put his head around the corner and said to the organist, "We did pretty well that time, didn’t we?" The musician was annoyed, "What do you mean ‘we’? I played that piece and I played it well. They’re clapping for me!" The next item was announced and the audience waited for the first chord - and waited and waited... The head popped around the corner again, "Is it going to be ‘we’ this time?"
Psalm 48 is written against a background of victory. Quite possibly the occasion is the defeat of the Moabites and Ammonites in the time of king Jehoshaphat, as recorded in 2 Chronicles 20.
They had been told, "Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s... You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you" (vv. 15,17).
In fact, "as [the Lord’s people] began to sing and praise" (v. 22), the enemies began destroying one another. When Jehoshaphat and his army returned to Jerusalem, "they entered Jerusalem and went to the temple of the Lord with harps and lutes and trumpets" (v. 28).
The battle had been the Lord’s - they could claim no credit. It hadn’t even been an "us" battle. Their celebration continued the praise begun beforehand.
"Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain" God is in her citadels; he has shown himself to be her fortress. When the kings joined forces, when they advanced together, they saw her and were astounded; they fled in terror... Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with righteousness" (Ps. 48.1,3-5,10).
Don’t forget this celebration of the Lord’s protection and victory! "Walk about Zion, go around her, count her towers, consider well her ramparts, view her citadels, that you may tell of them to the next generation" (vv. 12-13).
"Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love" (v. 9). Some folk just like a celebration - any celebration will do. The Psalm calls on us to pause and reflect - to ponder God’s unfailing love.
"For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end" (v. 14). This is the certainty of active faith - committed to God and knowing that he is committed to us, living and acting with confidence.
Live our life as a partnership with God - an "us" life. Sometimes we may feel the main initiative is on our shoulders. Sometimes he will seem to be carrying us all the way. But whatever happens, we aren’t alone - "he will be our guide even to the end".
| Prayer: Father God, too often we live our lives apart from you. We take great personal pride in our achievements, and then blame you whenever things go wrong! Help us to live in partnership with you - knowing we are never alone, and that you promise to be our guide even to the end. You are indeed great and most worthy of praise. We worship you, in Jesus’ name, Amen. |
Too often
I ignore
his guiding
presence,
choosing
to do it
my way,
ignoring help -
autonomous.
When tossed about
by circumstance,
I blame God
for leaving me
alone!
But then I see a cross
and one who cries,
"My God,
I’m all alone!"
And then the cry,
"That’s it!
Complete!"
He bore
my loneliness and sin.
Teach me to walk
each day with you -
never alone!
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