One Crow...

A Reflection on the Psalm for August 22nd, 2021:
Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Psalm 34

R. Taste and see that the Lord is good.

I will bless the Lord at ALL times;
  his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
​  let the humble hear and be glad. 

R. Taste and see that the Lord is good.

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
  and his ears are open to their cry.
The face of the Lord is against evildoers,
  to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. 

R. Taste and see that the Lord is good.

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears,
  and rescues them from ALL their troubles.
The Lord is near to the broken-hearted,
  and saves the crushed in spirit. 

R. Taste and see that the Lord is good.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous one,
  but the Lord rescues him from them ALL.
He keeps all his bones;
  not one of them will be broken. 

R. Taste and see that the Lord is good.

Evil brings death to the wicked,
  and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
​  none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned. 

R. Taste and see that the Lord is good.

I can see the sea from where I sit — taste it in the air.
O taste and sea.
O taste and see.


There is a reason why this is the pivot point.


Somewhere sits a crow above me and she calls out repeating something in sets of three.
ALL.  ALL.  ALL.
There are other birds with softer songs — lighter songs, brighter songs --
  but they are further from me.
The crow is here, close enough that I can hear the downbeat of her wing
​  as she comes to an eastern tree.
ALL.  ALL.  ALL.




In this Psalm we sing together, ALL is called out as a triptych.
ALL afflictions. ALL troubles. ALL times.
One ALL for our Lord. One ALL for everyone. One ALL for each.
Him. Us. Me.


Rescue for the Righteous One offered on a tree
Carrying countless afflictions
Bearing the burden of every brokenness, but not a bone of His is broken.


Rescue for the lost ones who know their need
Bringing boatloads of troubles.
He takes them from us, tucks them in His pocket, and comes close across the waves.


Rescue for the one who drops this anchor in stillness or storm,
“I will bless the Lord.”
The taste of praise is in my mouth, and my soul is sound.


Woven through it all like lines of light repeating on the water
O taste and sea
O taste and see
That the Lord is good.


The rising sun crests my crow’s tree. Its warmth hits at my forehead,
​  before it finds my lips and my heart.


Just as before the Gospel.
Glory to You, O Lord.
Good News is coming soon.




Noreen Smith

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