(The Church of the River, First Unitarian Church of Memphis, TN, on a 16 mile ride in the city and across the river to Arkansas.)

O God, do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still, O God!

Psalm 83:1

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Psalm 83 (NRSV)

O God, do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still, O God!

Even now your enemies are in tumult; those who hate you have raised their heads.

They lay crafty plans against your people; they consult together against those you protect.

They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more.”

They conspire with one accord; against you they make a covenant—

the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites,

Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;

Assyria also has joined them; they are the strong arm of the children of Lot. Selah

Do to them as you did to Midian, as to Sisera and Jabin at the Wadi Kishon,

who were destroyed at En-dor, who became dung for the ground.

Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,

who said, “Let us take the pastures of God for our own possession.”

O my God, make them like whirling dust, like chaff before the wind.

As fire consumes the forest, as the flame sets the mountains ablaze,

so pursue them with your tempest and terrify them with your hurricane.

Fill their faces with shame, so that they may seek your name, O Lord.

Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever; let them perish in disgrace.


Let them know that you alone, whose name is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth.

(Coronado Community United Methodist Church, New Smyrna Beach, FL, May 16, 2018, on a 9 mile ride vacation ride.)

Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute..
Psalm 82:3

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Psalm 82 (NRSV)

God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:

“How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah

Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute.

Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk around in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

I say, “You are gods, children of the Most High, all of you;

nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, and fall like any prince.”

Rise up, O God, judge the earth; for all the nations belong to you!