By the time you get this Musings, I will be on the trail in Pisgah National Forest backpacking with several other men from CTR, and from St Andrew’s Church in Mount Pleasant, SC.  I know backpacking doesn’t sound appealing to many of you, but I love it!  Yet this trip is more than just a bunch of guys hanging out in the woods together.  It is also a spiritual journey, and a journey into real community with other men.

The well-known and much loved Psalm 139 will be our text throughout the trip, and I have been contemplating and meditating on it this week.  The Psalm can be broken into several sections.

The First section is about the greatness of God and how it impacts my life:
(v. 1-6) The all knowing God knows me
(v. 7-12) The all-present God is with me
(v. 13-16) The eternal God formed me

The second section is about my response to the greatness of God:
(v. 17-18) The preciousness of God’s thoughts to me
(v.19-22) Longing for God’s righteousness and justice
(v. 23-24) A humble prayer to the great God

I ran across this poem from mid-twentieth century theologian and philosopher Martin Buber, which seems to capture Psalm 139 well:
Where I wander – You!
Where I ponder – You!
Only You, You again, always You!
You! You! You!
When I am gladdened – You!
When I am saddened – You!
Only You, You again, always You!
You! You! You!
Sky is You, Earth is You!
You above! You below!
In every trend, at every end,
Only You, You again, always You!
You! You! You!

On the hiking trip, I will be leading a meditation on v. 11-12 of Psalm 139,
“If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,’ even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.”

Some commentators want to link the darkness mentioned in these verses to evil and the intentions of evil-doers, but I think this is unnecessary.  I think the Psalmist has in mind the darkness which is in the world, constantly threatening to encroach upon us.  Many of us have encountered such times in our lives.

These verses stand as good news that even darkness is no match for the goodness of the God of light!
“God is light; in him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5).
“In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world” (John 1: 4-5 & 9).

In the midst of the dark places we encounter throughout life, we can be confident the light of God remains, even when we cannot see it!

See you Sunday!
-Bill