He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn: the Lord shall have them in derision. (Psalms 2:4)

Who shall God deride? Those who set themselves against God, those who conspire and plot.

A mocking God does not fit easily with my image of the divine.

Jupiter or Zeus, Thor or Odin I can envision laughing in derision. It fits my image of Satan.

But this suggests a tendency to fit God to my preferences.

How else should the Creator of the universe react when we seek to command what we cannot even understand?

A benignly detached grandfather might smile indulgently.

A strong, creative and fully engaged God will respond with a lusty laugh.

You can listen to He that Dwelleth in Heaven from the Messiah performed by the Academy of St. Martin's in the Fields.

Above is Laughing Buddha a photograph by Serena Bowles.