Hello friends and welcome to this Lectio Divina on Psalm 18.
This is part 1 because Psalm 18 is quite long and I'm going to read the first part of this Psalm twice.
And as we come I invite us to prepare together by settling and coming to stillness.
So let yourself arrive in this space.
Be aware of where you are in the room.
Maybe you're aware of some sounds outside or inside the room.
And I invite you to gradually close down that external space and move into the interior of yourself.
Aware of your breath,
Aware of how your body is connecting with the chair,
Whether your feet are on the ground or not.
Simply let your attention move down away from to-do lists and the busyness of the head into your body where there is stillness and peace.
To that place in your centre where you are met with love,
The love of the divine,
The love of Jesus,
Held,
Seen,
Known.
Let yourself settle and be there for a few moments,
Welcoming this deeper breath,
This opportunity to come to rest,
To come to stillness and to receive the gifts that will be offered through this Psalm.
So the first half of Psalm 18.
I abandon myself to you,
O living presence,
My strength.
You are my stronghold,
My freedom.
Almighty One,
The rock and foundation of my life.
Just one tower of strength,
The source of truth and light.
I call upon you,
Heart of my heart,
Singing praises to your name and fear no longer holds me.
The demons of darkness assailed me,
The blindness of ignorance led me astray.
The shadows of fear paralysed me.
The anguish of loneliness confronted me.
In my distress I called out to you,
O gracious one,
To you I cried for help.
You heard my voice,
O loving presence,
You hearkened to my cry.
Then did you,
O divine presence,
Show unto me a vision.
The earth reeled and rocked,
The foundations of the mountains trembled and quaked.
As if to slough off the ravages of destruction,
Perpetrated by greedy hands.
On the wings of the wind you did come,
With darkness a covering around you.
A canopy of thick clouds dark with water.
Out of the brightness before you there broke through the clouds hailstones.
Holes of fire leapt from the mountain tops.
As your voice uttered in the heavens,
Thunder and lightning stormed the earth,
Like arrows from a bow,
The people scattered.
Yet there was no safe haven,
No hiding place from fear.
Then the channels of the sea were seen and the foundations of the world laid bare.
The earth gave a mighty shudder,
Then settled down to heal in the silence.
O compassionate one,
You reached from on high.
You took me,
You drew me out of many waters.
You delivered me from the fears that bound me,
And from ignorance that blinded me.
For they threatened to overcome me,
To separate me from you.
They came upon me when I looked not to you,
Yet you,
O merciful one,
Were ever present.
You brought me forth into the light.
You released my fears,
You delighted in me.
O holy one,
You see the intentions of my heart,
As I surrender to your love.
I grow in peace and gratitude,
For to lose my life is to find life.
O keep me steadfast in my love for you,
Life of my life.
The spirit of your word is ever before me,
The counsellor ever present to guide me.
I pray for a clean heart,
O beloved,
To be free from guilt.
May I walk with you justly,
With mercy and in peace.
A mirror of your love in the world.
Those who love truth will see your light.
Those who walk in justice will see your mercy.
Those who live with integrity will see you in all they meet.
But those whose path is crooked,
Who walk on the low road,
Will live in the shadows of fear.
The humble are always close to you.
The haughty,
Too distracted to see,
Will one day fall.
So as we come to this second reading,
I invite you to notice any words or phrases that resonate,
That capture your attention,
To welcome them,
To let them bring their offering and their gift.
I abandon myself to you,
O living presence,
My strength.
You are my stronghold,
My freedom.
Almighty One,
The rock and foundation of my life.
Just One,
Tower of strength,
The source of truth and light.
I call upon you,
Heart of my heart,
Singing praises to your name and fear no longer holds me.
The demons of darkness assailed me,
The blindness of ignorance led me astray.
The shadows of fear paralysed me,
The anguish of loneliness confronted me.
In my distress I called out to you,
O gracious One.
To you I cried for help.
You heard my voice,
O loving presence.
You hearkened to my cry.
Then did you,
O divine presence,
Show unto me a vision.
The earth reeled and rocked,
The foundations of the mountains trembled and quaked.
As if to slough off the ravages of destruction,
Perpetrated by greedy hands.
From the wings of the wind you did come,
With darkness a covering around you,
A canopy of thick clouds dark with water.
Out of the brightness before you there broke through the clouds hailstones,
Coals of fire leapt from the mountain tops.
As your voice uttered in the heavens,
Thunder and lightning stormed the earth.
Like arrows from a bow,
The people scattered.
Yet there was no safe haven,
No hiding place from fear.
Then the channels of the sea were seen and the foundations of the world laid bare.
The earth gave a mighty shudder,
Then settled down to heal in silence.
O compassionate one,
You reached from on high.
You took me.
You drew me out of many waters.
You delivered me from the fears that bound me and from ignorance that blinded me.
For they threatened to overcome me,
To separate me from you.
They came upon me when I looked not to you.
Yet you,
O merciful one,
Were ever present.
You brought me forth into the light.
You released my fears.
You delighted in me.
O holy one,
You see the intentions of my heart.
As I surrender to your love,
I grow in peace and gratitude.
For to lose my life is to find life.
O keep me steadfast in my love for you,
Life of my life.
The spirit of your word is ever before me,
The counsellor ever present to guide me.
I pray for a clean heart,
O beloved,
To be free from guilt.
May I walk with you justly,
With mercy and in peace,
A mirror of your love in the world.
Those who love truth will see your light.
Those who walk in justice will see your mercy.
Those who live with integrity will see you in all they meet.
But those whose path is crooked,
Who walk on the low road,
Will live in the shadows of fear.
The humble are always close to you.
The haughty,
Too distracted to see,
Will one day fall.
I invite you to linger a while with the words or phrases that resonated and captured your attention.
Welcome them.
Maybe you want to journal and write,
Maybe you just want to sit and be and receive the gift that they offer.
As I leave you today,
I offer you blessing,
Grace,
Hope and peace.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
