Hello friends and welcome to this Lectio Divina on Psalm 22.
And as we begin I invite you to come to stillness,
To put to one side the day so far and what's to come,
To let it fall away,
To know that nothing is required except to be here in this moment.
You may want to take a few deeper,
Wider breaths as you close your eyes.
Let your shoulders drop,
Let the weight of your body be held and supported and gently come to stillness,
Resting in love,
Knowing that you're seen,
Knowing that you're fully accepted,
That you are the beloved.
And as this Lectio Divina is being recorded outside,
I invite you to welcome the sounds of nature,
The sounds of life happening.
Let them be part of this practice.
Let them be a gift alongside the words.
I'm going to read this Psalm just twice because it's fairly long.
So on this first reading,
Simply let the words come without attaching to any in particular.
Psalm 22,
O my beloved,
Why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far,
Abandoning me as I groan in misery?
O my beloved,
I cry by day but you do not answer,
And by night but find no rest.
Yet you are holy,
Praised through all generations.
In you our parents trusted,
They trusted and you did come to their aid.
To you they cried and were heard,
In you they trusted and were not disappointed.
But I seem as nothing,
Hardly alive,
Scorned and despised by many.
Those who seek me make fun at my expense.
They ridicule and gossip among themselves.
Commit yourself to the Most High,
Let love deliver you,
You who delight in the Most High.
Yet you are the one who took me from the womb.
You kept me safe upon my mother's breasts.
Upon you I was cast from my birth,
And ever since my mother bore me,
You have been my strength.
Come close to me,
For trouble is near and there is none to help.
Many,
Like bulls,
Surround me.
They come at me with great force.
With fire in their eyes and bellowing roars they charge at me.
I am poured out like water and all my bones are weak.
My heart is like wax,
Melting within my breast.
My strength is broken as a shard of pottery and my mouth is dry.
You have laid me in the dust of death.
Yes,
Boars are around me.
A company of evildoers encircle me.
They have pierced my hands and feet.
I can count all my bones.
They stare and gloat over me,
Awaiting my demise.
They divide my belongings among them,
Avariciously casting lots.
But you,
Oh beloved,
Be not far off.
You who are my help,
Hasten to my aid.
Free my soul from this agony,
My life from the power of the boar.
Save me from the mouth of the lion,
My afflicted soul from the horns of the boar.
I will tell of your name to all I meet.
In the midst of assemblies I will praise you.
You who are in the wonder of the mystery,
Give praise.
For our loving Creator does not turn away from the afflicted and does not hide from them.
But their cries are heard,
Their prayers rise up to heaven.
To you,
Oh beloved,
I lift up my voice.
In the great congregation,
For you promise to remain with those whose love is steadfast.
The hungry shall eat and be satisfied.
Those who seek you shall sing praises.
Your heart is our dwelling place forever.
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to love's way.
And all the families of the nations shall bow down with grateful hearts.
For power and authority belong to the Most High who rules over the nations.
Yes,
The proud of the earth shall be humbled,
While those who still live in fear and illusions will separate themselves,
Not knowing the indwelling peace of the beloved.
Posterity shall know and serve love,
Telling of the one who abides in all to the coming generations,
And proclaiming deliverance to a people yet unborn that the Most High dwells among us.
So there are so many rich words and phrases in this psalm.
I invite you on this second and final reading to notice any that are resonating with you.
It may be one word,
It may be a phrase,
It may be a few phrases joined together.
Welcome those words or phrases.
Let them bring their gift and offering.
Welcome them to bring you what you need.
Welcome them as a gift.
O my beloved,
Why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far abandoning me as I groan in misery?
O my beloved,
I cry by day,
But you do not answer,
And by night but find no rest.
Yet you are holy,
Praised through all generations,
And in you are parents trusted.
They trusted and you did come to their aid.
To you they cried and were hurt,
In you they trusted and were not disappointed.
But I seem as nothing,
Hardly alive,
Scorned and despised by many.
Those who see me make fun at my expense,
They ridicule and gossip among themselves.
Commit yourself to the Most High,
Let love deliver you,
You who delight in the Most High.
Yet you are the one who took me from the womb,
You kept me safe upon my mother's breasts.
Upon you I was cast from my birth,
And ever since my mother bore me,
You have been my strength.
Come close to me for trouble is near and there is none to help.
Many like bulls surround me,
They come at me with great force,
With fire in their eyes and bellowing roars they charge at me.
I am poured out like water and all my bones are weak,
My heart is like wax melting within my breast.
My strength is broken as a shard of pottery and my mouth is dry,
You have laid me in the dust of death.
Yes,
Boars are around me,
A company of evildoers encircle me,
They have pierced my hands and feet.
I can count all my bones,
They stare and gloat over me awaiting my demise.
They divide my belongings among them,
Avariciously casting lots.
But you,
O beloved,
Be not far off.
You who are my help hasten to my aid.
Free my soul from this agony,
My life from the power of the boar.
Save me from the mouth of the lion,
My afflicted soul from the horns of the bull.
I will tell of your name to all I meet,
In the midst of assemblies I will praise you.
You who are in wonder of the mystery give praise.
For our loving Creator does not turn away from the afflicted and does not hide from them,
But their cries are heard,
Their prayers rise up to heaven.
To you,
O beloved,
I lift up my voice in the Great Congregation.
For you promise to remain with those whose love is steadfast,
The hungry shall eat and be satisfied,
Those who seek you shall sing praises,
Your heart is our dwelling place forever.
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to love's way,
And all the families of the nations shall bow down with grateful hearts.
For power and authority belong to the Most High who rules over the nations.
Yes,
The proud of the earth shall be humbled,
While those who still live in fear and illusions will separate themselves not knowing the indwelling peace of the beloved.
Posterity shall know and serve love,
Telling of the one who abides in all to the coming generations,
And proclaiming deliverance to a people yet unborn that the Most High dwells among us.
I pray that these words,
These phrases that caught your attention do come as a gift.
May they meet you in those deeper places,
Bringing you what you need,
Bringing you hope and reassurance,
Comfort and peace.
And as you go from this place and this time,
May you be blessed.
May you go in grace and love.
Amen.
