Hello friends and welcome to this Lectio Divina on Psalm 35.
Continuing to read from Nan Merrill's Psalms for praying.
As always I invite you to settle and come to stillness.
Feeling to be aware of your body in the room or wherever you are.
Notice your body,
Notice how it feels.
Notice where you are.
Slowly become aware of your breathing,
The inhale and the exhale.
Gently letting your mind,
Your heart,
Your emotions be where your body is,
Which is right here and now in this present moment.
And as you come to stillness,
Let the day so far fall away.
Welcome the spirit to lift any heavy burdens that you are carrying.
And know that all that's needed right now is to be here,
Is to hear these words and let them bring their gift.
This is a longer Psalm so I'm going to read it twice.
On this first reading simply let the words come without attaching to any in particular.
Pray on my behalf,
O beloved,
For those who fight against me.
Forgive on my behalf those who abuse me.
Pour forth your strength into my heart that I might stand strong.
Encircle with healing love those who persecute me through fear and say to my soul,
I am with you always.
Melt the hearts of stone in those who seek to kill my body,
My spirit.
Turn them around and let them delight in your way.
Let their ignorance become as chaff before the wind.
Send angels to lead them home to you.
Let their path become filled with light that they may see the way of truth.
For without cause they have tried to ensnare me.
Without cause they threaten my life.
Surprise them,
O love,
With joy.
For ignorance cannot live where your love abides.
Let them rise up with a new conscience and regret their past acts against others.
Then,
O love,
My soul shall rejoice,
Exalting in your goodness.
My whole being shall say,
O beloved,
Who is like you,
You who give strength to the weak,
Praying on their behalf,
When fear threatens to overwhelm them,
Holding them back from retaliation through your saving love.
False witnesses rise up asking me questions I cannot answer.
They return my kindness with cruelty.
My soul weeps.
Yet I,
When they were afflicted,
I lit prayer candles.
I fasted and sent them help.
I prayed in my simple way as though grieving for my family or a friend.
I acted as one who grieves a dying mother,
Bowed down and in mourning.
Yet when I stumbled and needed assistance,
They gathered about me with glee.
They turned against me.
Even strangers whom I did not know mocked me day and night.
They seemed to gather strength in denouncing me and became all the more violent.
How long,
O beloved,
Must I endure this?
Rescue me from the oppressors,
My life from the lions.
I long to give thanks in the great assembly,
To praise you wherever people gather.
Fill those who rejoice over my plight with compassion.
Let peace come to those who hate me without cause.
For many desire conflict and war and turn against those who are quiet in the land.
They are driven by greed.
By speaking against me saying,
Aha,
You are to blame.
They think to hide their own deceit.
You have seen it all,
O love.
Be silent no longer.
Beloved,
Stay close beside me.
Hear me and rise up on my behalf.
Let justice and peace reign.
Yes,
O compassionate one,
Let truth and love overcome ignorance according to your goodness.
That all might rejoice and give thanks.
Foolish are they to think that persecution will bring them joy,
Nor will destruction bring them peace.
Let those who rejoice in another's misfortune,
In their shame,
Become contrite.
Let them be humbled and turn their hearts to you,
O beloved,
All those who know not love.
May all who offer their lives to peace shout for joy and be glad and always pray.
Great are you,
O love,
You who dwell in all open hearts.
Then shall I sing of your saving justice and praise you all day long.
On this second reading,
I invite you to notice,
To notice any words or phrases that capture your attention,
To welcome them and to let them bring their gift.
How do they make you feel?
How do you want to respond?
What grace and comfort and hope may they be offering?
Pray on my behalf,
O beloved,
For those who fight against me.
Forgive on my behalf those who abuse me.
Pour forth your strength into my heart that I might stand strong.
Encircle with healing love those who persecute me through fear and say to my soul,
I am with you always.
Melt the hearts of stone in those who seek to kill my body,
My spirit.
Turn them around and let them delight in your way.
Let their ignorance become as chaff before the wind.
Send angels to lead them home to you.
Let their path become filled with light that they may see the way of truth.
For without cause they have tried to ensnare me.
Without cause they threaten my life.
Surprise them,
O love,
With joy.
For ignorance cannot live where your love abides.
Let them rise up with new conscience and regret their past acts against others.
Then,
O love,
My soul shall rejoice exalting in your goodness.
My whole being shall say,
O beloved,
Who is like you?
You who give strength to the weak praying on their behalf when fear threatens to overwhelm them,
Holding them back from retaliation through your saving love.
False witnesses rise up asking me questions I cannot answer.
They return my kindness with cruelty.
My soul weeps.
Yet I,
When they were afflicted,
I lit prayer candles.
I fasted and sent them help.
I prayed in my simple way as though grieving for my family or a friend.
I acted as one who grieves the dying mother bowed down and in mourning.
Yet when I stumbled and needed assistance,
They gathered about me with glee.
They turned against me.
Even strangers whom I did not know mocked me day and night.
They seemed to gather strength in denouncing me and became all the more violent.
How long,
O beloved,
Must I endure this?
Rescue me from the oppressors,
My life from the lions.
I long to give thanks in the great assembly,
To praise you wherever people gather.
Fill those who rejoice over my plight with compassion.
Let peace come to those who hate me without cause.
For many desire conflict and war and turn against those who are quiet in the land.
They are driven by greed.
By speaking against me saying,
Aha,
You are to blame.
They think to hide their own deceit.
You have seen it all,
O love.
Be silent no longer.
Beloved,
Stay close beside me.
Hear me and rise up on my behalf.
Let justice and peace reign.
Yes,
O compassionate one,
Let truth and love overcome ignorance according to your goodness.
That all might rejoice and give thanks.
Foolish are they to think that persecution will bring them joy,
Nor will destruction bring them peace.
Let those who rejoice in another's misfortune in their shame become contrite.
Let them be humbled and turn their hearts to you,
O beloved.
All those who know not love.
May all who offer their lives to peace shout for joy and be glad.
And always pray.
Great are you,
O love.
You who dwell in all open hearts.
Then shall I sing of your saving justice and praise you all day long.
May you be blessed,
My friends,
As you let these words come and minister to you wherever you find yourself at this time.
I leave you with grace and peace and great love.
Amen.
