Hello friends and welcome to this Lectio Divina on Psalm 48.
Recording outside,
Welcome the sounds of this garden and of life going by as part of this Lectio practice.
And as a way to settle and allow you to come to stillness,
I'm simply going to be quiet and allow all the sounds of nature to help you to come to that place of stillness and readiness to receive these words.
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I'm going to read the Psalm three times and on this first reading simply let the words come as a gentle rain without attaching to any in particular.
Great is the beloved and greatly to be praised in the abode of the Most High.
The holy mountain,
Beautiful in elevation,
Is the joy of all the earth.
Clear as crystal within its pearly gates,
Within the stronghold of open hearts,
The beloved's voice can be heard,
For lo,
The inner fears assembled,
They came forth together.
As soon as they saw the beloved,
They were in panic,
They took to flight,
Trembling before the eyes of love,
They labored for a stronghold.
Through the heart's ear the word can be heard,
The refining fire of divine mercy,
Melted hearts held in bondage by fear and delusion,
In the abode of the Most High where the beloved lives forever.
We have pondered your steadfast love,
O beloved,
In the midst of our hearts,
Your holy temple.
We call on your name,
O Holy One,
And praise you to the ends of the earth.
Your word is our armour of strength,
Let us rejoice and be glad,
Let all peoples rejoice because of your forgiving love.
See with your heart's eye the crystal mountain,
Note the clarity and purity within.
Consider well the essence of love,
The echoes of mercy and justice,
That you may tell the generations to come that this is the beloved,
Our hope forever and ever.
Yes,
The Blessed One will be with us forever.
On this second reading I invite you to notice and pay attention to any words or phrases that stand out to you.
Great is the beloved and greatly to be praised in the abode of the Most High.
The holy mountain,
Beautiful in elevation,
Is the joy of all the earth.
Clear as a crystal within its pearly gates,
Within the stronghold of open hearts,
The beloved's voice can be heard.
For lo,
The inner fears assembled,
They came forth together.
As soon as they saw the beloved,
They were in panic,
They took to flight.
Trembling before the eyes of love,
They laboured for a stronghold.
Through the heart's ear the word can be heard.
The refining fire of divine mercy,
Melted hearts held in bondage by fear and illusion.
In the abode of the Most High where the beloved lives forever.
We have pondered your steadfast love,
O beloved,
In the midst of our hearts,
Your holy temple.
We call on your name,
O Holy One,
And praise you to the ends of the earth.
Your word is our armour of strength.
Let us rejoice and be glad.
Let all peoples rejoice because of your forgiving love.
See with your heart's eye the crystal mountain.
Note the clarity and purity within.
Consider well the essence of love,
The echoes of mercy and justice.
That you may tell the generations to come that this is the beloved,
Our hope forever and ever.
Yes,
The Blessed One will be with us forever.
On this third and final reading,
I invite you to welcome those words and phrases that captured your attention,
To bring their gift,
To minister to you what you need,
To allow them to stir you,
To receive them into the deeper places of yourself.
Great is the beloved and greatly to be praised in the abode of the Most High.
The holy mountain,
Beautiful in elevation,
Is the joy of all the earth.
Clear as a crystal within its pearly gates,
Within the stronghold of open hearts,
The beloved's voice can be heard.
For lo,
The inner fears assembled,
They came forth together.
As soon as they saw the beloved,
They were in panic,
They took to flight.
Trembling before the eyes of love,
They laboured for a stronghold.
Through the heart's ear the word can be heard,
The refining fire of divine mercy melted hearts held in bondage by fear and illusion.
In the abode of the Most High,
Where the beloved lives forever.
We have pondered your steadfast love,
O beloved,
In the midst of our hearts,
Your holy temple.
We call on your name,
O Holy One,
And praise you to the ends of the earth.
Your word is our armour of strength,
Let us rejoice and be glad.
Let all peoples rejoice because of your forgiving love.
See with your heart's eye the crystal mountain,
Note the clarity and purity within.
Consider well the essence of love,
The echoes of mercy and justice,
That you may tell the generations to come that this is the beloved,
Our hope forever and ever.
Yes,
The Blessed One will be with us forever.
Amen.
