Hello and welcome to this Lectio Divina on Psalm 76.
I'm recording outside and it's a spring day.
There are a lot of fledglings around so there is a lot of bird song and the farmers are working so you may hear distant tractor noises.
I invite you to welcome all of these sounds as part of this meditation and to receive them as a gift as well as the words that will be spoken.
As a way to arrive I'm simply going to be quiet,
Give you some time to settle in,
To breathe,
To come into this space and to be with these sounds of nature as you do.
I'm going to read the psalm three times.
This first reading,
Simply allow the words to come without attaching to any in particular.
Psalm 76.
Glorious are you,
More majestic than the everlasting mountains.
That which is haughty within us is brought low.
Our greed brings us to ruin.
The violence that we harbour turns in upon ourselves.
In your loving mercy,
O beloved,
You raise us up with love.
For you fill us with wonder.
You who know our innermost being.
You forgive us and raise us up.
From the depths of our soul you call us to awaken,
To grow towards harmony and wholeness.
You well up in our hearts with the inward call to liberate the oppressed of the earth.
Surely our fear-filled hearts will one day praise you.
The gold that comes out of the ashes of our ego.
Abandon yourself to the beloved with confidence and receive the blessings of love from the heart of your heart.
From the one who yearns for your return,
Who welcomes you home with joy.
Notice any words or phrases that capture your attention in this second reading.
In loving places,
O beloved,
Are you known.
Your mercy extends to all the earth.
Your abode has been established in our soul.
Your dwelling place in our heart.
You break down our walls,
Our anger,
Fear,
Illusions and doubts.
Glorious are you,
More majestic than the everlasting mountains.
That which is haughty within us is brought low.
Our greed brings us to ruin.
The violence that we harbour turns in upon ourselves.
In your loving mercy,
O beloved,
You raise us up with love.
For you fill us with wonder.
You who know our innermost being.
You forgive us and raise us up.
From the depths of our soul you call us to awaken to grow towards harmony and wholeness.
You well up in our hearts with the inward call to liberate the oppressed of the earth.
Surely our fear-filled hearts will one day praise you.
The gold that comes out of the ashes of our ego.
Abandon yourself to the beloved with confidence and receive the blessings of love from the heart of your heart.
From the one who yearns for your return.
Who welcomes you home with joy.
This third and final reading is an opportunity to welcome those words or phrases that captured your attention.
To welcome them to bring their gift and their goodness.
To notice what they're offering you.
How they're connecting with what you need.
How they resonate.
How they make you feel and want to respond.
In loving places,
O beloved,
Are you known.
Your mercy extends to all the earth.
Your abode has been established in our soul.
Your dwelling place in our heart.
You break down our walls,
Our anger,
Fear,
Illusions and doubts.
Glorious are you.
More majestic than the everlasting mountains.
That which is haughty within us is brought low.
Our greed brings us to ruin.
The violence that we harbour turns in upon ourselves.
In your loving mercy,
O beloved,
You raise us up with love.
For you fill us with wonder.
You who know our innermost being.
You forgive us and raise us up.
From the depths of our soul,
You call us to awaken.
To grow towards harmony and wholeness.
You well up in our hearts with the inward call.
To liberate the oppressed of the earth.
Surely our fear-filled hearts will one day praise you.
The gold that comes out of the ashes of our ego.
Abandon yourself to the beloved with confidence.
And receive the blessings of love from the heart of your heart.
From the one who yearns for your return.
Who welcomes you home with joy.
As you continue to receive these words,
To hold them in your heart.
To let them bring their gift.
May you know yourselves welcomed with joy.
From the one who yearns for you.
Be blessed my friends.
Amen.
