Begin by praying
Lord, open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your Word. Open my ears that I may hear Your voice. Open my heart that I may receive what You desire to give me today. AMEN.
Today's Lectio Divina reading comes from the Daily Office Second Morning Reading.
LECTIO Read
Read today's Scripture passage slowly.
Psalms 108-109
108:1 A song. A Psalm of David. My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my being.
108:2 Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.
108:3 I will praise You, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing Your praises among the peoples.
108:4 For Your loving devotion extends beyond the heavens, and Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
108:5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; may Your glory cover all the earth.
108:6 Respond and save us with Your right hand, that Your beloved may be delivered.
108:7 God has spoken from His sanctuary: “I will triumph! I will parcel out Shechem and apportion the Valley of Succoth.
108:8 Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim is My helmet, Judah is My scepter.
108:9 Moab is My washbasin; upon Edom I toss My sandal; over Philistia I shout in triumph.”
108:10 Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom?
108:11 Have You not rejected us, O God? Will You no longer march out, O God, with our armies?
108:12 Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless.
108:13 With God we will perform with valor, and He will trample our enemies.
109:1 For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. O God of my praise, be not silent.
109:2 For wicked and deceitful mouths open against me; they speak against me with lying tongues.
109:3 They surround me with hateful words and attack me without cause.
109:4 In return for my love they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer.
109:5 They repay me evil for good, and hatred for my love.
109:6 Set over him a wicked man; let an accuser stand at his right hand.
109:7 When he is tried, let him be found guilty, and may his prayer be regarded as sin.
109:8 May his days be few; may another take his position.
109:9 May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.
109:10 May his children wander as beggars, seeking sustenance far from their ruined homes.
109:11 May the creditor seize all he owns, and strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.
109:12 May there be no one to extend kindness to him, and no one to favor his fatherless children.
109:13 May his descendants be cut off; may their name be blotted out from the next generation.
109:14 May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD, and the sin of his mother never be blotted out.
109:15 May their sins always remain before the LORD, that He may cut off their memory from the earth.
109:16 For he never thought to show kindness, but pursued the poor and needy and brokenhearted, even to their death.
109:17 The cursing that he loved, may it fall on him; the blessing in which he refused to delight, may it be far from him.
109:18 The cursing that he wore like a coat, may it soak into his body like water, and into his bones like oil.
109:19 May it be like a robe wrapped about him, like a belt tied forever around him.
109:20 May this be the LORD’s reward to my accusers, to those who speak evil against me.
109:21 But You, O GOD, the Lord, deal kindly with me for the sake of Your name; deliver me by the goodness of Your loving devotion.
109:22 For I am poor and needy; my heart is wounded within me.
109:23 I am fading away like a lengthening shadow; I am shaken off like a locust.
109:24 My knees are weak from fasting, and my body grows lean and gaunt.
109:25 I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they shake their heads.
109:26 Help me, O LORD my God; save me according to Your loving devotion.
109:27 Let them know that this is Your hand, that You, O LORD, have done it.
109:28 Though they curse, You will bless. When they rise up, they will be put to shame, but Your servant will rejoice.
109:29 May my accusers be clothed with disgrace; may they wear their shame like a robe.
109:30 With my mouth I will thank the LORD profusely; I will praise Him in the presence of many.
109:31 For He stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save him from the condemners of his soul.
Read the passage a second time
As you read, notice:
- A word that stands out
- A phrase that captures your attention
- An image that lingers in your mind
Do not rush.
Simply receive.
Psalms 108-109
108:1 A song. A Psalm of David. My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my being.
108:2 Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.
108:3 I will praise You, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing Your praises among the peoples.
108:4 For Your loving devotion extends beyond the heavens, and Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
108:5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; may Your glory cover all the earth.
108:6 Respond and save us with Your right hand, that Your beloved may be delivered.
108:7 God has spoken from His sanctuary: “I will triumph! I will parcel out Shechem and apportion the Valley of Succoth.
108:8 Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim is My helmet, Judah is My scepter.
108:9 Moab is My washbasin; upon Edom I toss My sandal; over Philistia I shout in triumph.”
108:10 Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom?
108:11 Have You not rejected us, O God? Will You no longer march out, O God, with our armies?
108:12 Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless.
108:13 With God we will perform with valor, and He will trample our enemies.
109:1 For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. O God of my praise, be not silent.
109:2 For wicked and deceitful mouths open against me; they speak against me with lying tongues.
109:3 They surround me with hateful words and attack me without cause.
109:4 In return for my love they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer.
109:5 They repay me evil for good, and hatred for my love.
109:6 Set over him a wicked man; let an accuser stand at his right hand.
109:7 When he is tried, let him be found guilty, and may his prayer be regarded as sin.
109:8 May his days be few; may another take his position.
109:9 May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.
109:10 May his children wander as beggars, seeking sustenance far from their ruined homes.
109:11 May the creditor seize all he owns, and strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.
109:12 May there be no one to extend kindness to him, and no one to favor his fatherless children.
109:13 May his descendants be cut off; may their name be blotted out from the next generation.
109:14 May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD, and the sin of his mother never be blotted out.
109:15 May their sins always remain before the LORD, that He may cut off their memory from the earth.
109:16 For he never thought to show kindness, but pursued the poor and needy and brokenhearted, even to their death.
109:17 The cursing that he loved, may it fall on him; the blessing in which he refused to delight, may it be far from him.
109:18 The cursing that he wore like a coat, may it soak into his body like water, and into his bones like oil.
109:19 May it be like a robe wrapped about him, like a belt tied forever around him.
109:20 May this be the LORD’s reward to my accusers, to those who speak evil against me.
109:21 But You, O GOD, the Lord, deal kindly with me for the sake of Your name; deliver me by the goodness of Your loving devotion.
109:22 For I am poor and needy; my heart is wounded within me.
109:23 I am fading away like a lengthening shadow; I am shaken off like a locust.
109:24 My knees are weak from fasting, and my body grows lean and gaunt.
109:25 I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they shake their heads.
109:26 Help me, O LORD my God; save me according to Your loving devotion.
109:27 Let them know that this is Your hand, that You, O LORD, have done it.
109:28 Though they curse, You will bless. When they rise up, they will be put to shame, but Your servant will rejoice.
109:29 May my accusers be clothed with disgrace; may they wear their shame like a robe.
109:30 With my mouth I will thank the LORD profusely; I will praise Him in the presence of many.
109:31 For He stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save him from the condemners of his soul.
MEDITATIO Ponder
Read the passage a third time.
Consider:
- Why does this word or phrase stand out to me?
- What might God be inviting me to notice?
- How does this connect with my life today?
Allow the Scripture to move from your mind into your heart.
Psalms 108-109
108:1 A song. A Psalm of David. My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my being.
108:2 Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.
108:3 I will praise You, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing Your praises among the peoples.
108:4 For Your loving devotion extends beyond the heavens, and Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
108:5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; may Your glory cover all the earth.
108:6 Respond and save us with Your right hand, that Your beloved may be delivered.
108:7 God has spoken from His sanctuary: “I will triumph! I will parcel out Shechem and apportion the Valley of Succoth.
108:8 Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim is My helmet, Judah is My scepter.
108:9 Moab is My washbasin; upon Edom I toss My sandal; over Philistia I shout in triumph.”
108:10 Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom?
108:11 Have You not rejected us, O God? Will You no longer march out, O God, with our armies?
108:12 Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless.
108:13 With God we will perform with valor, and He will trample our enemies.
109:1 For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. O God of my praise, be not silent.
109:2 For wicked and deceitful mouths open against me; they speak against me with lying tongues.
109:3 They surround me with hateful words and attack me without cause.
109:4 In return for my love they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer.
109:5 They repay me evil for good, and hatred for my love.
109:6 Set over him a wicked man; let an accuser stand at his right hand.
109:7 When he is tried, let him be found guilty, and may his prayer be regarded as sin.
109:8 May his days be few; may another take his position.
109:9 May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.
109:10 May his children wander as beggars, seeking sustenance far from their ruined homes.
109:11 May the creditor seize all he owns, and strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.
109:12 May there be no one to extend kindness to him, and no one to favor his fatherless children.
109:13 May his descendants be cut off; may their name be blotted out from the next generation.
109:14 May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD, and the sin of his mother never be blotted out.
109:15 May their sins always remain before the LORD, that He may cut off their memory from the earth.
109:16 For he never thought to show kindness, but pursued the poor and needy and brokenhearted, even to their death.
109:17 The cursing that he loved, may it fall on him; the blessing in which he refused to delight, may it be far from him.
109:18 The cursing that he wore like a coat, may it soak into his body like water, and into his bones like oil.
109:19 May it be like a robe wrapped about him, like a belt tied forever around him.
109:20 May this be the LORD’s reward to my accusers, to those who speak evil against me.
109:21 But You, O GOD, the Lord, deal kindly with me for the sake of Your name; deliver me by the goodness of Your loving devotion.
109:22 For I am poor and needy; my heart is wounded within me.
109:23 I am fading away like a lengthening shadow; I am shaken off like a locust.
109:24 My knees are weak from fasting, and my body grows lean and gaunt.
109:25 I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they shake their heads.
109:26 Help me, O LORD my God; save me according to Your loving devotion.
109:27 Let them know that this is Your hand, that You, O LORD, have done it.
109:28 Though they curse, You will bless. When they rise up, they will be put to shame, but Your servant will rejoice.
109:29 May my accusers be clothed with disgrace; may they wear their shame like a robe.
109:30 With my mouth I will thank the LORD profusely; I will praise Him in the presence of many.
109:31 For He stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save him from the condemners of his soul.
ORATIO Respond
Respond to God in prayer.
Speak honestly.
You may wish to thank Him, ask Him a question, confess a struggle, or simply express your desire to follow Him.
CONTEMPLATIO Rest
Spend one minute in silence.
Rest in God's presence.
Do not strive.
Do not analyze.
Simply remain with God.
Allow the truth of Scripture to settle deeply within you.
Continue Your Rhythm in Sacred Rhythms
Take what you have received during today's Lectio Divina into Sacred Rhythms.
There you may wish to record:
- A word or phrase that stood out
- An insight or observation
- A prayer
- A question
- A next step of obedience
There is no right or wrong response.
Simply record what you are noticing and how you sense God inviting you to respond.
Continue in Sacred Rhythms