MON,  AUG 26

Psalm 119:10–18 (ESV)10 With our whole heart we seek you; let us not wander from your commandments! 11 We have stored up your word in our hearts, that we might not sin against you. 12 Blessed are you, O Lord; teach us your statutes! 13 With our lips we declare all the rules of your mouth. 14 In the way of your testimonies we delight as much as in all riches. 15 We will meditate on your precepts and fix our eyes on your ways. 16 We will delight in your statutes; we will not forget your word. 17 Deal bountifully with your servants, that we may live and keep your word. 18 Open our eyes, that we may behold wondrous things out of your law.

Lectio Divina (Divine Reading):

1. Read (1st Reading) - just listen

2. Reflect (2nd Reading) - think about words/phrases that stand out to you

3. Respond (3rd Reading) - pray back to God where/what you think He is leading you to, or even Who He is wanting you to believe and trust that He is

4. Rest

Scripture Reading: Psalm 71 (English Standard Version)

¹ In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame! ² In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline your ear to me, and save me! ³ Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. ⁴ Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man. ⁵ For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth. ⁶ Upon you I have leaned from before my birth; you are he who took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is continually of you. ⁷ I have been as a portent to many, but you are my strong refuge. ⁸ My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all the day. ⁹ Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent. ¹⁰ For my enemies speak concerning me; those who watch for my life consult together ¹¹ and say, “God has forsaken him; pursue and seize him, for there is none to deliver him.” ¹² O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste to help me! ¹³ May my accusers be put to shame and consumed; with scorn and disgrace may they be covered who seek my hurt. ¹⁴ But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more. ¹⁵ My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge. ¹⁶ With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come; I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone. ¹⁷ O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. ¹⁸ So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come. ¹⁹ Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you? ²⁰ You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again. ²¹ You will increase my greatness and comfort me again. ²² I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praises to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel. ²³ My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed. ²⁴ And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long, for they have been put to shame and disappointed who sought to do me hurt.

Reflect

Scripture Reading: Psalm 71 (New Jerusalem Bible)

¹ In you, Yahweh, I take refuge, I shall never be put to shame. ² In your saving justice rescue me, deliver me, listen to me and save me. ³ Be a sheltering rock for me, always accessible; you have determined to save me, for you are my rock, my fortress. ⁴ My God, rescue me from the clutches of the wicked, from the grasp of the rogue and the ruthless. ⁵ For you are my hope, Lord, my trust, Yahweh, since boyhood. ⁶ On you I have relied since my birth, since my mother’s womb you have been my portion, the constant theme of my praise. ⁷ Many were bewildered at me, but you are my sure refuge. ⁸ My mouth is full of your praises, filled with your splendour all day long. ⁹ Do not reject me in my old age, nor desert me when my strength is failing, ¹⁰ for my enemies are discussing me, those with designs on my life are plotting together. ¹¹ ‘Hound him down, for God has deserted him! Seize him, there is no one to rescue him.’ ¹² God, do not stand aloof, my God, come quickly to help me. ¹³ Shame and ruin on those who slander me, may those intent on harming me be covered with insult and infamy. ¹⁴ As for me, my hope will never fade, I will praise you more and more. ¹⁵ My lips shall proclaim your saving justice, your saving power all day long. ¹⁶ I will come in the power of Yahweh to tell of your justice, yours alone. ¹⁷ God, you have taught me from boyhood, and I am still proclaiming your marvels. ¹⁸ Now that I am old and grey-haired, God, do not desert me, till I have proclaimed your strength to generations still to come, your power ¹⁹ and justice to the skies. You have done great things, God, who is like you? ²⁰ You have shown me much misery and hardship, but you will give me life again, You will raise me up again from the depths of the earth, ²¹ prolong my old age, and comfort me again. ²² For my part, I will thank you on the lyre for your constancy, my God. I will play the harp in your honour, Holy One of Israel. ²³ My lips sing for joy as I play to you, because you have redeemed me, ²⁴ and all day long my tongue muses on your saving justice. Shame and disgrace on those intent to harm me!

Reflect

Scripture Reading: Psalm 71 (New Living Translation)

¹ O Lord, I have come to you for protection; don’t let me be disgraced. ² Save me and rescue me, for you do what is right. Turn your ear to listen to me, and set me free. ³ Be my rock of safety where I can always hide. Give the order to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. ⁴ My God, rescue me from the power of the wicked, from the clutches of cruel oppressors. ⁵ O Lord, you alone are my hope. I’ve trusted you, O Lord, from childhood. ⁶ Yes, you have been with me from birth; from my mother’s womb you have cared for me. No wonder I am always praising you! ⁷ My life is an example to many, because you have been my strength and protection. ⁸ That is why I can never stop praising you; I declare your glory all day long. ⁹ And now, in my old age, don’t set me aside. Don’t abandon me when my strength is failing. ¹⁰ For my enemies are whispering against me. They are plotting together to kill me. ¹¹ They say, “God has abandoned him. Let’s go and get him, for no one will help him now.” ¹² O God, don’t stay away. My God, please hurry to help me. ¹³ Bring disgrace and destruction on my accusers. Humiliate and shame those who want to harm me. ¹⁴ But I will keep on hoping for your help; I will praise you more and more. ¹⁵ I will tell everyone about your righteousness. All day long I will proclaim your saving power, though I am not skilled with words. ¹⁶ I will praise your mighty deeds, O Sovereign Lord. I will tell everyone that you alone are just. ¹⁷ O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood, and I constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do. ¹⁸ Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me. ¹⁹ Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the highest heavens. You have done such wonderful things. Who can compare with you, O God? ²⁰ You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but you will restore me to life again and lift me up from the depths of the earth. ²¹ You will restore me to even greater honor and comfort me once again. ²² Then I will praise you with music on the harp, because you are faithful to your promises, O my God. I will sing praises to you with a lyre, O Holy One of Israel. ²³ I will shout for joy and sing your praises, for you have ransomed me. ²⁴ I will tell about your righteous deeds all day long, for everyone who tried to hurt me has been shamed and humiliated.

Respond

Portion of Prayer from Sheltering Mercy (Smith/Wilt)

"Always an Eden"

Inspired by Psalm 71

Intercessory Prayer

Lord’s Prayer (Pray the words that Jesus taught us to pray)

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name;

your kingdom come;

your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.

For yours is the kingdom, and the power,

and the glory, forever. Amen.