MON, SEPT 9
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 81 (English Standard Version)
To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. Of Asaph. 1 Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob! 2 Raise a song; sound the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp. 3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our feast day. 4 For it is a statute for Israel, a rule of the God of Jacob. 5 He made it a decree in Joseph when he went out over the land of Egypt. I hear a language I had not known: 6 “I relieved your shoulder of the burden; your hands were freed from the basket. 7 In distress you called, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah 8 Hear, O my people, while I admonish you! O Israel, if you would but listen to me! 9 There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god. 10 I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. 11 “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. 12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels. 13 Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways! 14 I would soon subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes. 15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe toward him, and their fate would last forever. 16 But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
Reflect
Scripture Reading: Psalm 81 (New Jerusalem Bible)
For the choirmaster On the … of Gath Of Asaph 1 Sing for joy to God our strength, shout in triumph to the God of Jacob. 2 Strike up the music, beat the tambourine, play the melodious harp and the lyre; 3 blow the trumpet for the new month, for the full moon, for our feast day! 4 For Israel has this statute, a decision of the God of Jacob, 5 a decree he imposed on Joseph, when he went to war against Egypt. I heard a voice unknown to me, 6 ‘I freed his shoulder from the burden, his hands were able to lay aside the labourer’s basket. 7 You cried out in your distress, so I rescued you. ‘Hidden in the storm, I answered you, I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Pause 8 Listen, my people, while I give you warning; Israel, if only you would listen to me! 9 ‘You shall have no strange gods, shall worship no alien god. 10 I, Yahweh, am your God, who brought you here from Egypt, you have only to open your mouth for me to fill it. 11 ‘My people would not listen to me, Israel would have none of me. 12 So I left them to their stubborn selves, to follow their own devices. 13 ‘If only my people would listen to me, if only Israel would walk in my ways, 14 at one stroke I would subdue their enemies, turn my hand against their opponents. 15 ‘Those who hate Yahweh would woo his favour, though their doom was sealed for ever, 16 while I would feed him on pure wheat, would give you your fill of honey from the rock.’
Reflect
Scripture Reading: Psalm 81 (New Living Translation)
For the choir director: A psalm of Asaph, to be accompanied by a stringed instrument. 1 Sing praises to God, our strength. Sing to the God of Jacob. 2 Sing! Beat the tambourine. Play the sweet lyre and the harp. 3 Blow the ram’s horn at new moon, and again at full moon to call a festival! 4 For this is required by the decrees of Israel; it is a regulation of the God of Jacob. 5 He made it a law for Israel when he attacked Egypt to set us free. I heard an unknown voice say, 6 “Now I will take the load from your shoulders; I will free your hands from their heavy tasks. 7 You cried to me in trouble, and I saved you; I answered out of the thundercloud and tested your faith when there was no water at Meribah. Interlude 8 “Listen to me, O my people, while I give you stern warnings. O Israel, if you would only listen to me! 9 You must never have a foreign god; you must not bow down before a false god. 10 For it was I, the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things. 11 “But no, my people wouldn’t listen. Israel did not want me around. 12 So I let them follow their own stubborn desires, living according to their own ideas. 13 Oh, that my people would listen to me! Oh, that Israel would follow me, walking in my paths! 14 How quickly I would then subdue their enemies! How soon my hands would be upon their foes! 15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him; they would be doomed forever. 16 But I would feed you with the finest wheat. I would satisfy you with wild honey from the rock.”
Respond
Portion of Prayer from Endless Grace (Smith/Wilt)
"Wellspring of Praise"
Inspired by Psalm 81
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.