Morning Conversation

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cleanse, forgive, gladness, Holy Spirit, justice, Lent, light, love, mercy, Nan Merrill, Peace, psalm 51, Psalms for Praying, reflection, repentance, saving grace, strength, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, weakness, wisdom of the heart

During the season of Lent it is not unusual to see part or all of Psalm 51 show up as the response to the first reading in our lectionary. It is the season when repentance for our faults is traditionally front and center and God’s mercy is a constant call. Psalm 51 is uniquely suited to those themes and appears again today for our consideration.

In keeping with yesterday’s reflection on the necessity of really listening with openness to the thoughts of others, I decided to look at what Nan Merrill’s translation added to the meaning of this psalm. Her book, Psalms for Praying, emerged from the deep reflection of silence and is decidedly softer than the traditional psalmody. I find a few of the nuances fresh and helpful for my own prayer and offer her words in prose form this morning which I hear as one side of a conversation with God from a person whose desire for right relationship is boundless.

Have mercy on me, O Gracious One, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant kindness forgive me where my thoughts and deeds have hurt others. Lead me in the paths of justice, guide my steps on paths of peace! Teach me that I may know my weaknesses, the shortcomings that bind me, the unloving ways that separate me, that keep me from recognizing your life in me; for I keep company with fear and dwell in the house of ignorance. Yet, I was brought forth in love, and love is my  birthright.

You have placed your truth in the inner being; therefore, teach me the wisdom of the heart. Forgive all that binds me in fear, that I may radiate love; cleanse me that your light might shine in me. Fill me with gladness; help me to transform weakness into strength. Look not on my past mistakes but on the aspirations of my heart. Create in me a clean heart, O Gracious One, and put a new and right spirit within me. Enfold me in the arms of love, and fill me with your Holy Spirit. Restore me in the joy of your saving grace, and encourage me with a new spirit.

Singing Our Praise!

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beloved, faithful, glory, harmony, Holy One, humble, love, Nan Merrill, Peace, praise the Lord, presence, psalm 149, psalms, Psalms for Praying, sing, sing to the Lord, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Sometimes at our Tuesday “Lunch With the Psalms” meetings, one of us will ask, “Didn’t we just have this one…really recently?” I think about young people over the centuries who have studied the Hebrew Scriptures, part of which was memorizing the psalms, getting tripped up by the similarities, especially in the last five (146-150) which all start with Praise the Lord! with the possible exception of 149 that in most translations we’re told to sing to the Lord!

Wanting a fresh image or two from the psalm of the day to remind me of the fact that we are still in the joyful season of Christmas, I turned to Nan Merrill’s Psalms For Praying this morning. I smiled at her first words: Praise the Beloved! She follows by calling us to song but cannot begin without reminding us of the responsibility of offering the gift of praise to the one who guides us in every moment. Her translation of this psalm is lovely; why not sing the whole thing with full voice?

Praise the Beloved! Sing a joy-filled song praising the Blessed One among the people! Be glad in the Creator, rejoice in Love Divine. Praise the Holy One with dancing, with melodies and voice! For the Beloved dwells within, journeying with us through all our lives, leading us in truth and love. The humble are adorned with honor; the faithful exult in glory, singing for joy with thankful hearts! With truth on our tongues, with gratitude as our friend, we are in harmony with the universe, as we hold hands with all the people. The chains of oppression are broken, the fetters of injustice unbound. The realm of Peace and Love shall reign! Glory abides with those who are faith-filled. Praise the Beloved! All peoples on earth, welcome Love’s Companioning Presence into your hearts!

 

 

 

 

 

Found in Translation

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blessing, God, gratitude, images, joy, names, Nan Merrill, praise, Psalm 113, Psalms for Praying, sing praises, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, translation

We often hear that meanings are “lost in translation.” This morning I was gratified to read two modern translations of Psalm 113, in addition to the traditional one from the New American Bible, that amplified the meaning in lovely ways. From the poetic Ancient Songs Sung Anew I was called to reflect on the many names by which people of different religious traditions address God. It is a beautiful reflection which connects our image of God to the beauty of the universe. Hallelujah! it begins. There is a name of One that only servants know, the name of God, they carry deep inside, and praise as a source of blessing throughout life and time. It is a name they lift in honor and in prayer from dawn till dusk. It flies above the nations like a flag and in the sky at night it hangs, a star of beauty.It is the name of One who sits enthroned and gazes out upon the blanket of the universe…

Nan Merrill, in her book Psalms for Praying, calls us more actively to praise while naming God in increasingly vivid images: Sing praises to the Beloved of all hearts! Sing praises, all you who would honor Love, sing praises to the Creator of the universe! Bless the Holy One from this time forth and forever more! Aspire to know the Unknowable, to enter fully into the Great Mystery, to be fertile ground to the Heart-seed of Love…One can hardly stay seated when joining the poet in the ever-expanding song of praise as her language lifts and soars.

Maybe today is a good day to reflect on the many ways we image God and to listen to our hearts for new titles – maybe because we have had experiences that call us to more or have deepened our need or have grown us beyond where we began with God. Or maybe we just need to hold our ever-present, well-worn images that need to be spoken aloud so that our reverence can cause us to bow again to the One we have always known. May this day be a blessing to all of us, in God’s name, I pray.

 

God’s Dwelling Place

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Creator, dwelling place, holiness, love, Mother Earth, Nan Merrill, psalm 93, Psalms for Praying, stewards, strength, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, universe

I found a lovely translation of the psalm for the day in Nan Merrill’s book, Psalms for Praying. The lectionary verses speak very well, I think, to the relationship between the Creator of the universe and God’s stewards – us. I offer it as a thought for the day and bow in humility at God’s generosity even as I am reminded of our responsibility for our Mother Earth.

The Almighty reigns adorned in majesty; the Creator is robed and girded with strength. Yes, the world is established and given into our care; our stewardship of the earth reflects our love for You – You, who are and ever shall be…That which you ordain is certain; holiness befits your house, our hearts, your dwelling place, O Beloved, for evermore. (Ps. 93: 1-2, 5)

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Rock

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face fears, God is my rock, God's strength, King David, Nan Merrill, open my heart, positive energy, psalm 18, Psalms for Praying, refuge, rock, rock-steady, sing praises, stone, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Once, when I was going on a trip, a young friend asked me to bring her back a small stone. She sometimes makes jewelry out of natural elements. When I came back with several small stones, individually wrapped and marked with their town of origin, she reverently unwrapped and held each one, noting the energy in each. Although I had chosen each one somewhat deliberately, my choices were simply about size, shape and coloration. I still bring her stones but am somewhat more conscious about the choices; she has taught me that there is more about them than what can be seen.

The readings for this morning led me back to consideration of the qualities of rocks. Lately the readings from the Hebrew Scriptures have been about King David – both his celebrity and his sins. His saving grace, however, was that he always clung to the knowledge that God was faithful, even in his worst moments and most painful lessons. God was his “Rock” – a stronghold who gave him safety. He sang about that in Psalm 18, quoted this morning: God’s way is unerring, the promise of the Lord is fire-tried; he is a shield to all who take refuge in him. The Lord live! Blessed be my Rock!

David was very successful as a king, a warrior and a friend of God. Today Nan Merrill reminded me, in her translation of Psalm 18 (Psalms for Praying), of what I think David came to know of that “rock-steady” strength of God in him, that positive energy that transformed his sinfulness into humility and his willfulness into surrender. She writes it as follows:

The Most High lives; blessed be my Rock, and exalted be the Heart of my heart, the Loving One, who helped me face my fears and opened my heart to the poor; Who delivered me out of the darkness of ignorance. Yes, you did bring victory over my fears; You led me into harmony and wholeness. For this I will extol You, O my Beloved, among the nations, and sing praises to your Name.

The Time Is Now

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acepting, blessing, burdened with fear, Divine Light, free, glory, gratitude, heart of my heart, love, Nan Merrill, new dawn, Psalm 145, Psalms for Praying, radical trust, raise up, St. Bartholomew, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, wonder

On this feast of St. Bartholomew, one of the twelve apostles, I was drawn to the translation of Psalm 145 written by Nan Merrill in her book Psalms for Praying. While very different from the traditional English translation, I found it a powerful message for today’s disciples. It begins around verse 10.

God Speaks: Divine Light shines in those who live in Love. I shall uphold all who are burdened with fear, and raise up all who call to Me. The time is nigh for you to choose, for great is the new dawn that fast approaches; I call each of you to open your inner ears, to see with spiritual eyes, and to trust that even amidst the outward chaos, all is working toward the wholeness of humanity.

The disciple responds: O Heart of my heart, envelop me! I know You are near to all who call upon You. Bring to my recollection all that I have denied, that I might be accepting and free, to help rebuild the soul of the world with radical trust, love and wonder! When I speak, let it be of blessing and gratitude; let your glory within me shine out to the world!

 

 

Dialogue

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confusion, dreams, fear, Infinite Light, Loving Companion Presence, Nan Merrill, protect, psalm 91, Psalms for Praying, refuge, rescue, shelter, strength, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, times of trouble

This morning’s psalm (91) is a confident prayer of trust on the part of the psalmist and a loving response from God. The translation of Nan Merrill in her book, Psalms for Praying, is a lovely rendering of this dialogue that will become my song for today. My suggestion is – if not singing – to speak the prayer aloud, hearing the response of God as if we were the most beloved of creatures, because we are.

Psalmist: Those who dwell in the shelter of Infinite Light, who abide in the wings of Infinite Love, will raise their voices in praise: “My refuge and my strength, in You alone will I trust. For you deliver me from the webs of fear, from all that separates and divides; You protect me as an eagle shields its young. Your faithfulness is sure, like an arrow set upon the mark. I  will not fear the shadows of the night, nor the confusion that comes by day, nor the dreams that awaken me from sleep, nor the daily changes that life brings…”

God: Because you cleave to Me in love, I will deliver you; I will protect you who call upon my Name. When you call to Me, I will answer you; I will be with you in times of trouble. I will rescue you and reverence your life. All through the years will I dwell in your heart, as Loving Companion Presence, forever.