Hello all,
Mid-Month Check-in: You are welcome to use the SUBMIT A COMMENT space at the bottom of this post to share a comment. Say hello, or tell us your favourite book so far, or share one of your thoughts, reflections or prayers, or share your favourite Psalm or tell us the weather where you are. It all helps to create a sense of who we are in This Long Conversation.
This is a space where I’ll offer some prompts, some practices, some quotes and some photos as we make our way through this month with reflections on Proverbs, Psalms, Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs
We engage the Wisdom Literature this month.
Wisdom Introduction
A few years ago I designed a Small Group Study on Wisdom. Here is the Introduction, with specific information on Proverbs.
Psalms in the World As it Is
Here is a video on chanting the Psalms with Claudette Derdaele. Listen to it.
To Stand in the Midst Praying the Psalms
Read a Psalm slowly, a phrase at a time. Not every phrase will strike you. “The Psalms do not insist we follow word for word and line by line, but they intend us to have great freedom to engage our imagination …” (Brueggemann, Praying the Psalms)
Read the Psalm slowly again. When a phrase or word speaks to you, stay there. Repeat the phrase several times. Let the names of people, places or situations known to you rise in you. Pray the Psalm as the prayer of others who perhaps at this moment cannot pray for themselves. What person, place or situation is being described? What is God showing you?
Stay with the phrase. Let the Psalm put your feelings into words. Move on as you feel the Spirit has moved on. Repeat the process as phrases stand out for you. Don’t feel you need to go through the whole Psalm! You don’t need to go through a whole Psalm.
When you feel that your time with the Psalm is over, respond to God in whatever way is appropriate. It might be praise, questioning or just Amen
Another Practice: The Psalms and Praying the Newspaper
- Read through the Psalm slowly. (Choose a Psalm or use the Psalm in the lectionary readings as a way of praying with the world church.)
- Linger on the phrases that speak to you.
- Look through the newspaper or news magazine and find an image that you associate with the Psalm.
- Hold the Psalm and the image in your head and heart for a week and ask God to help you make connections between the world of today and the world of the Psalms. What is God showing you?
Writing a Psalm
From Soul Feast, An Invitation to the Christian Spiritual Life, by Marjorie J. Thompson
Writing a Psalm in response to your feelings about a place or situation in the world you want to hold
- Select a Psalm that voices the feeling that are in you
- Get acquainted with the Psalm, especially the verses that best express your attitudes
- Lay it aside and begin to write your own Psalm to God. Let it emerge from your experience, your feelings and your faith. Be as honest as you can.
- Offer your personal Psalm to God as a heartfelt prayer, asking the Spirit to take your feeling in a direction that will be for your healing.
I’m especially drawn to wisdom in the streets, at the crossroads as I search for wisdom at my crossroad. Thank you all for being part of the people among whom she’s standing.
Nicely put. I’m at crossroads too, so am also looking for and listening to God’s wisdom around me.
One of my staples is the well-trod verses in Proverbs 3 verses 5 and 6 “Trust in the Lord with all my heart and lean not to my own understanding; in all my ways to acknowledge Him and He will direct my paths.” And our paths. Amen
I am so behind in my Long Conversation. I had a very busy April and it is now May long and I am at our cabin in the Cypress Hills using some time to catch up so this will be a weather report. We had snow last night so it has been a chilly stay. The sun is shining today so I look forward to a walk on the trail although with the many dead falls this year that may be a challenge. Glad for the opportunity to be part of this journey with you.