Devotion • November 3
Today’s Scripture Reading
Psalm 25
To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
O my God, in you I trust; do not let me be put to shame; do not let my enemies exult over me.
Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame; let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.
Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!
Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.
All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
For your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great.
Who are they that fear the Lord? He will teach them the way that they should choose.
They will abide in prosperity, and their children shall possess the land.
The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes his covenant known to them.
My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for he will pluck my feet out of the net.
Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.
Relieve the troubles of my heart, and bring me out of my distress.
Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.
Consider how many are my foes, and with what violent hatred they hate me.
O guard my life, and deliver me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.
Redeem Israel, O God, out of all its troubles. (NRSV)
Reflection
As we receive the prayer of Psalm 25 today, it is as if we are left with the lyrics of a rousing song. The book of Psalms contains what formed part of the liturgy of the temple in ancient Israel and were indeed songs set to music with instruments like harp, lyre, tambourine, and horn. What we read in our Bibles are the lyrics to religious songs, essentially. And our “biblical lyricist,” likely King David in this case, poured his heart out on the page with desperation for relief from his own heavy burdens, trusting that his words would not be in vain.
Amid his plight, be it in a rabbit hole avoiding slings and arrows, or other threats, he took just one action that would transform his outlook on life: he lifted up his soul to the Lord.
Carrying around his fear of shame, ridicule, punishment for past failures, and inconsistent obedience to God, David set aside his ego, recognized his limits, and let go, trusting that God would fill what was made empty in that release.
What is the weight of a troubled soul? The immensity of life’s challenges takes too many forms: tough words spoken in haste that tear into tender hearts; regret over the words that should’ve been spoken before it was too late; the breathtaking diagnosis of the source of the pain that wouldn’t go away; the ruminations over poor choices made in haste, ignorance, or spite, or a combination of all three. The bullets that, once fired, can’t be crammed back into the gun. And so on, and so on…
Prayer
Merciful God, when our spirits wither under the weight of our iniquity and shame, or even just plain bad luck, and we fear we can’t carry on, grant us courage to hold out our hands, look directly at the brokenness they bear, and trust that we have just enough left in us to lift them up to you, O Lord, our saving grace. Amen.
Written by Nancy Benson-Nicol, Associate Pastor for Caring Ministries and Spiritual Formation
Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church
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