I am an emeritus professor from Cornell University and was a Commissioned Lay Preacher in the Presbyterian Church (USA). For many years I have followed the Daily Lectionary as printed in the Mission Yearbook of my church. For each day of a two-year cycle, the lectionary lists four psalms and three other scriptural passages--usually one from the Old Testament and two from the New Testament. My practice is to copy down a verse or two from one of the psalms and from each of the other three passages. After I have written out all four selections, I reflect upon them, rearrange their order, and incorporate them into a meditation. Sometimes I retain much of the original wording; sometimes all that remains of a selection is an idea that was stimulated when I read the original words. All selections are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. For the Daily Lectionary, see the link below.

August 15, 2005

I. Readings
Psalms 97, 112, 135
2 Samuel 17:24-18:8
Acts 22:30-23:11
Mark 11:12-26

II. Selections
Ps. 135:3
Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good;
sing to his name, for he is gracious.

2 Sam. 18:8
The battle spread over the face of all the country; and the forest claimed more victims that day than the sword.

Acts23:10
When the dissension became violent, the tribune, fearing that they would tear Paul to pieces, ordered the soldiers to go down, take him by force, and bring him into the barracks.

Mark 11:18
And when the chief priests and the scribes heard it, they kept looking for a way to kill him; for they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was spellbound by his teaching.

III. Meditation: Good and gracious?
Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing to his name, for he is gracious.
When battle has spread over the face of all the country and the forest has claimed more victims than the sword, shall we still call you good and praise your name? When violent dissension threatens to tear the innocent to pieces, can we sing to your name as gracious? Strangely, we can; for your goodness and grace did not waver when those who claimed to worship you schemed to kill the One you loved most of all.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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