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.

May 20, 2010


All Bitterness and Wrath

I. Readings
Psalms 47, 147:12-20, 68, 113
Zechariah 4:1-14
Ephesians 4:17-32
Matthew 9:1-8

II. Selections
Psalm 68:19
Blessed be the Lord,
who daily bears us up;
God is our salvation.

Zechariah 4:6
[The angel] said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel:
Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the LORD of hosts. … ”

Ephesians 4:31-32
Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.

Matthew 9:2
And just then some people were carrying a paralyzed man lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”


III. Meditation

I cannot put away from me all bitterness and
wrath and anger and wrangling and slander—
not by my own power, I cannot. I am not able.

It is only your spirit, your might and power,
working within me that can accomplish this.
Daily bear me up, O God of my salvation.

Make me kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving,
as you have forgiven me. Yes, remind me of
your forgiveness, that I may take heart, put
away all bitterness and wrath, and be forgiving.
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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