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.

If Only Our Hearts Were Pure--Sept. 2, 2012



If only our hearts were pure, we would see you
and stretch out our hands toward you
and join every creature

in heaven and on earth
and under the earth and in the sea,
all of us singing to loud clashing cymbals,

"Blessing and honor and glory and might
forever and ever to you and the Lamb"--
O God, if only our hearts were pure!

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 108; 150; 66; 23
Job 11:1-9, 13-20
Rev. 5:1-14
Matt. 5:1-12

Selected Verses
Ps. 150:5
Praise [the LORD] with clanging cymbals;
      praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

Job 11:13
"If you direct your heart rightly, you will stretch out your hands toward him. …" [Zophar to Job]

Rev. 5:13
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing, "To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!"

Matt. 5:8
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. …" [Jesus addressing the crowds on the mountain]
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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