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.

Not Because of Our Righteousness--Feb. 19, 2013


[From Feb. 27, 2007 archive]

Not because of our righteousness
do you bless us—a stubborn people,
willing to do anything to make a profit,
hardening our hearts in rebellion against you.

Under your mighty wings you give us refuge;
with your pinions protect us from harm,
yet not because of our righteousness
but because of your faithfulness.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 34; 146; 25; 91
Deut. 9:1-12
Heb. 3:1-11
John 2:13-22

Selected Verses

Psalm 91:4
…he will cover you with his pinions,
            and under his wings you will find refuge;
            his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

Deuteronomy 9:6
Know, then, that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to occupy because of your righteousness; for you are a stubborn people.

Hebrews 3:8
“…do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
            as on the day of testing in the wilderness…” [Attributed to the Holy Spirit]

John 2:14
In the temple [Jesus] found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables.  Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle.  He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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