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.

Deliver Us, O God--Aug. 1, 2013


 Death comes to those upon whom we depend,
and our courage fails, O God; we are dismayed.
Deliver our souls from death, our eyes from tears.

From within, from the heart, come evil intentions;
deliver our feet from stumbling.  May we visit,
encourage, console, strengthen one another.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 143; 147:12-20; 81; 116
2 Sam. 4:1-12
Acts 16:25-40
Mark 7:1-23

Selected Verses

Ps. 116:8
For you have delivered my soul from death,
          my eyes from tears,
          my feet from stumbling.

2 Sam. 4:1
When Saul’s son Ishbaal heard that Abner had died at Hebron, his courage failed, and all Israel was dismayed.

Acts 16:40
After leaving the prison [Paul and Silas] went to Lydia’s home; and when they had seen and encouraged the brothers and sisters there, they departed.

Mark 7:22
For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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