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.

To God who Weighs our Actions--Dec. 20, 2015


You are a God of knowledge,
a God who weighs our actions.

Who shall ascend your hill, Lord,
who shall stand in your holy place?

The one who may teach sound doctrine
but talks with arrogance from his mouth?

Perhaps the one perplexed by your words,
one who ponders what they may mean?

Fitting all these descriptions, I pray
you are also a God of mercy.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 24; 150; 25; 110
1 Sam. 2:1b-10
Titus 2:1-10
Luke 1:26-38

Selected Verses
Ps. 24:3
Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD?
       And who shall stand in his holy place?

1 Sam. 2:3
Talk no more so very proudly,
       let not arrogance come from your mouth;
for the LORD is a God of knowledge,
       and by him actions are weighed.

Titus 2:1
But as for you, teach what is consistent with sound doctrine.

Luke 1:29
But [Mary] was much perplexed by [the angel Gabriel's] words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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