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.

Blessed Are the Dead Who Die in the Lord--Nov. 9, 2017


Protect us, Lord--in you we seek refuge;
may your gracious hand be upon us.
When death deals a cruel blow,
we come to you for comfort,
for blessed are the dead
who die in the Lord.
They will rest from
their labors; their
deeds follow them.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 97; 147:12-20; 16; 62
Ezra 7:1-26
Rev. 14:1-13
Matt. 14:1-12

Selected Verses
Ps. 16:1
 Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 

Ezra 7:9
On the first day of the first month the journey up from Babylon was begun, and on the first day of the fifth month [Ezra] came to Jerusalem, for the gracious hand of his God was upon him. 

Rev. 14:13
And I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who from now on die in the Lord."  "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them."

Matt. 14:12
[John's] disciples came and took [his] body and buried it; then they went and told Jesus.

Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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