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.

Be Merciful to Me, Most High--Oct. 6, 2018



God, uphold me;
my soul clings to you.
When I stumble with guilt,
and my pride testifies against me,
and no one will accept my testimony,
then be merciful to me, God Most High.
May your mercy make me show mercy and
 kindness to the ungrateful, forgiveness to all.

Lectionary Readings
Ps. 63; 149; 125; 90
Hosea 5:1-7
Acts 22:17-29
Luke 6:27-38

Selected Verses
Ps. 63:8
My soul clings to you;
          your right hand upholds me.

Hosea 5:5
Israel's pride testifies against him; Ephraim stumbles in his guilt; Judah also stumbles with them.

Acts 22:17-18
"After I had returned to Jerusalem and while I was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance and saw Jesus saying to me, 'Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.'  …"  [Paul to the mob outside the temple]

Luke 6:35-36
"…But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return.  Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.  Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.  …"  [Jesus, looking up to his disciples in the crowd]

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