A Lectio Divina meditation on Psalm 49 from Nan Merrill’s book Psalms for Praying

Experience stillness and in the quiet hear what God is offering from these rich and hope-filled words.

Hear this, all nations!

Give ear, all inhabitants of the 

earth,

both low and high,

rich and poor together!

My mouth shall speak wisdom!

the mediation of my heart

shall be understanding.

I will incline my ear to the Word;

I will solve my problems 

through the whispers

of the Heart’s voice. 

Why should I give up in times 

of trouble,

when stubborn fears oppress me,

when illusion surrounds me,

Fears that give birth to greed

and lead to exploitation?

Truly I cannot save myself,

or offer a haven of peace to

another,

When my home is like a hornet’s nest,

a hive of restless fears.

Turning to you, O Guiding Spirit,

is my strength and support,

a stronghold in times of trouble.

Yes, even the wise are not immune

to fear;

yet, unlike the ignorant, the wise

face their fears with resolve.

Not running away, nor projecting them

onto others, 

They trace them to the source,

rooting them out as weeds

from a rose garden.

Thus, they do not trust in the riches

of the world,

but in the Treasure hidden

within the heart.

Others are arrogant in their ignorance,

proud of their own counsel.

Like sheep led to slaughter,

their fears compel them to

walk in the darkness,

Guiding them onto unholy paths,

into webs of intrigue,

where despair and destruction

make their home.

Yet does the Spirit of Truth abide within,

veiled by bulwarks of pain. 

Be not afraid to discover the Treasure

within, 

to seek the gold hidden in 

the garden of your heart.

For inasmuch as you root out

each fear,

will truth and peace and joy

become your riches.

You will live in the realm of Love

becoming a light,

a beneficial presence in the world.

Future generations will be blessed,

the bonds of ignorance

broken forever. 

O Spirit of Truth, You are our strength

and our guiding light,

Lead us, O Love, to the eternal Treasure,

The Heart of all hearts.