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A mindful and meditative prayer session with Psalm 40.

Today I offer you in writing a few of my own thoughts on Psalm 40, you may not need them, but one or two may spark something helpful for you as you pray with this psalm.

1 I waited patiently for the Lord;

Where or when have you waited patiently for God… can you see yourself waiting patiently for him in this moment? Does ‘waiting’ or ‘patience’ resonate with you for any reason… negative or positive?

he inclined to me and heard my cry.

Perhaps you see Jesus turning to the cry of blind Bartimaeus or to find the woman who touched his cloak… can you see the Lord turning to face you now?

2 He drew me up from the desolate pit [Heb: Pit of Tumult]
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.

Perhaps you pray these words as thanksgiving for what has been done in you already, … if you find yourself in the desolate pit of depression or anxiety or fear, or the miry bog of national or international events are heavy on your heart… perhaps they are your cry for help today.

6 Sacrifice and offering you do not desire,
but you have given me an open ear.
Burnt offering and sin offering
you have not required.

Not only does the Lord offer restoration, but intimacy.. there is no need for ritual or jumping through hoops to access the Lord’s presence, the Lord’s ear is open to you right here, right now. You are invited into deep access of knowing and being known, seeing and being seen.

…How do you respond to this? Are you ready to say “Here I am” ?

7 Then I said, “Here I am;
in the scroll of the book it is written of me.
8 I delight to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.”

16 But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
say continually, “Great is the Lord!”

We pray that these deep, restorative encounters with God will be accessible to all who seek him.

Where and when does worship of God rise naturally out of your heart and mouth? How does the worship that rises from your heart express itself?

Regardless of how you pray… may you be blessed as you do so.

Contemplative at Home offers guided meditative prayer – space to slow down and listen to the truth that is being born out of God’s love for you today – drawing on Ignatian spirituality and at times, Lectio Divina.

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All music by Pete Hatch.