Small Boats in a Dark Sea: Contemplation and Inner-Healing

Psalm 22

Our Interpretation of Psalm 22: Psalm 22 For the director: Upon the Dawn Deer A Song of the Beloved   My God, my God,  why have You abandoned me?  Far from my Rescue,   Far from the words of my groaning.   My God, I call by day: You do not answer! by night: There is no Stillness for me!   YET, You are Holy,   enthroned upon the praises of Israel.  In You our ancestors found Security;    they trusted, and You Rescued them. To You they cried and were Rescued; in You they trusted and they were not put to Shame.   YET, I am a worm, not a human — a disgrace among the Mortals of Dust,   despised by the people. All who see me mock me;    they twist their lips and shake their heads: “He trusted in YAHWEH— let God Rescue him;    let God deliver him, since God ‘delights’ in him!” YET, You drew me out from the womb,    You made me Rest Secure on my mother’s breasts. On You I was entrusted from birth;    from the womb of my mother You have been my God.   Do not be far from me,  for distress is near — there is no one to help!   Many bulls encircle me;  strong ones of Overfed-Power surround me. They open their mouths against me,  like a lion tearing and roaring.   I am poured out like water;  all my bones are out of joint. My heart has become like wax —  it melts within my chest.   My strength is dried up like clay;  my tongue clings to my jaws. You lay me in the dust of Death’s Demand.   Dogs surround me,  a pack of the Violators encircle me!   They pierce my hands and my feet.   I can count all my bones!  They stare and gloat over me.   They divide my garments among them;  They throw dice for my clothing.   YET You, YAHWEH — do not be far away! My Close Strength, hurry to my Help! Rescue my Being from the sword,    my precious life from the power of the dogs. Save me from the mouth of the lion,   and from the horns of the wild oxen —   You have answered me!   I will declare Your Name to my brothers and sisters;  in the midst of the Summoned: I will Praise You.   You who stand in awe of YAHWEH, give God praise! All you in the lineage of Heel-Grabber, Honor God! All you in the lineage of Wrestles-With-God Stand in Awe!   For God has NOT despised or detested  the suffering of the afflicted! God’s Presence is not hidden from Him,  but when he cried out, God heard Him!   From You comes my Praise in the Great Summoning;  I will fulfill my vows before those who fear You.   The humble will eat and be satisfied;  those who seek YAHWEH will praise!   May your hearts live to the Eternity!   All the ends of the earth will Remember and turn to YAHWEH,  and all families of the nations will bow before You,   For the Kingdom belongs to YAHWEH,  and He rules over the empires.   All who prosper on earth will bow before God;   all who go down to the dust will kneel before God —   even the one who cannot keep his Being alive!   A Lineage will serve God;   it will be told of YAHWEH to the next generation.   They will proclaim the Rescue to a people yet unborn!     God has done it!

Psalm 118

Our Interpretation of Psalm 118: Shine-back-to-YAHWEH, for He is good. His Persistent-Love endures to the Eternity. Let Israel say: His Persistent-Love endures to the Eternity. Let the house of Aaron say: His Persistent-Love endures to the Eternity. Let those who revere YAHWEH say: His Persistent-Love endures to the Eternity. Out of my distress I called to YAHWEH. YAHWEH answered me and set me in a wide place. YAHWEH is for me, I will not fear. What can mortals of dust do to me? YAHWEH is for me among those who help me. I will look upon my Destroyers. It is better to take refuge in YAHWEH than to place Security in mortals of dust. It is better to take refuge in YAHWEH than to place Security in “nobles.” All nations surrounded me, but in the name of YAHWEH I cut them off. They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of YAHWEH I cut them off. They surrounded me like bees, they blazed like fire among thorns, but in the name of YAHWEH I cut them off. You pushed me hard to make me fall, but YAHWEH helped me. YAHWEH is my strength and my song, and He has become my Rescue. The sound of celebration and rescue is in the tents of the Aligned. “The right hand of YAHWEH does mighty things. The right hand of YAHWEH is raised. The right hand of YAHWEH does mighty things.” I shall not die, but live, and recount the works of YAHWEH. YAHWEH has disciplined me deeply, but He has not given me over to death. Open to me the gates of Alignment, that I may enter and shine-back-to-YAHWEH. This is the gate of YAHWEH. The Aligned enter through it. I thank You that You have answered me and have become my Rescue. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from YAHWEH. It is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day YAHWEH has made. Let us celebrate and rejoice in it. YAHWEH, Rescue us! [Hosanna] We pray. YAHWEH, cause us to flourish! We pray. Blessed is the One who comes in the name of YAHWEH. We bless you from the house of YAHWEH. YAHWEH is God, and He has given us light. Bind the festival sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I will thank You. You are my God, I will lift You up. Shine-back-to-YAHWEH, for He is good. His Persistent-Love endures to the Eternity.

From Panic to Praise: Psalm 116

a contemplative meditation on Psalm 116 in three movements. For prayer, rest, and letting go

Rescue and Delight

a guided meditation on Psalm 18 (for lying down) for receiving the grace of rescue, the promise of protection, and the encouragement of God's delight

Small Boats in a Dark Sea: Contemplation and Inner-Healing

Contemplation, breathing prayer, and receiving God's Spirit. Meditating on rowing through the night, against a headwind, and the hardness of our hearts.