Psalm 62-- my soul waits in silence

as I got out of the car at work and looked up, I saw this

Yesterday I met with a group of people on ZOOM who were in my Spiritual Direction cohort at Columbia Theological Seminary. We were meeting to discuss group supervision.

I felt led to open our time together with  lectio divina (sacred reading) and what chose me was Psalm 62 from Nan Merrill's Psalms for Praying. I had the date 8/2/23 next to verses 6 and 7 and had drawn two trees with a hammock between them, as the words had given me an image of being held as in a cocoon, a hammock. Looking back over my blogposts, I wrote about that time here. So, if you want to read those reflections, go check it out.

I wasn't sure what caused the short passage to choose me yesterday, but after our time of silence, I knew. It spoke to the group. It was needed for each one, in different ways or situations, but needed. I'm glad I listened.

I'm going to share the reading here.

I encourage you to read it through at least two times, slowly. Then spend some time in silence. If you're not used to silence, try 5 minutes. If you are comfortable with silence, I encourage you to sit for 20 minutes. What from the reading captured your attention? Let it soak in.

For You alone my soul waits in silence;
my hope is from the Beloved.
Enfolding me with strength and
steadfast love,
my faith shall remain firm.
In the Silence rests my freedom and
my guidance; for
You are the Heart of my heart, 
You speak to me in the Silence.

Psalm 62:6-7, Psalms for Praying, Nan Merrill

As I reflect on these words today, what stands out for me?

• my soul waits in silence
• my hope is from the Beloved
• strength
• steadfast love
• my faith shall remain firm
• freedom
• guidance
• Heart of my heart
• You speak to me in the Silence

There is so much here, in these short two verses. Going further into the Psalm, in verse 8, there is a line "Let Silence be a refuge for you."

Ah, yes. Silence IS a refuge. And, in the silence, all of the things above, in verses 6 and 7 come out of the silence. 

Making time for silence and making time to be with the Beloved, the Creator, is a vital part of my spiritual practice.

Thanks for joining me today.

Rev. Deb