Lectio Divina: Psalms 52

Psalms 52 (NIV)

Why do you boast of evil, you mighty hero?
    Why do you boast all day long,
    you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God?
You who practice deceit,
    your tongue plots destruction;
    it is like a sharpened razor.
You love evil rather than good,
    falsehood rather than speaking the truth.
You love every harmful word,
    you deceitful tongue!

Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin:
    He will snatch you up and pluck you from your tent;
    he will uproot you from the land of the living.
The righteous will see and fear;
    they will laugh at you, saying,
“Here now is the man
    who did not make God his stronghold
but trusted in his great wealth
    and grew strong by destroying others!”

But I am like an olive tree
    flourishing in the house of God;
I trust in God’s unfailing love
    for ever and ever.
For what you have done I will always praise you
    in the presence of your faithful people.
And I will hope in your name,
    for your name is good.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:30

This week's scripture comes from the 52nd Psalm in the New International Version. Allow yourself to be still, to breathe slowly, and to recenter your scattered senses upon the presence of God. We will read this week's scripture thrice, pausing for a moment of reflection after each reading. This scripture is a gift to be received, not a problem to be dissected. This scripture is a gift to be received slowly and to be savored. This scripture will become a prayer to be taken away with us into our week. In our first reading, listen for a word or phrase that stands out to you. After the reading, silently repeat that word or phrase in your mind. Why do you boast of evil, you mighty hero? Why do you boast all day long, you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God? You who practice deceit, your tongue plots destruction. It is like a sharpened razor. You love evil rather than good, falsehood rather than speaking the truth. You love every harmful word, you deceitful tongue. Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin. He will snatch you up and pluck you from your tent. He will uproot you from the land of the living. The righteous will see and fear. They will laugh at you, saying, Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold, but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others. But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God. I trust in God's unfailing love forever and ever. For what you have done, I will always praise you in the presence of your faithful people, and I will hope in your name, for your name is good. Why do you boast of evil, you mighty hero? Why do you boast all day long, you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God? You who practice deceit, your tongue plots destruction. It is like a sharpened razor. You love evil rather than good, falsehood rather than speaking the truth. You love every harmful word, you deceitful tongue. But surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin. He will snatch you up and pluck you from your tent. He will uproot you from the land of the living. The righteous will see in fear. They will laugh at you, saying, Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold, but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others. But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God. I trust in God's unfailing love forever and ever. For what you have done I will always praise you, in the presence of your faithful people. And I will hope in your name, for your name is good. Why do you boast of evil, you mighty hero? Why do you boast all day long, you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God? You who practice deceit, your tongue plots destruction. It is like a sharpened razor. You love evil rather than good, falsehood rather than speaking the truth. You love every harmful word, you deceitful tongue. Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin. He will snatch you up and pluck you from your tent. He will uproot you from the land of the living. The righteous will see and fear. They will laugh at you, saying, Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold, but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others. But I am like an olive tree, flourishing in the house of God. I trust in God's unfailing love forever and ever. For what you have done I will always praise you in the presence of your faithful people, and I will hope in your name, for your name is good. Thank you for hearing our prayers. Keep us under your wing until we meet again. Amen.