It’s interesting how certain passages of scripture reveal themselves over time. I (Vanessa) used to read Psalm 139 as though God were the Eye of Mordor, scanning the earth for any wrongdoing on my part, ready to deploy armies to punish me in a moment. I didn’t have the experiential knowledge of a God whose presence actually offers comfort or rest in nearness.
It can be frightening or unsettling at first to consider a God who is so acquainted with your comings and goings. It took the practice of lectio divina to deepen my understanding that Psalm 139 is not about a God who says, “Aha! I see what you’re up to!” but a God who is so intimately intertwined with my being that it becomes folly to believe I can ever separate myself from this love that surpasses knowledge.
Can you allow yourself to sit with the discomfort long enough to allow it to dissipate, welcoming the nearness until it becomes a reminder of the unity we have with the Spirit and with all humankind?
If you've recently joined NOURISH, Lectio Divina has four parts — lectio (read), meditatio (reflect), oratio (respond), and contemplatio (rest) — and involves the reading of a passage, poem, or prayer four times with periods of silence between each reading.
If you’re new to this practice you may find it helpful to move through each part in order. Or you may find the stages to be as Fr. Thomas Keating describes: compass points around a circle wherein the Holy Spirit moves you seamlessly between each part.
I will guide you in this 9-minute audio meditation through Psalm 139:1-6 from the NIV translation. Click the link in the box below.
