There Is Forgiveness with You: Psalm 130
Psalm 130
1Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD.
2Lord, hear my voice
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my supplications!
3If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
4But there is forgiveness with you,
so that you may be revered.
5I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
6my soul waits for the Lord
more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch for the morning.
7O Israel, hope in the LORD!
For with the LORD there is steadfast love,
and with him is great power to redeem.
8It is he who will redeem Israel
from all its iniquities.
- Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
- Sit five to fifteen minutes in silent meditation paying close attention to the deep breath.
- As you open yourself today to encounter God, find any hidden places which have not been opened.
- Allow this to be your focus today.
- Consider the depths in that hidden place. Stretch and reach out of your comfort zone.
- Believe that God reaches into those depths with you.
- This is the power to redeem the darkest, the scariest, the deepest hidden place.
- This hope is greater than the promise of the rising sun.
- This hope is the risen Son.
- Christ will meet you in the depths.
- Christ is already there.
- Open to Christ.
- Pour out your story, your heart, your lament.
- Feel the steadfast love and the power redeeming you.
- Embrace forgiveness for you and for others.
- Savor being held in the love of Christ.
- I wonder, what is God's invitation for you today?
- Give thanks to God for this time in prayer and for any new insights you have received.
- Share as you feel led in the reply box below.
Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, June 27, 2021, the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)
2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27
Psalm 130
2 Corinthians 8:7-15
Mark 5:21-43
If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author. Permission to use in not-for-profit settings. (c) 2021 The Rev. Dr. Lil Smith, DASD
Rev. Dr. Lil Smith is a trained spiritual director, supervisor, and co-founder of Retreat House Spirituality Center in Richardson, TX. Upon completion of her spiritual direction training, Lil began Praying the Lectionary in 2011 as a spiritual practice for her morning prayer time. Instead of reading about someone else’s experience of God, it was important for her to create a prayer practice that would encourage felt sense experience of the Holy emerging from within. It dawned on her others might enjoy the practice, as well. So she began to share them on this site.
As you experience the practice of Praying the Lectionary, adopt a loving, caring, and compassionate stance. If the end of your prayer and meditation time is not pointing to love and hope, there is more work to do. Keep wrestling. God is faithful to your journey. Love and hope will emerge. Be gentle with yourself and befriend any judgment that arises in you.
