Lectio Divina Reading

October 30, 2003

Be silent,

Be still,

Alone,

Empty

Before your God

Say nothing,

Ask nothing.

Be silent,

Be still,

Let your God

Look upon you.

That is all.

God knows.

God understands.

God loves you

With and enormous love,

And only wants

To look upon you

With that love.

Quiet.

Still,

Be.Let your God-

Love you.

Psalms of A Lay Woman , Edwina Gateley

Introduction

This Book is so called, because it treats of the excellence of WISDOM, the means to obtain it, and the happy fruits it produces. It is written in the person of Solomon, and contains his sentiments. But it is uncertain who was the writer. It abounds with instructions and exhortations to kings and all magistrates to minister justice in the commonwealth, teaching all kinds of virtues under the general names of justice and wisdom. It contains also many prophecies of Christ's coming, passion, resurrection, and other Christian mysteries. The whole may be divided into three parts. In the first six chapters, the author admonishes all superiors to love and exercise justice and wisdom. In the next three, he teacheth that wisdom proceedeth only from God, and is procured by prayer and a good life. In the other ten chapters, he sheweth the excellent effects and utility of wisdom and justice.

The Premature Death Of The Upright (Chapter 4, vs. 7-17)

The upright, though he die before his time, will find rest.

Length of days is not what makes age honourable,

nor number of years the true measure of life;

understanding, this is grey hairs,

untarnished life, this is ripe old age.

Having won God’s favor, he has been loved,

and, as he was living among sinners, has been taken away.

He has been carried off so that evil may not warp

his understanding or deceitfulness seduce his soul;

for the fascination of evil throws good things into the shade,

and the whirlwind of desire corrupts a simple heart.

Having come to perfection so soon, he has lived long;

his soul being pleasing to the Lord,

he has hurried away from the wickedness around him.

Yet people look on, uncomprehending;

and it does not enter their heads

that grace and mercy await his chosen ones and that he intervenes on behalf of his holy ones.

The upright who dies condemns the godless who survive, and youth quickly perfected condemns the lengthy old age of the wicked.

Lectio Divina for CP Groups
Contemplative Outreach of Dallas