For the director. Do not destroy. A miktam of David, when he fled from Saul into a cave.
I
Have mercy on me, God,
have mercy on me.
In you I seek refuge.
In the shadow of your wings I seek refuge
till harm pass by.
I call to God Most High.
to God who provides for me.
May God send help from heaven to save me,
shame those who trample upon me.
May God send fidelity and mercy.
I must lie down in the midst of lions
hungry for human prey.
Their teeth are spears and arrows;
their tongue, a sharpened sword.
Be exalted over the heavens, God;
may your glory appear above all the earth.
II
They have set a trap for my feet;
my soul is bowed down;
They have dug a pit before me.
May they fall into it themselves!
My heart is steadfast, God,
my heart is steadfast,
I will sing and chant praise.
Awake, my soul;
awake, lyre and harp!
I will wake the dawn.
I will praise you among the peoples, Lord;
I will chant your praise among the nations.
For your mercy towers to the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
Exalt yourself over the heavens, God;
may your glory appear above all the earth.
Psalms 57:1-12
“My heart is steadfast, God, …I will sing and chant praise.” Continuing with this Lenten theme, I need to sing and chant praise to God. Do I do enough of that?
Every time I consider it, now, I am reminded of the young sister who spoke at the Catholic Women’s Conference a couple weeks ago. I picture her entire demeanor, and that is what it must look like to let your whole life be an example of praise to God. It is a spirit of enduring joy that just infects the room by her very presence. I want to be that person for my friends and family.
So how do we get there? How can we adopt such a spirit of praise that, even in the hard times, like this psalmist was experiencing, the first instinct is praise? If we could all find that in our hearts, imagine how the world would change?
In our Best Lent Ever meditations from Dynamic Catholic this year, we have been talking about this idea. Matthew Kelly has made this point before, and it speaks to me every time. Our ancestors, the first Christians, literally changed the world! Most people agree that the world today is in need of some changes, and Kelly argues that Christians are the best hope the world has for being able to make the change.
It is up to us! Jesus gave us the road map; the Apostles blazed the trail; holy men and women over the last 2000+ years kept it going. Now what are we going to do to ensure that God’s will is accomplished?
I know I’ve said it a million times, but it always bears repeating. The secret to getting the process going has to come from a regular routine of prayer. I still believe that starting the day with prayer is the best plan, since that sends me out into the world each day with a better focus.
How about you? How do you incorporate a regular prayer routine in your life? Then, how does your prayer life impact your interactions with the people in your life? Are you spreading God’s love, even with those who are difficult to love? After all, they probably need it more than anyone else!