In verses 1-3, we read that those who meditate day and night on the scriptures are “like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither.” While we sometimes mine the scriptures for passages that bolster our position against someone or something, sometimes ignoring the context in which it was written, weaponizing what we find, that is not scripture’s intended purpose. Instead, the scriptures are meant to be life-giving. They are meant to nurture so that those who are listening develop deep roots in the love of God and bear fruit for the nourishment of the world and the people around them.
What are some of the passages that leave you feeling as if you have been planted by a stream of water? In what ways is reflecting on scripture life-giving to you and in what ways does your reflection on scripture bear fruit that nourishes the spirits of others?
Read this psalm again slowly, out loud. Imagine yourself beside a gentle stream. Feel the fresh air wash over you and allow the words to mingle with the sounds of the gurgling water. Now offer a prayer of thanksgiving for the life-giving, sacred words of scripture.