Jenny's Psalm Reflections: 62 verse 5

Today’s verse is Psalm 62 VERSE 5

“For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him."

Background:

Psalm 62 is entitled a “Song of Trust in God Alone.” There are two key elements which stand out for me in this Psalm and I hope that they are helpful for you too. The first is the importance of silence. It really is important to hear God’s voice, feel His presence or just get a grip on our lives at times with a period of silence. I have had a few wonderful 2 or 3 days of silent retreat at Gladstone’s Library in Hawarden, St. Beuno’s in North Wales, and Foxhill in Frodsham. I would thoroughly recommend a short silent retreat. There’s no pressure to make small talk; there is just peace to find your inner self together with time to walk, read, watch the clouds (and look for animals in the clouds!) or do crafts. Coming back to the real world afterwards, though, can feel very strange and noisy! If you'd like to find out more about my silent retreat, take a look at my blog here.

The second element is the hope we have in God. We can place our trust in material objects and our jobs, but we cannot rely on anything or anyone other than the living God. There is a great sense of relief when we know that we are loved just for ourselves and forgiven whatever we may do. We can stop competing and grasping for physical rewards and focus on the important things in life.

Meditation

1. FIND A QUIET PLACE. 

Make sure that you are in a quiet place. Sit comfortably but alert – feet flat on the floor, back pushed hard against the back of the chair. Start your reflection with hands cupped open ready to be open to God’s presence.

2. Focus on your breathing.

Pay attention to in-breaths and out-breaths. You may think of breathing in God’s life and peace and breathing out any tension.

3. Be aware of your body.

Let your aches and pains be there. Rest your hands in your lap; you don’t need to be doing anything with them now. Rest your feet on the floor; you don’t need to go anywhere. Shrug your shoulders, ease your neck. Take time to become still…

4. Repeat the verse

Take time to become still and repeat verse 5 to yourself and intersperse this with periods of silence. Empty your head and wait to see what emerges.

5. Listen to God

In the stillness listen to what God might be saying to you. Finish with the prayer below.

6. Finish with this prayer:

Lord, help me to hear your still, small, voice in the silence. Let it also break though the noise of busy, difficult days. Help me to place my trust in you and not in my own ability or power, Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen