anchor scripture

This summer I have been spending a lot of time in Psalm 27. The Psalmist writes in times of enemies and foes, and days of trouble. But amidst all this he finds rest, confidence, and safety in the dwelling place in the Lord...

"One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life.
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple." Psalm 27:4

The Message goes on to paraphrase verse 5:
"That's my only quiet, secure place in a noisy world..."

It has been good to rest and meditate on these words and prayers from the Psalmist. Eugene Peterson, author of many good books, who also paraphrased The Message, puts a high priority on the Psalms in our daily reading of scripture. In his book Under the Unpredictable Plant, Peterson says, "The Psalms...are the set place where we habitually go over the ground and vocabulary and rhythms of prayer, immersing ourselves in the centuries-layered praying community, becoming companions with these friends who prayed and pray."

Psalm 27 is this for me. It is amazing to consider that these same prayers, seeking God's dwelling place, have been prayed for centuries by disciples of Jesus. I leave for Brazil in three days. The prayer of Psalm 27 gives me peace, hope, and rest!