by Pastor Paul Dugan
Cultivate a heart of wisdom, using this three-part rhythm.
Part I: Become present to the presence of God:
Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. (Ps 90:14)
Pause for silence before him. Slowly inhale, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Slowly exhale, and release any burdens you are carrying into this new day. Repeat this breathing prayer until you have brought your whole self - your thoughts, imagination, desires, and body- (“as-is”) into the presence of God.
Wisdom in the Hebrew Scriptures is not the same thing as "smarts." It is possible to be a smart fool. Neither is wisdom a “secret knowledge” possessed by a mystically-gifted elite. Wisdom is the practical skill of making good choices in the sight of God, in the everyday stuff of life.
Psalms of wisdom often include short memorable sayings, contrasting light with darkness, good with evil, wisdom with foolishness, or righteousness with wickedness.
Part II: Slowly read Psalm 112 (ESV) out loud:
Praise the Lord!
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
who greatly delights in his commandments!
2 His offspring will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness endures forever.
4 Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
5 It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;
who conducts his affairs with justice.
6 For the righteous will never be moved;
he will be remembered forever.
7 He is not afraid of bad news;
his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
8 His heart is steady; he will not be afraid,
until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.
9 He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever;
his horn is exalted in honor.
10 The wicked man sees it and is angry;
he gnashes his teeth and melts away;
the desire of the wicked will perish!
Part III: Use your own words to pray God’s wisdom into your day:
"I thank you God for giving us clear boundaries- for defining for us what is true and false, good and evil, wise and foolish. And thank you for giving me the freedom to choose your path.
"I lament the sorrow and pain in my life and world that has resulted from unwise choices (my own or the choices of others)…
"I bring to you the choices that are in front of me today… (ex, in how I invest my time, words, relationships, money, abilities, vocation, body, etc.)
The psalms were originally written as lyrics. They have been sung by the people of God throughout the history of Israel and the church. Take time to listen to a version of Psalm 112 set to music…
From the album, Sing Psalms, Part 2 (2022) by Already Not Yet.
For links to individual guides for more than one hundred different psalms click here.
For more on the Psalms:
Here is an introduction to the Book of Psalms.
For a list of psalms by literary style (genre) click here.
For an introduction to the narrative arc of the psalms, see Spirituality of the Psalms, by Walter Brueggemann.