Menorah + Blossoms

It's a beautiful time of year and I decided to have some fun with it. I can't resist Spring weather or the smell of the apples blossoms and the lilacs so I set up a lovely little nook for some Bible study. It was a fun change of pace and so refreshing. There's nothing like reading in the sunshine.

Praying Scripure: Tehillim 1

In Isaiah 55:11 YHWH says that his words aren't empty and he accomplishes what he intends through them. So praying his words is a pretty genius idea, right?

I've broken down the first Psalm and added corresponding prayers to each verse. You definitely don't need to use my words verbatim but I wanted to give you an idea of what I meant by, "praying Scripture." Give it a try and you will find it deeply meaningful. Not to mention, simple to do. Feel free make this a prayer for your family or someone else.

Tehillim/Psalm 1

Verse 1: How blessed are those who reject the advice of the wicked, don't stand on the way of sin, or sit where scoffers sit!

Verse 1 prayer: YHWH, don't let me listen to the wicked or take ungodly advice, and don't let me live my life in sin.

Verse 2: The blessed delight in YHWH's Torah; on his Torah they meditate day and night.

Verse 2 prayer: For I want to delight in your Torah. Give me understanding of your words and write them on my heart.

Verse 3: Like trees planted by streams they bear their fruit in season. Their leaves never wither, everything they do succeeds.

Verse 3 prayer: Plant me like a tree beside your living water. Prune me to bring forth fruit in season, for I want to be pleasing in your site. Thank you that you won't leave me to wither; and thank you for blessing my life.

Verse 4: Not so the wicked, who are like chaff driven by the wind.

Verse 4 prayer:You do not bless those who choose wickedness; they are like chaff that the wind blows away. YHWH, drive wickedness out of me and out of my life.

Verse 5: Because of this the wicked won't stand up to the judgment, nor will sinners at the congregation of the righteous.

Verse 5 prayer: For they shall not stand in your family, and there won't be wrongdoing in the congregation of the righteous. Let me be righteous before you so that I belong in your congregation.

Verse 6: YHWH watches over the way of the righteous but the way of the wicked is doomed.

Verse 6 prayer: Thank you that the ways of the wicked will perish but that the righteous will walk in your ways. YHWH, teach me to walk in your ways so that I may be considered righteous in your eyes.

Shabbat shalom!