Psalm 119

This study was done in Sunday School

Here is some background material:

This is a short video from YouTube that presents the Hebrew Alphabet, Aleph-Bet Video

(Naomi Hoipkemier, Mark's wife posted this on their blog after they arrived in Jerusalem)

We looked at the Psalm looking at some general questions about the passage:

    1. What are words that are used for referencing scripture? What adjectives describe them?
  1. What actions does the Psalmist take?
  2. What does the Psalmist ask of God?
  3. What are God's promises?

We had some art work created using a tool on the web, Wordle

Some samples are in the attachment, Psalm 119 Wordles below.

How to approach Praying Scripture

  1. ABC, Analysis, Best Verse, Contract
    1. Scripture Memory
  2. Lectio Divina

Eugene Peterson says in "Eat this Book":

Intro to Praying Scripture:

There is a sense in which the Scriptures are the word of God dehydrated, with all the originating context removed – living voices, city sounds, camels carrying spices from Seba and gold from Ophir snorting down in the bazaar, fragrance from lentil stew simmering in the kitchen—all now reduced to marks on thin onion-skin paper. We make an effort at rehydrating them; we take these Scriptures and spend an hour or so in Bible study with friends or alone in prayerful reading. But five minutes later, on our way to work, plunged into the tasks of the day for which they had seemed to promise sustenance, there’s not much left of them—only ink on india paper. We find that we are left with the words of the Bible but without the word of the bible. Not that there is anything wrong with the words as such, it is just that without the biblical world—the intertwined stories, the echoing poetry and prayers, Isaiah’s artful thunder and John’s extravagant visions—the words, like those seed words in Jesus’ parable that land on pavement or in gravel or among weeds, haven’t take root in our lives.

Lectio divina is the strenuous effort that the Christian community gives to rehydrating the Scriptures so that they are capable of holding their own original force and shape in the heat of the day, maintaining their context long enough to get fused with or assimilated into our context, the world we inhabit, the clamor of voices in the daily weather and work in which we live. (Eat This Book, Eugene Peterson, page 88-89

Lectio Divina has been likened to "Feasting on the Word." The four parts are first taking a bite (Lectio), then chewing on it (Meditatio). Next is the opportunity to savor the essence of it (Oratio). Finally, the Word is digested and made a part of the body (Contemplatio)

Books of Interest

How to Pray with the Bible: The Ancient Form of Lectio Divina Made Simple

Lectio Divina--The Sacred Art: Transforming Words and Images into Heart-centered Prayer

Christine Valters Paintner expands lectio divina beyond scriptural texts to include visual art, music, nature and life experience

Sacred Reading: The Ancient Art of Lectio Divina

The God of Intimacy and Action: Reconnecting Ancient Spiritual Practices, Evangelism, and Justice

Tony Campolo and Mary Darling state that spirituality is not solely an individualistic practice, but must lead Christians to love and help the oppressed. They expand on the practices that evolve from practicing ancient spiritual practices such as Lectio Divina.

Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading

Sources for Some Materials:

Static Cling Wipe Sheets - Amazon

Levenger Circa Notebook System - These are the discs and paper products along with punches to make your own paper.