Psalm 50

Psalms for Praying 

Nan C. Merrill   

   

The Beloved, through the energy of Love, 

brought forth the world. 

From the rising to the setting sun, 

Love radiates out to all nations 

perfect in harmony.  

The Beloved has come and will not 

keep silence; 

for Divine Love is a consuming Fire, 

calling forth heaven and earth 

to the judgement of all people...   

  

"Listen, all people. and I shall speak;

I will bear witness against you, 

O nations: 

Shall I not find fault with what 

you call holy, 

these offerings of greed and war 

that are before Me always? 

Your lies and deceitful ways, 

your greed for power and wealth

are spawned by darkness; 

Have you forgotten that we are to be 

One in Love and Truth, 

that all of life is Sacred Gift?

The Earth and all that is in it 

belongs to the Whole, 

to be tended by all in cooperation 

with Love. 

Shall I accept your proud and 

boasting hearts, 

the oppression, the injustices 

brought about 

through your fearful deeds? 

Never shall I accept such burnt offerings.

Rather, offer to the Beloved a gift 

of thanksgiving with grateful hearts..." 

 

All who surrender to the love of 

the Great Mystery, 

whose hearts are merciful and kind, 

will go in beauty and walk with grace; 

And all who reverence Love's Eternal Flame, 

will know Love's Companioning Presence. 

   

   

Psalm 50 is long, and even this is an abridged version.  It makes sense that the 50th psalm is a psalm that rings of Pentecost (fiftieth day).  The psalmist sings both of an Eternal Flame and a consuming Fire.  It is up to us to choose.  And we will choose by how we care.      

 

Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like a violent wind blowing came from heaven and filled the entire house where they were sitting. And tongues spreading out like a fire appeared to them and came to rest on each one of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:1-4      

 

You shall count until the day after the seventh sabbath, fifty days; then you shall present an offering of new grain to the Lord.   Leviticus 23:16.   

  

May you feel God's loving spirit on this fiftieth day.  May God be blessed with the new grain of our gratitude.