Faith at Home

When we listen to Psalm 116, we are assured that God listens to our cry for help.This Psalm begins with, “I love the Lord because God listens to my cry for help.” As we work our way through this prayer-poem, we hear the inner thoughts of the writer. From a place of deep honesty, the Psalmist admits their honest thoughts and feelings. Having admitted the state of their mind, they can then allow the Divine to offer statements of truth. Those statements of truth are medicine for a mind and nervous system that are going wild.Our bodies, minds, and hearts really do try their best in the situations that we are in. And sometimes those situations are not safe. Perhaps we have done the best we could in really challenging situations. Perhaps we did less than our best. In any case, we can be assured that God listens to our cries for help and loves us, so that we can love God in return.What stands out to you in this reading today? How are you invited to move your relationship with God into your action today?

We’d love to hear from you in the comments. Or if that feels too public, send us a private message!

More ways to extend your Listening Practice

If you liked this Listening Practice you might like our podcast of Psalm 115. Psalm 113 to Psalm 118 are part of the Psalms of Hallel. or more information about the Psalms of Hallel, check out our blog post on these Six Powerful Psalms of Praise.

Finally, if you prefer video, watch the video recording of this Listening Practice on our Living Faith at Home YouTube channel. We'd love for you to like and subscribe to our channel.

"So I will walk with the Lord in the land of the living." Psalm 116:9

Psalm 115 begins with “The glory belongs to you, God, because of your love and loyalty.” All the rest of the way through, Psalm 115 calls us to attend to God’s love and loyalty at work in our lives. God’s blessing, God’s help, and God’s protection are the bedrock of our relationship of trust and faith. As we listen together to this Psalm and to one another in dialogue, we can discern what distractions to let go of and what affirmations to hold tightly.

Finish this phrase in the comments, “Because of God’s great love and loyalty, I will…”

What do you notice as you listen along today? How does the Spirit invite you to be active in your faith and in your relationship?

If you liked this Listening Practice you might like our podcast of Psalm 114. Psalm 113, 114, and 115 are part of a collection of Psalms called the Psalms of Hallel. For more information about the Psalms of Hallel, check out our blog post on these Six Powerful Psalms of Praise.

If you prefer video, you can find the video recording of this Listening Practice on our Living Faith at Home YouTube channel.

We'd love for you to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel here.

"To your name give glory" Psalm 115:1

The poetic imagery of Psalm 114 makes mountains, rivers, and hills skip and dance. While the playful imagery of baby goats and lambs makes for delightful watching, it also sets up a lively picture of action and movement. A situation that seemed as immovable as a mountain, shifted and changed in a single night for the Hebrew people as they left slavery and began the process of becoming freed people with a land of their own.

Psalm 114 is part of a small collection of Psalms called the Psalms of Hallel. For more information about the Psalms of Hallel, check out our blog post on these Six Powerful Psalms of Praise.Are there situations in your life that feel like being between a rock and a hard place? With our ears to the lips of the Divine, we wait for their instructions about what to do next. God is active in the real world and walks with us each step of the way!What do you notice as you listen to this Psalm? What are you noticing that God is turning from rock to water on your behalf?

If you liked this Listening Practice you might like our podcast of the previous podcast, Psalm 113.

If you prefer video, you can find the video recording of this Listening Practice on our Living Faith at Home YouTube channel. We'd love for you to like and subscribe to our channel.

"God turned a rock into a pool of water" Psalm 114:8

Psalm 113 is the first Psalm of Hallel. This series of psalms is teaches us to interact with God with etiquette and intimacy. It is an invitation to praise God and to praise God’s name.

The psalms of Hallel (Psalm 113 to 118) are often recited as part of important Hebrew celebrations. They retell classic stories of divine intervention. And it seems likely that Jesus joined his followers in singing these Psalms on the night that we name “Maundy Thursday.” Even as the storms of violence swirled around Jesus, he sang with his community.

“No one is like the Lord our God, who rules from heaven, who bends down to look at the skies and the earth. The Lord lifts the poor from the dirt and takes the helpless from the ashes.”Psalm 118:5-7

For more information about the Psalms of Hallel, check out our blog post on these Six Powerful Psalms of Praise.

As you listen and respond to God (the Lord, Yahweh, the Divine) today, what captures your attention? What would you like to say in return?

If you prefer video, you can find the video recording of this Listening Practice on our Living Faith at Home YouTube channel. We'd love for you to like and subscribe to our Youtube channel.

"Praise the Lord!" Psalm 113:1

Psalm 112 sings the praises of a kind and generous God. A God who provides, blesses, and gives steadiness in the midst of relationship. God loves us and reaches out with mercy and generosity to bless us. God speaks to us with kindness and helps us as we choose the actions of confident and beloved people. If we practice listening for God and being in conversation with one another, then we discover that the habits of a good person are woven into our lives.

What does God speak to you as you engage in conversation with God and with trusted companions through this psalm? What actions are you invited to weave into your experience? Actions that can cultivate the habits of relationship with a community of faith and with God?

Do you prefer video? Watch the video recording of this Listening Practice on our Living Faith at Home YouTube channel.

Please /like and subscribe to our YouTube channel./

Psalm 111 tells us that each day we can listen for the voice of God to speak to us, to comfort us, to lead us, and to invite us into a “next step”.

The process of practicing listening today gives each person the opportunity to hear God speak love, and to offer a next step forward.

Contact us today if you are looking for a Spiritual Director to journey with you as you listen for what God might be saying to you!

Do you prefer video? Watch the video recording of this Listening Practice on our Living Faith at Home YouTube channel.

Please like and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

None of us are monarchs or likely to be monarchs, yet we can listen and note where God speaks to us in these words from Psalm 110. Psalm 110 is about God appointing a King.

Perhaps the imagery of the freshness of a new baby catches your attention. Or maybe it is the idea of God speaking to you and naming you with those who speak words of encouragement to strengthen the work of God in the people of God?

As you listen today, take note of what stands out to you and share it with us either in the comments or by private message. We would love to hear from you.

Psalm 109 is a prayer poem of Lament about our enemy’s Lament. As we finish reading the last half of Psalm 109 and talk together with one another and God about what we are noticing, we invite you to enter the conversation with us.

On the journey of life, challenging relationships can eat up so much of our attention and energy. We assume we know what our nemesis is thinking. We ache with the pain of uncertainty. And sometimes we even ache with the insults hurled in the heat of arguments.

What does God speak to you in the midst of the pain? How are you invited to be? What are you invited to do? As we listen and talk together about scripture, we can have clear next steps of invitation that help us to strengthen our relationship with God. Over time this calms our overactive nervous systems, and calls our fearful, shy parts to be in the conversation too.

We would love to hear from you as you explore your relationship of reciprocity with the Divine.

God bless you!

Listening to Psalm 109:1-15 gives us an example of how to pray when we are afraid others hate us. There are many situations where we feel pain and experience suffering. Sometimes we lament because of the way that our relationships are with other people. Sometimes we even feel like others are praying against us. 

In our lament, we can carry our feelings into dialogue with God. We can keep asking God to speak to us. We can know for certain that God knows the true story of what is going on even though our perspective is limited. Even when we don't know what to pray, we can know how to pray when we are afraid others hate us.

Thanks for listening along to Scripture with us and for entering into the conversation. Comment below with the word, phrase, or ideas that stand out to you. And share this video with a companion who you would like to join you in the conversation.

Join us in listening to Psalm 108 as we practice listening to God and to one another. Addressed directly to the Divine, Psalm 108 is a great example of expressing this moment’s experiences in prayer, while listening for the longer arc of our story at the same time. 

Do you have spaces in your life that need rescue?Do you have songs of praise to sing? 

Would you join us in conversation to bring energy and clarity to your experience of praying Psalm 108 today?