Psalm 119
A, B, C...
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ALEPH: Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,
who walk according to the law of the Lord...
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Remember the children's books that go through the alphabet?
A is for... B is for... C is for...
Well that's what this Psalm does.
There is a new paragraph for every letter of the Hebrew alphabet (the aleph bet).
When you aren't sure how to pray, the rabbis say, recite the alphabet.
All the words are there, and God puts them together for you.
Psalm 119 goes through the alphabet, finding reasons to praise God for every letter.
In this time of quarantine, if you don't know how to pray with your child, go through the alphabet with them.
Let them think of a blessing for every letter, and let God put together the meaning.
Who knows?
It might be a pretty good exercise for your soul too.
A... B... C...
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Lord, I'm tired and stretched thin.
But in your eyes I am richly blessed and deeply loved.
Take the stumbling letters of my heart,
And make them into my soaring prayer.