I’ve been reading through the Psalms for several months now. Just reading one chapter a few times a week to break up my routine. To help me focus a bit, I’ve challenged myself to underline at least one verse that grabs me, sometimes it’s more than one.

When reading Psalm 27, I underlined verses 4 and 14. Then I began to notice the verbs in each verse, then I underlined those a bit more heavily (in bold and italics in the verses below) and wrote them in my notebook. Here’s the result:

Psalm 27:4 “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire (or meditate) in his temple.”

Psalm 27:14 “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”

Ask – Seek – Dwell – Gaze – Meditate – Wait – Be – Let – Wait

Notice the rhythm of the string of words, not a sentence but more of a cadence. I also thought of the absence of verbs I often employ in managing my life on my own terms such as “do”, “hurry”, “plan” or “execute”. There are times to act into those words for sure, yet the Psalmist urges us to another approach. Almost seems disarming, passive or submissive.

Exactly.

How often I get caught up in to trying to “make things happen” without petitioning God on his plans for me. I might even ask later on as I struggle for God to “bless” the plan I have or as I’m failing, I may then remember to ask God for his will.

The cadence in this Psalm offers another approach.

• Ask: Do this first
• Seek: His will
• Dwell – In His presence
• Gaze – Upon His glory
• Meditate – On His word
• Wait – On His response
• Be – It’s ok to just “be”
• Let – His will be done
• Wait – He tests our patience

This process activates my faith in a way that God intends, and not as I normally would lead my life. Use this as your meditation in an upcoming quiet time. Or choose a Psalm of your own and follow this pattern and see where God leads you.