"The Lord set my feet upon a high cliff, making my footing sure. The Lord put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God." Psalm 40:2-3 On the AT in May the birds are up and noisily staking their territory around 5:00 a.m. when it is only barely becoming light in the forest. Before I left the warmth of my quilt, before I read the first psalm of the day, I would … [Read more...] about Psalm 40 (Psalms on the Trail)
Archives for February 2016
Psalm 39 (Psalms on the Trail)
"For I am your passing guest, an alien, like all my forebears." Psalm 39:12 The traditional meaning of a pilgrim is one who travels to a holy place, usually by walking. That means a pilgrim must travel light and carries only bare necessities, and, when that isn't enough, a pilgrim relies on the … [Read more...] about Psalm 39 (Psalms on the Trail)
Psalm 38 (Psalms on the Trail)
"For in you, O Lord, have I fixed my hope; you will answer me, O Lord my God." Psalm 38:15 Reflection: Nothing is going well for this psalmist. He has gotten himself into trouble and is overwhelmed by remorse. Relationships have fallen apart. Friends and neighbors have distanced themselves. Others, going too far, are trying to ruin him wrongfully. Meanwhile he's … [Read more...] about Psalm 38 (Psalms on the Trail)
Psalm 37 (Psalms on the Trail)
"Take delight in the Lord who will give you your heart's desire. Commit your way to the Lord, put your trust in the Lord, and see what God will do." Psalm 37:4-5 Reflection: It all started with a crazy idea: I would start hiking the AT , beginning near my home---6, 8, 10 miles at a time, whenever I could find a day off and wherever I could find road access for … [Read more...] about Psalm 37 (Psalms on the Trail)
Psalm 36 (Psalms on the Trail)
There were distance-hungry AT hikers who would continue into the night. I wasn't one of them. The path to the privy at a shelter/tent site was hard enough for me to find in the pitch-black night with the tiny little headlamp. (In your headlamp we see light.) Besides, it was the season of 15-16 hours of daylight, and my muscles wouldn't let me walk longer than 12 hours, … [Read more...] about Psalm 36 (Psalms on the Trail)