Tehillim Tools: Psalm 48: Praying With Imagination

“We hoped, Lord, for Your lovingkindness in the midst of Your Sanctuary.” (Verse 10) This verse is usually understood to say that, when we are in Your Sanctuary, we hope for Your kindness. Rabbi Yisrael of Rhuzhin reads this verse as, “Even when we imagined that You were relating to us through the attribute of Justice, represented by the Name “Elokim,” in the inner recesses of our hearts we knew that it was Your lovingkindness.”

I tried a new reading this morning before I entered for prayers: “I enter Your Sanctuary with hope that I will experience Your lovingkindness.” I began my prayers with the expectation of experiencing God’s lovingkindness. I immediately experienced God’s listening to my prayers as His lovingkindness. I experienced the prayers themselves as God’s lovingkindness. I soon found that I wanted to express my prayers as a response to God’s Chesed and love.

Bli neder, I plan to, for one week, to recite and concentrate on this verse before entering for prayer.