In you, O Lord, I seek refuge; do not let me ever be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me. (Psalm 31: 1)

We are in the midst of the seven day festival of Sukkot. This was originally the harvest festival of ancient Israel. It is a time for recalling the journey of our ancestors and ourselves. It is also a time of great joy and a great party. We are instructed to stop working, give thanks, offer praise, and share our harvest with neighbors, widows, orphans, and strangers.

Today we read from the 31st Psalm. In my own journey this psalm has emerged as a remarkable companion. When I have been most afraid, these words have seemed to push themselves on me. The psalm has surprised me. I have not been looking for it and it will show up at exactly the right time... a kind of Lone Ranger of spiritual support.

I am still engaged in a personal Exodus. I am not yet ready to cross over into a Promised Land. But in so many ways God is with me. In the words of scripture, in the love of friends and family, in the creative possibilities that appear like manna from the desert, God is leading me and is protecting me, especially from my own mistaken choices.

The time of harvest is here, "I will exult and rejoice in your steadfast love."

More information on Sukkot is available from everythingjewish.com.