Cyril and Methodius – Psalm of the Day

Today I remember Cyril and his brother Methodius. Sistertech is fond of different languages, both spoken and computer. What Sistertech appreciates most about these two missionaries is their fearlessness in the face of a daunting linguistic challenge: they translated the Church liturgy and much of the scriptures into Slavonic, which at the time had no written language. Their amazing story is here. Later on they faced lots of resistance from the “Latin only” crowd. The Psalm for today, Psalm 69,  is therefore appropriate:

⁸I have become a stranger to my kindred,
an alien to my mother’s children.

⁹It is zeal for your house that has consumed me;
the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.
¹⁰When I humbled my soul with fasting,
they insulted me for doing so.
¹¹When I made sackcloth my clothing,
I became a byword to them.
¹²I am the subject of gossip for those who sit in the gate,
and the drunkards make songs about me.
¹³But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord.
At an acceptable time, O God,
in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me.
With your faithful help ¹⁴rescue me
from sinking in the mire;
let me be delivered from my enemies
and from the deep waters.
¹⁵Do not let the flood sweep over me,
or the deep swallow me up,
or the Pit close its mouth over me.
¹⁶Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good;
according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.
¹⁷Do not hide your face from your servant,
for I am in distress—make haste to answer me.
¹⁸Draw near to me, redeem me,
set me free because of my enemies.