If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. (Psalm 139:8)

All last week (Sept 2nd -8th ‘07) I was thinking about Psalm 139. Part of it was the liturgical reading last Sunday (Sept 9th ‘07).

On Tuesday I was at Resurrection House in Sarasota, the day shelter for homeless people where I volunteer. I was listening to M as he told me the trials and woes of his life. I asked of he’d like to come to the Chapel to pray. That’s what he wanted to do.

I asked “are you Jewish or Christian”. (I had guessed that he is Jewish). “I am Jewish” he said, “does that make a difference?”

I reminded M that Jesus was a Jew and that Jesus had never been a Christian, and then I began to read from Psalm 139.

I had often wondered what the second part of verse 8 meant.

Then it hit me

If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there

My homeless brothers and sisters make their beds in hell every night.

M and I prayed to the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the Holy One who makes a bed with homeless people in the streets.

M and I hugged, got teary eyed, and then he went back out to make his bed in hell.

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