God makes the rivers to flow. They tire not, nor
do they cease from flowing. May the river of my life
flow into the sea of love that is the Lord.

May I overcome all the impediments in my course.
May the thread of my song be not cut before my
life merges in the sea of love.

Guard me against all danger, O Lord. Accept me
graciously, O King of kings.

Release me from my sorrows, which hold me as
ropes hold a calf. I cannot even open my eyes
without the power of your love.

Guard us against the grief that haunts the life
of the selfish. Lead us from darkness into light.

We will sing of your love as it was sung of
old. Your laws change not, but stand like the
mountains.

Forgive me all the mistakes I have committed.
Many mornings will dawn upon us again. Guide
us through them all, of Lord of Love.

The Rig Veda is one of four Vedas that form the scriptural foundation of Hinduism. Probably compiled in written form near the end of 2,000 BC, they were first preserved in a unique oral tradition that continues to this day. Translation by Eknarth Easwaran.

When was the last time you sat down and watched a river flowing by? Unlike people living as little as 100 years ago, people today are not familiar with the ways of rivers. Our water comes from spouts and spigots with chased nickel fittings, or else in plastic bottles at the grocery store.

This is really quite shocking if you think about it for a while. Water is the great common denominator of life; we cannot survive more than a few days without water and yet we have such an artificial relationship with it.

While creeks and streams dry up as do ponds and lakes, rivers seem to tap into an inexhaustible source that just keeps giving and giving and giving, flowing ever onward. If you sit on the bank of a great river, allow yourself to be led into deep contemplation. There are many sacred rivers in India; in our country I think perhaps only the Mississippi holds that kind of status.

In this ancient psalm, we are reminded that it is the Lord of Love who causes all rivers to flow and is at once the source and destination. May our lives also be like rivers flowing ever onward to the sea of love that is the Lord.