Psalm 25, Revisited

In Hebrew, Psalm 25 is an acrostic psalm. The beginning of each sentence forms the alef-bet down the page.

I have re-written Psalm 25, in Revised Julia Edition, to be an acrostic of the English alphabet.

All of my being belongs to you, O Lord,

Because of this truth, I trust in You alone. Consent not that the forces that oppose You to triumph in my life.

Do not allow any of Your faithful people to become discouraged or embarrassed because of their hope in you.

Educate me in Your ways, O Lord. Teach me the feel of Your road.

First things first, and that must always be You.

God of all things, You alone offer true wholeness and peace: salvation.

Happy is the one who learns this and waits for You.

I beg you to continue in mercy and everlasting compassion, O Lord,

Just as you did for Sarah, Ruth, and Hannah.

Keep no mementos of my sins- against You or others.

Let Your own eyes of love be the lens through which You see me.

Majesty is revealed through constancy and goodness, which certainly describes the Lord.

Neglecting no one, the Lord offers guidance in faithful discipleship.

O God, those who are willing to listen will hear and receive Your guidance,

Patiently, the Lord corrects and guides the faithful to a holy life.

Questioners find a way of surety and eternal mercy when they follow the Lord.

Remember, O Lord, Your Divine reputation and forgive me all my many sins.

Since we fear, love, and trust the Lord, we will not be without direction or help.

Those who listen to God will find the justice, life-fullness, and family they desire.

Ultimately, the Lord does not abandon those who want to be God’s people.

Victory over sin and death belong to the Lord, who includes even me in that triumph.

When You think of me, O God, pour out the healing you know I need in my whole being.

X-ray those who hate me, see their insides, and protect me from what may truly harm me.

Yes, I seek a life of wholeness and self-control as I wait for you.

Zion, the original people of Your heart, awaits Your redemption. Hasten to them, O God.

Comments

I'm In

A few weeks ago , I was using voice-to-text to compose some prayers. After I was finished speaking the whole list, I was proof-reading the document and realized that everywhere I said “Amen”, the voice-to-text wrote “I’m in”. “Amen” essentially means “may it be so”, but what would it look like to end our prayers with “I’m in”. What would change if we rose from our knees, left our prayer closets, closed our devotionals, and moved with purpose toward the goals for which we had just prayed. Lord, in your mercy: Grant justice to the oppressed and disenfranchised (I’m in) Cast down the mighty from their thrones (I’m in) Console the grieving and welcome the prodigal (I’m in) Welcome strangers and attend to the marginalized (I’m in) Grant the space for the silenced to speak… and listen (I’m in) Fill the hungry with good things and send the rich away empty (I’m in) Forgive others as I am forgiven (I’m in) Be merciful as God in h...

The Reign of Christ and the Long Defeat

At one point in The Lord of the Rings, the royal elf Galadriel describes her life and experience and says, “… we have fought the long defeat.” Galadriel, like other elves and the Hobbits and many others, is depicted as being on the right side of things in the books. The Company of the Ring (the Fellowship) wins and defeats the forces of evil. Why would she consider this a “long defeat”? Furthermore, why would J.R.R. Tolkien, the author, apply the same term to himself. He wrote in a letter, “Actually, I am a Christian, and indeed a Roman Catholic, so that I do not expect ‘history’ to be anything but a 'long defeat’ – though it contains (and in a legend may contain more clearly and movingly) some samples or glimpses of final victory.” (Letter #195) Tolkien, a Brit, fought in World War 1. Though he was on the side that “won”, he saw the devastation following the war on all sides- how the “winners” struggled with what they had seen and done and how the “losers” were galvanized to see ...

What is Best (Sermon)

Pentecost 15 (Year A) Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9; Psalm 15; James 1:17-27; Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 I recently read a novel set in a post-pandemic, apocalyptic world. In the book, people were working to re-establish pockets of society. A traveling symphony moved from town to town in caravans- performing music and works of Shakespeare. Early in their travels, they had tried other plays, but people only wanted to see Shakespearean works. One of the symphony members commented on the desire for Shakespeare, "People want what was best about the world." As I read and since I finished the book, I kept thinking about that phrase. People want what was best about the world. People want what was best about the world. That is true even when we’re not in a cataclysmic re-working of what we’ve always known. The very idea of nostalgia, of longing for what once was, is about wanting what was best about the world or what seemed like the best to us. One of the massive tension...

Faith, Grace, and Hope

Search This Blog