Psalm 15: Admittance Requirements

Who may be admitted into the presence of the Divine?

Anyone

who earnestly seeks the Divine

with humility

and who cares for those in need.

 

Those who do such things

will become aware of the all-present Divine within and without them.

Psalm 69: the cry of one wrongly accused

i am drowning.
i have cried so many tears
that a sea rises round me.
i am faint from struggling
to stay afloat;
my consciousness is waning.

 

the accusations are more

than i can bear.

accusations without cause.

i’m wrongly accused.

o god, you know the truth.

you’ve seen all

that i have done.

protect others from this shame.

may i bear it all for others

and for you.

even my family has abandoned me.

 

i am hated

because i have followed you.

they have rejected you;

therefore, they reject me.

i watch as the gossip spreads

from one to another

to another.

i fear i will become infamous.

 

but i come before you:

in your perfect time,

out of your loving-kindness,

answer me.

rescue me from these deep waters:

my enemies without

and my tears within.

may i not be pulled under,

never to surface again.

 

answer me, o god.

i know your character

is loving-kindness.

mercy, mercy.

turn to me and save.

act quickly.

come near to me,

and rescue me.

set me free.

 

you know what i am experiencing:

the insults,

my shame,

the dishonour,

my enemies,

the despair,

my broken heart.

i have sought relief

and comfort

but found none.

i hunger and thirst

but find only

poison and vinegar.

 

please thwart their designs,

and humble them from pride.

they are preying

on the weak and the wounded.

bring about justice.

i have been shamed and wounded;

i need your protection.

 

under god’s protection,

i will praise god in joy

and offer my hearty thanks.

this will please god

as a living sacrifice.

let those who are oppressed

and brokenhearted

see my living sacrifice

and be encouraged

to seek god,

who will rescue and revive.

for god cares for those in need.

 

let the universe praise god—

all that is, seen and unseen.

for god is one who

saves and rebuilds,

who draws all that is—

you and me—

into health

and wholeness.

Psalm 127: Legacies

A song for coming into the presence of the Divine; concerning enduring legacies.

Unless I come alongside the Divine, joining in the Divine’s activity, all my work will be in vain. For it is only Divine work that endures the tests of time and circumstance. And no work of my own will endure without saturation by Divinity.

But what will my legacy be without a heritage of flesh and blood? What am I building as a woman and not a man?

May I have eyes to see Divine work, creating unique life where it did not exist before. May I join in this work however it occurs, trusting that fulfilment will come when and where I least expect it.

Psalm 111.10: Deconstructed Translation of an Instructional Saying for Today

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;

all those who practice it have a good understanding.

His praise endures forever.

 

Awe of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;

all those who practice it have a good understanding.

His praise endures forever.

 

Awe of Being is the beginning of wisdom;

all those who practice it have a good understanding.

His praise endures forever.

 

Awe of Being leads to wisdom;

all those who practice it have a good understanding.

His praise endures forever.

 

Awe of Being leads to the Spirit of Truth;

all those who practice it have a good understanding.

His praise endures forever.

 

Awe of Being leads to the Spirit of Truth;

they who practice it have a good understanding.

His praise endures forever.

 

Awe of Being leads to the Spirit of Truth;

they provide a good understanding.

His praise endures forever.

 

Awe of Being leads to the Spirit of Truth;

they provide Meaning for all.

His praise endures forever.

 

Awe of Being leads to the Spirit of Truth;

they provide Meaning for all.

Celebrate his enduring forever.

 

Awe of Being leads to the Spirit of Truth;

they provide Meaning for all.

Celebrate Existence forever.

 

Awe of Being leads to the Spirit of Truth;

they provide Meaning for all.

Celebrate Existence always.

Psalm 46: Seek the Stillness

My eyes bear witness

to the horror before me:

the shifting earth,

the crumbling buildings.

I hear the screeches of terror.

 

I close my eyes

and the world melts away.

I retreat to the centre;

to the ground of my being—

the ground of all being.

 

And there all is still.

And there all is silent.

There chaos turns to peace.

There death turns to life.

Waiting there is God.

Psalm 139: Body Shop of Horrors

To the one who knows me intimately,

who is closer than a whisper,

close enough to hear my heart beat:

 

You know me inside and out.

You know what I’m going to do 

even before I do,

and—honestly—it freaks me out.

 

I’ve tried to run away from you,

but you are always with me—

It’s useless to attempt escape.

 

Am I the creation of your thoughts?

Is your will stronger 

than progenitor mechanics?

My code book rests upon your shelf.

 

You haunt my dreams;

when I awake you are still with me.

I’m caught—a single grain of sand—

in the oceans of your mind.

 

You are my everything.

I cannot bear the thought of you

listening to another’s heart.

Their love for you is in vain—

it is nothing.

 

Take me—

Take all of me—

Until I am annihilated in you.

Psalm 91 with Caution to the Embodied Believer

You who live in relationship with God will say to God, ‘You are my refuge and my fortress; I trust You to protect me.’ For you believe God will magically release you from traps and heal you from disease, BUT you are still an embodied being who is just as physically vulnerable as the rest of us. You believe that God will be a protective forcefield, BUT you better still remain two metres apart and wear a face mask in shops and on public transport. You do not fear the shadows moving in the darkness or the unknown sounds around the corner, BUT monsters are real and you shouldn’t let yourself be easy prey.

 

A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, BUT don’t think you’re invincible. You will look with your eyes and see with your normal quality of vision; don’t count on it spontaneously becoming x-ray vision—unless you’re using technology. 

 

You have made God your refuge and home, BUT building a shelter would still be wise, as well as learning basic self-defence.

 

God is probably commanding angels all the time, maybe even concerning you, BUT—no—your guardian angel did not provide that parking space for you. They have better things to do. If you pick a fight with a lion or play with a snake, please tell me you’ve had handling training, or expect to be bitten.

 

Don’t get me wrong—God is totally with you in times of trouble. God is always with you. BUT God is not your magic charm, and no matter how many times you chant your prayer, your cells will eventually stop dividing and your molecules recycled into something else.

Psalm 56: A Prose Poem

For those far removed from the reassuring comfort of the Divine.

 

As the alarm clock blares, I turn over, pull the duvet over my head, and pull my knees to my chest. I try to hide, but the condemning voices echo inside my mind. O Spirit within, I feel defeated; chase them away! I trust in You! I will not be afraid! They are only voices inside my head!

 

As I move through the day, each silent moment is a danger—the voices threatening to rise again. Even worse is the misplaced, innocent word of my neighbour, confirming the horror within. This world will be the ruin of me! O Spirit within, bring calm! Bring peace!

 

Back in bed, I toss and I turn. My pillow soaks up my tears, catching the dirt and grime of another battle-filled day. Oh the secrets this bedroom holds, hearing each scream and cry. O Spirit within, I call You forth: be my rock amidst these crashing waves. You are truth. You are life. You are truth. You are life. I trust in You! I will not be afraid! This pain is only for the moment—this moment of existence. This too will pass.

 

O Spirit within, I give You my all—this pain and these tears, the voices of death both within and outwith. O Spirit within, fill all of me with Your goodness, Your kindness, Your beauty and joy. You’ve delivered before, now do it again. O Spirit within, bring me from death into life. 

Psalm 119.96: The Perfectionist

My God described as all perfect,

Now manifest in Christ the Son.

Ourselves we find ‘Perfect’ infects;

Portray ourselves as holy ones.

Why must we wait for perfection divine?

Psalm 93: Order out of Chaos

The waves of chaos crash within me—

Fear!—

The Creator holds all in hope;

Silence calms the storm.

 

The waves of chaos crash within me—

Anger!—

The Redeemer holds all in love;

Joy calms the storm.

 

The waves of chaos crash within me—

Sorrow!—

The Sustainer holds all in faith;

Beauty calms the storm.

Psalm 123: A Plea for Our Time

A prayer for coming into the presence of the Divine

 

I offer you my undivided attention, 

     O magnificent Being who transcends our measurable universe!

As one who is parched gives

     oneself over to newfound water,

As one who is famished gives

     oneself over to newfound nourishment,

So we offer our entire being to the Great I AM,

     until the Divine brings relief.

 

Bring relief to us, Great I AM, bring relief,

     for we are weighed down by the troubles of existence.

Our inner most beings are weighed down

     by pain and suffering,

     by the troubles of existence.

Psalm 114: Theophany

In search of the Divine,

he journeyed to the wilderness,

away from cement and exhaust.

The mountains towered before him;

the sea expanded to his left.

Upon his knees he pleaded.

Darkness circled round about him.

The hills danced in each flash of light.

The sea receded to his left.

The trembling of the Earth, it filled him,

matching the pounding of his heart.

In the presence of such power, 

face to the ground he fell.

When Sun and peace returned again, 

a smile crossed his face.

With misty mountains to his right 

and rosy horizon before him,

‘Sweet rapture,’ he whispered.

The divine brimming over with delight.

Listening in the Space In-Between

In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? John 14.2

In my Father’s house

Not only my Father

But your Father too

For you are in me

And I am in you

You are his adopted

Beloved

With whom he is pleased

There are many rooms

There is not only one room

Duplicated again and again

You are consumed with comparisons

Why does she get this

But you do not

Let go of the other

And cling to your Father

His love for you is unique

One-of-a-kind

For you are you and not her

There is a room for you

And it is yours alone

If it were not so

Why do you doubt

Oh you of little faith

When I have calmed your storms

And carried you

When you could not walk

Not only am I the truth

But I am the good

Good shepherd

Revealing our Father’s love

Do not doubt

Only believe

I have told you

You are my sister

You are my friend

With whom I share myself

All that is mine is yours

All that is yours is mine

Share with me your tears

And I will shower you with

My Joy

I go

But I will be back

You must not cling to me

Here and now

If you do not let me go

You cannot follow me

For I go before you

A light upon the path

To prepare a place for you

Your place

The place I am preparing

Just for you

It is a unique gift

A unique grace

Of our Father’s

And it is yours

His beloved

Upon whom he smiles