Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Psalm 5 - A Phrase Poem
Psalm 5
Give ear to my words, O Lord,
consider my sighing.
Listen to my cry for help,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.
In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait in expectation.
You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil;
with you the wicked cannot dwell.
The arrogant cannot stand in your presence;
you hate all who do wrong.
You destroy those who tell lies;
bloodthirsty and deceitful men
the Lord abhors.
But I, by your great mercy,
will come into your house;
in reverence will I bow down
toward your holy temple.
Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
because of my enemies—
make straight your way before me.
Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
their heart is filled with destruction.
Their throat is an open grave;
with their tongue they speak deceit.
Declare them guilty, O God!
Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,
for they have rebelled against you.
But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous;
you surround them with your favor as with a shield.
I wrote Ps. 5 as a "Phrase Poem". "The phrase poem can be used to reinforce almost any type of phrase or clause while creating an image of a particular topic or scene. You can use almost any type of phrase or clause: Participle + adverb ( running quickly), Participle + prepositional phrase (running down the street), verb infinitive (to run), imperative statement (run for your life), conditional clause (If we run fast) (Writing Simple Poems by Holmes and Moulton). I chose to use a re-occurring idea in the Psalm and then to expand that idea as I worked my way through the Psalm, paraphrasing many of the important concepts.
Each and every day my groans and whispers come to your ears.
Each and every dawn my supplications are heard by the King of all creation.
Each and every morning my thoughts and desires are laid before your throne.
Each and every hour I expectantly wait for your answer.
Each and every sunrise you deal with my haughty and sinful ways.
Each and every passing day you judge evil.
You hate all who sin, all evildoers, all the arrogant,
all liars, all who shed blood, all who are filled with deceit.
Each and every generation stands condemned because
their mouths could not be trusted, their souls seek to destroy,
their opens mouths are a pit of death, their speech is a trap.
their evil plans will entrap them.
Each and every person stands condemned by their rebellion against you;
their guilt you have announced.
Each and every sunset may those who hide in the shadow of your wing
rejoice and sing in celebration.
Each and every moment you cover us with salvation
because we embrace the name of Jesus and exalt.
Each and every second you shower you chosen with blessings.
Each and every heartbeat we are encompassed by your acceptance and protection.
Give ear to my words, O Lord,
consider my sighing.
Listen to my cry for help,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.
In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait in expectation.
You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil;
with you the wicked cannot dwell.
The arrogant cannot stand in your presence;
you hate all who do wrong.
You destroy those who tell lies;
bloodthirsty and deceitful men
the Lord abhors.
But I, by your great mercy,
will come into your house;
in reverence will I bow down
toward your holy temple.
Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
because of my enemies—
make straight your way before me.
Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
their heart is filled with destruction.
Their throat is an open grave;
with their tongue they speak deceit.
Declare them guilty, O God!
Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,
for they have rebelled against you.
But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous;
you surround them with your favor as with a shield.
I wrote Ps. 5 as a "Phrase Poem". "The phrase poem can be used to reinforce almost any type of phrase or clause while creating an image of a particular topic or scene. You can use almost any type of phrase or clause: Participle + adverb ( running quickly), Participle + prepositional phrase (running down the street), verb infinitive (to run), imperative statement (run for your life), conditional clause (If we run fast) (Writing Simple Poems by Holmes and Moulton). I chose to use a re-occurring idea in the Psalm and then to expand that idea as I worked my way through the Psalm, paraphrasing many of the important concepts.
Each and every day my groans and whispers come to your ears.
Each and every dawn my supplications are heard by the King of all creation.
Each and every morning my thoughts and desires are laid before your throne.
Each and every hour I expectantly wait for your answer.
Each and every sunrise you deal with my haughty and sinful ways.
Each and every passing day you judge evil.
You hate all who sin, all evildoers, all the arrogant,
all liars, all who shed blood, all who are filled with deceit.
Each and every generation stands condemned because
their mouths could not be trusted, their souls seek to destroy,
their opens mouths are a pit of death, their speech is a trap.
their evil plans will entrap them.
Each and every person stands condemned by their rebellion against you;
their guilt you have announced.
Each and every sunset may those who hide in the shadow of your wing
rejoice and sing in celebration.
Each and every moment you cover us with salvation
because we embrace the name of Jesus and exalt.
Each and every second you shower you chosen with blessings.
Each and every heartbeat we are encompassed by your acceptance and protection.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Thomas Kelly from: A Testament of Devotion
Deep within us all there is an amazing inner sanctuary of the soul, a holy place, a Divine Center, a speaking Voice, to which we may continually return. Eternity is at our hearts, pressing upon our time-worn lives, warming us with intimations of an astounding destiny, calling us home unto Itself.
It is a light within which illuminates the face of God and casts new shadows and new glories upon our faces. It is a seed stirring to life if we do not choke it. It is the Shekinah of the soul, the Presence in the midst. Here is the slumbering Christ, stirring to be awakened, to become the soul we clothe in earthly form and action. And he is within us all.
It is a light within which illuminates the face of God and casts new shadows and new glories upon our faces. It is a seed stirring to life if we do not choke it. It is the Shekinah of the soul, the Presence in the midst. Here is the slumbering Christ, stirring to be awakened, to become the soul we clothe in earthly form and action. And he is within us all.
Psalm 4
Answer me when I call to you,
O my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
be merciful to me and hear my prayer.
How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame?
How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?
Selah
Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself;
the Lord will hear when I call to him.
In your anger do not sin;
when you are on your beds,
search your hearts and be silent.
Selah
Offer right sacrifices
and trust in the Lord.
Many are asking, “Who can show us any good?”
Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord.
You have filled my heart with greater joy
than when their grain and new wine abound.
I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O Lord,
make me dwell in safety.
Answer me when I call to you,
O my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
be merciful to me and hear my prayer.
How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame?
How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?
Selah
Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself;
the Lord will hear when I call to him.
In your anger do not sin;
when you are on your beds,
search your hearts and be silent.
Selah
Offer right sacrifices
and trust in the Lord.
Many are asking, “Who can show us any good?”
Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord.
You have filled my heart with greater joy
than when their grain and new wine abound.
I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O Lord,
make me dwell in safety.
Working Poem - Ps. 4
When I am working on a Psalm poem I usually use a large post-it and have my Bible open to the Psalm with my laptop available. Then I just get started and feel free to cross out, change, add or delete. I then transfer it to my journal.
Psalm 4 - Rhyming Wreath
Calling, searching for your answer, crying out,
Crying out, listening for your response to my doubts.
My doubts assail me; anxious thoughts surround.
Surrounded by your mercy I stand on holy ground.
Holy ground has been forsaken for self and hollow illusions.
Men's illusions are fleeting , leading to foolish conclusions.
My conclusion is firm, in Christ I am my Father's beloved lamb.
This lamb's cry lovingly accepted by the glorious I AM.
I am silent before my Father as I search my darkened heart.
My heart is calmed by the assurance He imparts.
His imparted word, the radiance of His countenance melts my soul.
My soul rejoices; comfort and hope overflow.
The overflow of a full harvest, plentiful ripened fruit,
The fruit of rest and peace, secure in Godly pursuit.
Pursuing my beloved Father, my shelter and sanctuary.
Safe sanctuary from frightening adversaries.
Eternally defeated adversary, Abba has heard my call.
My call, heard and answered by Abba Father, no matter how feeble or small.
My cry, my call.
Crying out, listening for your response to my doubts.
My doubts assail me; anxious thoughts surround.
Surrounded by your mercy I stand on holy ground.
Holy ground has been forsaken for self and hollow illusions.
Men's illusions are fleeting , leading to foolish conclusions.
My conclusion is firm, in Christ I am my Father's beloved lamb.
This lamb's cry lovingly accepted by the glorious I AM.
I am silent before my Father as I search my darkened heart.
My heart is calmed by the assurance He imparts.
His imparted word, the radiance of His countenance melts my soul.
My soul rejoices; comfort and hope overflow.
The overflow of a full harvest, plentiful ripened fruit,
The fruit of rest and peace, secure in Godly pursuit.
Pursuing my beloved Father, my shelter and sanctuary.
Safe sanctuary from frightening adversaries.
Eternally defeated adversary, Abba has heard my call.
My call, heard and answered by Abba Father, no matter how feeble or small.
My cry, my call.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Tools and Inspiration
Psalm 3 was a rhyming couplet. The design was inspired by Gustav Klimt paintings and a page from a magazine advertising needlepoint pillows based on Klimt's painting. I am always looking at magazines, books, surfing the Internet for visual inspiration. The seeds of ideas are really everywhere you look. I have file folders filled with ideas to bounce off of. When I am writing the poems I use my laptop and go to the online thesaurus, and the online rhyming dictionary. With those 2 sites at my fingertips it makes it easy, fun and a wonderful learning experience to go through the Psalms and play with the concepts, words and ideas. I end up with new insights and a deeper understanding of each Psalm and it's personal application to my own life.
I am using Writing Simple Poems by Homes and Moulton and Favorite Poetry Lessons by Paul B. Janeczko to learn about the different forms of poetry. I was fearful of the whole idea of rhyming but once I started and had the help of the internet sites it was not nearly as difficult as I had thought it would be. From Janeczko book:
"I really do think of form as a safe place... The form of a poem delivers what it promises. there are boundaries, and consequently you're free. Writing free verse is much much more difficult. The decision making interferes with the flow of my art. -Molly Peacock"
"Working in rhyme, you don't absolutely control the direction your poem is heading in. At times, you yearn to say something, but the infernal rhymes won't let you. You're like someone crossing a river on stepping stones, obliged to walk where the stones permit. You struggle to keep your balance, while at the same time trying to go where you want to go. Often in writing a rhyming poem, you end up where you didn't expect. -X. J. Kennedy"
Both of these quotes help to capture the ideas why it is such a wonderful devotional tool to take a part of God's word and put it into your own words and craft it into a particular form of poetry. The point for me is not great poetry but the fact that as I struggle, play, think, meditate on the words, meaning and ideas I am constantly going deeper into what the Psalm is saying directly to me and how do I apply it to my own life.
I am using Writing Simple Poems by Homes and Moulton and Favorite Poetry Lessons by Paul B. Janeczko to learn about the different forms of poetry. I was fearful of the whole idea of rhyming but once I started and had the help of the internet sites it was not nearly as difficult as I had thought it would be. From Janeczko book:
"I really do think of form as a safe place... The form of a poem delivers what it promises. there are boundaries, and consequently you're free. Writing free verse is much much more difficult. The decision making interferes with the flow of my art. -Molly Peacock"
"Working in rhyme, you don't absolutely control the direction your poem is heading in. At times, you yearn to say something, but the infernal rhymes won't let you. You're like someone crossing a river on stepping stones, obliged to walk where the stones permit. You struggle to keep your balance, while at the same time trying to go where you want to go. Often in writing a rhyming poem, you end up where you didn't expect. -X. J. Kennedy"
Both of these quotes help to capture the ideas why it is such a wonderful devotional tool to take a part of God's word and put it into your own words and craft it into a particular form of poetry. The point for me is not great poetry but the fact that as I struggle, play, think, meditate on the words, meaning and ideas I am constantly going deeper into what the Psalm is saying directly to me and how do I apply it to my own life.
Psalm 3 - Gustav Klimt Inspiration
Ah, Sweet Jesus, my foes abound.
"God will not save!" their voices resound.
You are a defence about me.
My eyes look up; I bend my knees.
My cries of fear ascend;
From holy heaven you will attend.
Night comes giving way to rest.
The LORD sustains and I am blessed.
Enemies surround me round about;
I will not cower. I will not doubt.
come forth, O LORD, and rescue me.
My expectations await on thee.
My foes are struck down. God's victories surround.
Deliverance is God provided.
By His hand I am guided.
Ps. 3 New International Version
A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom.
O Lord, how many are my foes!
How many rise up against me!
Many are saying of me,
“God will not deliver him.”
Selah
But you are a shield around me, O Lord;
you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.
To the Lord I cry aloud,
and he answers me from his holy hill.
Selah
I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.
I will not fear the tens of thousands
drawn up against me on every side.
Arise, O Lord!
Deliver me, O my God!
Strike all my enemies on the jaw;
break the teeth of the wicked.
From the Lord comes deliverance.
May your blessing be on your people.
O Lord, how many are my foes!
How many rise up against me!
Many are saying of me,
“God will not deliver him.”
Selah
But you are a shield around me, O Lord;
you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.
To the Lord I cry aloud,
and he answers me from his holy hill.
Selah
I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.
I will not fear the tens of thousands
drawn up against me on every side.
Arise, O Lord!
Deliver me, O my God!
Strike all my enemies on the jaw;
break the teeth of the wicked.
From the Lord comes deliverance.
May your blessing be on your people.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Psalm 2
Psalm 2 - Rhyming Couplet
Plots and rage spew forth from kings.
Rulers will feel God's anger sting.
In a moment God's anger blazes to destroy
Rather serve the Lord with anticipation and joy.
Laughter and rebuke issue forth from the Lord.
Rulers of the earth are terrified by His powerful sword.
The Father gives the son His birthright.
To the ends of the earth people are blessed in God's sight.
Plots and rage spew forth from kings.
Rulers will feel God's anger sting.
In a moment God's anger blazes to destroy
Rather serve the Lord with anticipation and joy.
Laughter and rebuke issue forth from the Lord.
Rulers of the earth are terrified by His powerful sword.
The Father gives the son His birthright.
To the ends of the earth people are blessed in God's sight.
Psalm 2 - Rhyming Wreath
All creation, nations, peoples rail at the LORD.
The LORD and His chosen hallowed son look down from heaven in disdain.
With disdain the Lord admonishes these rebellious hordes.
The defiant hordes who defy the LORD's reign.
The reign of the Lord is magnified and adored.
Adore the Son or face destruction you rulers and nations.
Rebellious kings and countries bring down the anger of the LORD.
Serve the LORD, kiss the Son, rejoice and find refuge among all God's creation.
Poems and Pages
I have finally begun to review the poem formats that I have used in the last year or so as I have read through the Psalms. I am now trying to use some type of poem structure for each Psalm and have gotten through to Ps. 29. The journal pages that are posted are not necessarily the pages that have the particular poem. This is a wreath poem for Ps. 1:
The man who avoids sinful company is given blessings.
Blessings abound as he ponders God's commands.
His commands water the tree, rich in bountiful fruit.
The rotting fruit of evil doers is scattered.
Scattered as the LORD watches.
He watches over the paths of his children.
His children are given blessing.
The blessing given to God's children are then passed on to another man.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)