​The LORD reigns, robed in majesty,
majestic with authority;
the world stands firm, unshakeably,
securely and unmoveably.

Your throne, before antiquity;
you are from all eternity.

The floods rise up, LORD, steadily;
the rivers rise up vocally;
the sea waves rise up violently.

Above the sea's cacophony
or billows surging noisily,
the LORD rules all majestically.

Your precepts, LORD, are trustworthy;
your house, adorned with sanctity
​forever and eternally.

​He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High,
will abide in the shade of Almighty, Shaddai.
I will say of the LORD, He's my fortress retreat,
he's my safe place, my God, whom I trust in complete.

He'll deliver you from fowlers' nets that ensnare,
from the plagues and diseases that spread everywhere.
You'll be covered by feathers and safe in his wing,
as he faithfully shields you from what life may bring.

You will not fear the terrors that haunt you at night,
nor the arrows that fly through the air when its light,
nor the pestilence stalking by light of the moon,
nor the plague of destruction that lays waste at noon.

Though a thousand beside you may suddenly fall,
even ten thousand more — it won't harm you at all.
You will see with your eyes as it all is displayed,
you'll observe how the wicked are finally repaid.

Because you, LORD, alone are my refuge I need,
you've established the Most High your dwelling indeed,
harm will not overtake you when evil is meant;
neither plague nor disaster will come near your tent.

He's appointed his angels to watch over you,
to protect you and guard you in all that you do.
They've been charged to uphold you with their hands alone,
so that you will not even trip over a stone.

You will conquer the lions and cobras you meet;
you will trample fierce lions and snakes with your feet.
God says, Those who have loved me, I'll rescue the same;
I will set them on high because they've known my name.

When they call upon me, I will answer their prayer;
I will rescue and be with them in their despair.
They'll be satisfied with the long lives that they live,
and I'll cause them to see my salvation I give.

​You've been refuge for us, and a dwelling;
throughout all generations, our home.
Before mountains were formed, or the earth had been born,
from beginning to end, God, alone.

You return man to dust just by saying,
O descendants of Adam, return!
For you, one thousand years — like a day disappears,
​​like a watch in the night that adjourns.

You sweep people away like mere visions.
They're like grass sprouting up each new day:
morning blooms grass anew, freshly covered with dew,
but by evening has withered away.

You consume us with your rage and anger,
and your wrath makes us tremble with fright.
All the sins that we do have been placed before you,
and our secrets are shown in your light.

For our days have declined in your fury,
and we finish our years like a sigh.
​​ ​​We live threescore and ten — even fourscore, some men — 
before giving up our strength to die.

Yet our years are but labor and sorrow,
till we fly and our glory is through.
Can the power be known of your anger you've shown?
Your wrath matches the fear you are due.

Teach us just how our days should be numbered,
give us wisdom our hearts would embrace.
O LORD, come back again!  Will your wrath never end?
Show your servants compassion and grace.

Satisfy us at dawn with your mercy;
may we sing all our days and be glad.
Give us joyful, good days with your suffering ways,
give us good years that equal the bad.

Let your wonders appear to your servants;
show your glory to their sons and clans.
Let your beauty shine down, let our works be renowned — 
yes, establish the works of our hands.

O my LORD, God of my sure salvation,
I have cried out to you night and day.
Laid before you is my supplication;
give an ear to my crying, I pray.

My soul's burdened with troubles, non-ending;
I fear death and the grave's very near.
To the Pit, with the rest, I'm descending;
like a strong man whose strength disappears.

 I've been left with the dead and the rotten,
like the slain in their graves neath the sand.
You remember me not — I'm forgotten,
and cut off from the care of your hand.

To the lowest pit's depth, you have thrown me
in the deepest and darkest of graves.
And your anger weighs heavy upon me;
overwhelmed by the force of your waves.

By my closest friends I've been forsaken;
you have made me repulsive and vile.
I feel trapped with no way of escape, then;
I am blinded by tears all the while.

Every day, LORD, I call you so often;
and I reach out to you with arms raised.
Are your wonders for those in their coffin?
Will the dead arise shouting your praise?

Can the grave give your love declaration?
Or the netherworld speak to your grace?
Will the dark share in your celebration,
in a land where all thought is erased?

But I cry for your help and protection;
in the morning, you're met with my plea.
O LORD, why must I face your rejection?
And why keep your face hidden from me?

I've been near death since I could be carried;
now your terrors, I cannot avoid.
​​Your fierce anger has drowned me — I'm buried;
by your terrors, completely destroyed.

​They surround me like waters that hover;
they encircle me round without end.
You have taken from me friend and lover;
​now the darkness is my closest friend.

Psalm 71 was a poem that took about a week for me to write.  The first half of that week was spent just going over the first few verses over and over, trying to find my rhythm.  I didn't type anything on the computer until I had the first eight lines set in my mind.

Once those couple of verses were recorded, the rest of the poem came together rather quickly.

​In you, LORD, I seek your protection and refuge;
​let shame never fall upon me.
Deliver me justly and let me be rescued;
oh, hear me and set my soul free.

The rock of my refuge, where I can hide always;
my rock, you can save on command.
Deliver me out of the wicked's hand, Yahweh,
​the evil, cruel grip of their hand.

For you've been my hope, Sovereign LORD, like no other;
my confidence since I was young.
You've carried me since I was born of my mother;
forever is praise on my tongue.

To many I've been a sad tale that amazes;
but you are my refuge that's strong.
And that's why my mouth is so filled with your praises;
your glory's declared all day long.

Don't cast me aside since I'm older and broken;
don't leave me when I have grown weak.
My foes plot against me and now they have spoken;
my soul is the thing that they seek.

They say, God's forsaken him, be more persistent,
pursue him for he's on his own.
O God, in your mercy, do not be so distant;
come quickly, for I am alone.

Of my enemies, bring disgrace with destruction;
those wishing me harm, bring them shame.
But I will still hope and await your instruction,
continually praising your name.

My mouth will declare of your deeds of salvation,
the sum of which cannot be known.
I'll go in your strength, LORD, and my proclamation
will mention your justice alone.

Since youth, God, you've taught me from earliest stages,
now I tell the world of your ways.
Now, graying and older, at life's final pages, 
abandon me not in these days,

till I can declare to the next generation
your power to those yet to come.
Your righteousness reaches the last constellation;
who does, God, the things that you've done?

Misfortunes and troubles, you've put them before me,
and many were bitter and sore;
from deep in the earth you will one day restore me,
and honor my greatness once more.

I'll praise you on harp played with music, rejoicing,
because of your vows are they sung;
my God, with the lyre are the praises I'm voicing,
for you, as they leap from my tongue.

With joy my lips sing for your grace has redeemed me,
my tongue tells your deeds all day long;
you shame those intending to harm and demean me,
disgraced those who'd do me so wrong.

Now, rise up, God, arise!  May his enemies scatter;
let those hating God flee from his presence in fear.
Just as smoke blows away, or as wax melts in fire,
before God, so the wicked will all disappear.

But the righteous — they’re glad, they’ll rejoice in God’s presence;
let them shout with a jubilant, loud, joyful voice.
Sing to God, and his name, he who rides through the desert;
for his name is the LORD — now, exult and rejoice!

​To the fatherless, he is much more than a father,
to the widow: defender, protector and aid — 
this is God, who is dwelling in his holy heaven.
For the lonely and homeless, a home will be made,

God will lead out the chained into prosperous freedom;
but the wicked will live in a sun-scorched, dry land.
God, when you led your people in mercy from Egypt,
when you marched with your own through a wasteland of sand,
Selah [Interlude]

the earth shook, heaven rained down God’s goodness and presence,
even Sinai felt God’s hand in Israel’s care.
You sent showers of blessings, O God, in abundance,
to refresh your exhausted inheritance there.

In your bounty, we dwelled; for the poor, you provided.
And an army of women proclaimed the LORD’s news:
Kings of armies and warriors have fled! — now the women
​in their home can divide up the spoil as they choose.

Even you who are found to be sleeping in sheep pens
can be beautiful treasures and gems to behold;
like the wings of a dove that are covered in silver,
with its feathers and pinions as shimmering gold.

When the Almighty scattered the kings there in Canaan,
like the ground on Mount Zalmon was covered with snow.
For a mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan,
where it’s many-peaked summits are seen far below.

​Rugged mountains, why gaze on with envy at Zion?
For this hill is the one where God chose for his reign.
God’s own chariots number in thousands of thousands;
on Mount Sinai, among them, the LORD will remain.

You ascended on high to your ultimate glory,
taking with you your numerous captives as well;
you received gifts from men — even those who were stubborn,
where the LORD God Almighty among them might dwell.

Bless the LORD who sustains us each day that we see;
even God, our salvation and helper is he.
Selah [Interlude]

For our God is a God who delivers salvation,
and the LORD, his escape from sure death will provide.
Surely God will crush heads of the ones who oppose him,
and the hairy-crowned scalps of those walking in pride.

Says the LORD, I will bring and return them from Bashan,
from the depths of the sea will my foes then be brought.
And your feet, in your enemies’ blood, will be wading;
even dogs with their tongues will have lapped up their lot.

I have seen, God, the crowds for your mighty processions
as they march to your temple, my God and my King.
With the singers in front and musicians who follow,
with the maidens who play tambourines in between.

Bless you God in the great congregation of people;
those descending from Israel’s fount, praise the LORD’s name.
Look, the small tribe of Benjamin, leading and ruling;
​​​and then Judah, Naphtali, and Zebulun came.

For your God has commanded your strength that is mighty;
show your power, O God, just as you used to do.
Since your temple is inside Jerusalem’s city,
kings will bring in their tributes and presents for you.

Now rebuke all these beasts in the reeds​ where they’re dwelling,
and the bulls with the people — the calves, that they are!
Make them humble and crawl back with tributes of silver;
and then scatter the nations delighting in war.

Then the envoys and princes will come out from Egypt;
Cush will quickly reach out to God with her hands raised.
Sing to God, O you kingdoms.  Sing, all round the world;
Play and sing to his name, for the LORD will be praised.
Selah [Interlude]

​Sing to him who is riding across ancient heavens;
and behold how his thundering voice fills the sky.
Over Israel his power is great and majestic,
with his strength in the clouds of his heavens on high.

He is awesome and fearsome from his sanctuary — 
he is God of all Israel, he’s to be awed!
For he gives us his power and strength to his people.​
We will praise you forever!  Oh, praise be to God!

Psalm 20 and 21 go together.  Psalm 20 is an intercessory prayer for the king's safety before battle, and Psalm 21 is the prayer of thanksgiving for the king's safe return after the battle has been won.

I'd read about this a couple of months ago before beginning this series and was going to do something once these two psalms were reached. Then I promptly forgot about it. What that something would be — I have no idea.

The only thing I could have done was to write each of them in the same style as the other. As it turns out, one has lines of 12 syllables and the other has 11 syllables. Otherwise, my interpretation of them both is remarkably similar.

​O LORD, in Your strength the king will be glad, And in Your salvation how greatly he will rejoice!
(20:1 - NASB)

You have given him his heart’s desire and have not withheld the request of his lips.
(21:2 - ESV)

You welcomed him back with success and prosperity. You placed a crown of finest gold on his head.
(21:3 - NLT)

He asked you for life, and you gave it to him— length of days, for ever and ever.
(21:4 - NIV)

His glory is great through your salvation; splendor and majesty you bestow on him.
(21:5 - ESV)

You have endowed him with eternal blessings and given him the joy of your presence.
(21:6 - NLT)

The king trusts in the LORD Almighty; and because of the LORD’s constant love he will always be secure.
(21:7 - GNT)

Your hand will lay hold on all your enemies; your right hand will seize your foes.
(21:8 - NIV)

When you appear for battle, you will burn them up as in a blazing furnace.
The LORD will swallow them up in his wrath, and his fire will consume them.
(21:9 - NIV)

You will wipe their children from the face of the earth; they will never have descendants.
(21:10 - NLT)

Although they plot against you, their evil schemes will never succeed.
(21:11 - NLT)

For they will turn and run when they see your arrows aimed at them.
(21:12 - NLT)

Rise up, LORD, because you are strong; we will sing and praise your power.
​(21:13 - ISV)

The thing that strikes me about this psalm is the repetitious use of the word, may, used at the beginning of lines in more than half of the verses. Then, depending on your translation, used one last time in the final line of the psalm.

Written three weeks ago, I was happy with it until I reviewed it again for this post where it received a major line change and a few more word tweaks. Now, it might be done.

May the LORD answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
(20:1 - NIV)

May the LORD send help from his temple and come to your rescue from Mount Zion.
(20:2 - CEV)

May he remember all your gifts and look favorably on your burnt offerings.
(20:3 - NLT)

May he grant your heart’s desires and make all your plans succeed.
(20:4 - NLT)

We will sing for joy over your victory, And in the name of our God we will set up our banners. May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.
(20:5 - NASB)

Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand.
(20:6 - ESV)

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
(20:7 - NIV)

Those nations will fall down and collapse, but we will rise up and stand firm.
(20:8 - NLT)

LORD, give victory to the king! May he answer us on the day that we call.
(20:9 - CSB)

Like the familiarity of Psalm 23 or Psalm 100, this psalm was familiar to me as well — at least verses 7 thru 10, as I used to sing them as a kid. So, I was nervous as it crept closer to me having to deal with it.

It start off with typical 4-line stanzas, which went off the rails already after the second stanza. Verse 4 seemed to have an extra line thrown in. David introduces a line about the sun at the very end of verse 4, and continues to talk about it in verses 5 and 6.

​Because of this "extra" line, I decided to have extra lines in my poem as well to accommodate them, either to say something new or to emphasize a previous point.

​The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
(19:1 - ESV)

Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.
(19:2 - BSB)

Without speech or language, without a sound to be heard,
(19:3 - BSB)

Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. God has made a home in the heavens for the sun.
(19:4 - NLT)

It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding. It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race.
(19:5 - NLT)

The sun rises at one end of the heavens and follows its course to the other end. Nothing can hide from its heat.
(19:6 - NLT)

The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
(19:7 - NASB)

The precepts of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart; the commandments of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
(19:8 - BSB)

The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true, being altogether righteous.
(19:9 - BSB)

They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.
(18:10 - NLT)

Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward.
(19:11 - NKJV)

None of us know our faults. Forgive me when I sin without knowing it.
(19:12 - CEV)

Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
(19:13 - KJB)

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
(19:14 - NLT)

From the previous poem — Psalm 17 — to this one, about two weeks passed. The first week I did no writing at all. The second week, I wrote this. I was a little reluctant to even start because of its length of 50 verses. And, yes, I know there are two more psalms coming up that are even longer!

Due to its length, a few good lines were bound to be written.  And, I want to highlight a few of them — especially the third of these excerpts.

From His temple He heard my voice,
and my cry for His help reached His ears.
Then the earth shook and quaked,
and the foundations of the mountains trembled;
they were shaken because He burned with anger.
Psalm 18:6b-7

​He heard my lone voice from his heavenly temple;
he hears with his ears every cry that I make.
The earth moved and shuddered, the mountaintops tremble​​;
God's anger has caused their foundations to shake.

He shot His arrows and scattered the foes;
He hurled lightning and routed them.
The channels of the sea appeared,
and the foundations of the world were exposed,
at Your rebuke, O LORD,
at the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.
Psalm 18:14-15

​He sent forth his arrows, men ran in commotion;
they fled from his lightning bolts hurled through the air.
The blast of your breath, LORD, uncovered the ocean;
rebuked, the foundations of earth were laid bare.​​

As for God, His way is perfect;
the word of the LORD is flawless.
He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
For who is God besides the LORD?
And who is the Rock except our God?
Psalm 18:30-31

​​For God's way is blameless; the LORD's word, perfection.
He shields and protects those who give him their trust.
Indeed, who is God but the LORD in reflection?
And who is the Rock but our God who is just?

These are the reasons I write: to be able to transform God's word into poetry. To take some consecutive lines of thought, originally written in Hebrew, translated to Greek, then eventually to the English language — to take those back-to-back verses and find a way to fit them into a fixed pattern of rhythm and rhyme for the glory of God.

I love you, LORD, my strength.
(18:1 - NIV)

The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.
(18:2 - NLT)

I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.
(18:3 - ESV)

The cords of death encompassed me, And the torrents of ungodliness terrified me.
(18:4 - NASB)

The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path.
(18:5 - NLT)

In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.
(18:6 - NIV)

Then the earth quaked and trembled. The foundations of the mountains shook; they quaked because of his anger.
18:7 - NLT)

Smoke poured from his nostrils; fierce flames leaped from his mouth. Glowing coals blazed forth from him.
(18:8 - NLT)

He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet.
18:9 - NIV)

He mounted a cherub and flew; He soared on the wings of the wind.
(18:10 - BSB)

He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him, thick clouds dark with water.
(18:11 - ESV)

Out of the brightness before him hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.
(18:12 - ESV)

LORD Most High, your voice thundered from the heavens, as hailstones and fiery coals poured down like rain.
(18:13 - CEV)

And he sent out his arrows and scattered them; he flashed forth lightnings and routed them.
(18:14 - ESV)

Then the channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.
(18:15 - ESV)

He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters.
(18:16 - NLT)

He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were too strong for me.
(18:17 - NLT)

They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress, but the LORD supported me.
(18:18 - NLT)

He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me.
(18:19 - NLT)

The LORD rewarded me for doing right; he restored me because of my innocence.
(18:20 - NLT)

For I have kept the ways of the LORD; I have not turned from my God to follow evil.
(18:21 - NLT)

I have followed all his regulations; I have never abandoned his decrees.
(18:22 - NLT)

I am blameless before God; I have kept myself from sin.
(18:23 - NLT)

So the LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
(18:24 - ESV)

To the holy, you show your gracious love, to the upright, you show yourself upright;
(18:25 - ISV)

To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.
(18:26 - NLT)

For You save an afflicted people, but You humble those with haughty eyes.
(18:27 - BSB)

You, LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.
(18:28 - NIV)

In your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall.
(18:29 - NLT)

As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.
(18:30 - NKJV)

For who is God except the LORD? Who but our God is a solid rock?
(18:31 - NLT)

It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way clear.
(18:32 - BSB)

You make my feet run as fast as those of a deer, and you help me stand on the mountains.
(18:33 - CES)

He trains my hands for battle, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
(18:34 - NASB)

You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great.
(18:35 - ESV)

You broaden the path beneath me so that my ankles do not give way.
(18:36 - BSB)

I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
(18:37 - NIV)

I crushed them so that they could not rise; they fell beneath my feet.
(18:38 - NIV)

For you equipped me with strength for the battle; you made those who rise against me sink under me.
(18:39 - ESV)

You made my enemies turn their backs to me, and those who hated me I destroyed.
(18:40 - ESV)

They called for help, but no one came to their rescue. They even cried to the LORD, but he refused to answer.
(18:41 - NLT)

I ground them as fine as dust in the wind. I swept them into the gutter like dirt.
(18:42 - NLT)

You delivered me from strife with the people; you made me the head of the nations; people whom I had not known served me.
(18:43 - ESV)

When they hear me, they obey me; foreigners cower before me.
(18:44 - BSB)

Foreigners lose heart and come trembling from their strongholds.
(18:45 - BSB)

The LORD lives! Praise to my Rock! May the God of my salvation be exalted!
(18:46 - NLT)

He is the God who avenges me, who subdues nations under me,
(18:47 - NIV)

He delivers me from my enemies; Surely You lift me above those who rise up against me; You rescue me from the violent man.
(18:48 - NIV)

For this, O LORD, I will praise you among the nations; I will sing praises to your name.
(18:49 - NLT)

Great salvation He brings to His king. He shows loving devotion to His anointed, to David and his descendants forever.
​(18:50 - BSB)

​NIV: New International Version   •   NLT: New Living Translation   •   ESV: English Standard Version   •   NASB: New American Standard Bible   •   BSB: Berean Study Bible   •   CEV: Contemporary English Version   •   ISV: International Standard Bible   •   NKJV: New King James Version