Psalm 55
To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. A Contemplation of David.
God, listen to this prayer I'm earnestly praying,
and hide not your presence from me;
in mercy, give ear to my plea.
Attend to and heed what I'm prayerfully saying,
I'm lost and I'm restless in thought;
I feel overwhelmed and distraught,
because all the noise from my foe is astounding,
because of the pressures they've brought;
such anger and malice they've wrought.
My heart, in my chest, is in anguish and pounding;
I'm frightened from terrors of death.
The horror has taken my breath.
If I had the wings of a dove I would flee here,
for then I could finally find rest;
if I found a faraway nest.
Oh, yes! I would wander away and not be here,
and out in that wilderness stay;
remaining in peace night and day.
Selah [Interlude]
How quickly I'd hurry to my place of shelter,
so far from this tempest and storm;
a hurricane's starting to form.
Confuse them, O LORD, make their words helter-skelter;
their plans and their language, divide!
There's conflict the city can't hide.
They're daily patrolling the walls of the city,
to keep the invaders at bay;
while violence and sorrow hold sway.
Destruction and ruin both rule without pity;
oppression and fraud, with deceit
are rampant and don't leave her street.
If enemies chose to insult me — I'd bear it;
no foe ever did what you did,
or otherwise, I could have hid.
Instead, it was you — like myself, one with merit;
companion and guide; in the end,
considered to be a close friend.
We shared a sweet fellowship walking together
to God's house to praise him in song;
we walked with the worshiping throng.
Let death stalk my foes and surprise them — whenever,
and take them alive into hell;
for evil's at home where they dwell.
But I choose to call upon God in his glory;
the LORD hears me morn, noon and night.
Each groan's heard, however so slight.
He rescues my soul from the battle before me,
though many more stand there arrayed;
for many have joined their crusade.
He hears me and then are my enemies humbled —
the one who's enthroned without end.
Selah [Interlude]
They change not and don't fear God's hand.
When friend attacks friend, then their covenant's crumbled,
their words butter-smooth — yet war's on;
though oily-soft — swords are drawn.
Cast all of your cares on the LORD who will bear them,
for he'll be sufficiently proved;
the righteous will never be moved.
But you, God, will show them the pit of despair, then;
the wicked will live half their days.
But I'll put my trust in your ways.
God, listen to this prayer I'm earnestly praying,
and hide not your presence from me;
in mercy, give ear to my plea.
Attend to and heed what I'm prayerfully saying,
I'm lost and I'm restless in thought;
I feel overwhelmed and distraught,
because all the noise from my foe is astounding,
because of the pressures they've brought;
such anger and malice they've wrought.
My heart, in my chest, is in anguish and pounding;
I'm frightened from terrors of death.
The horror has taken my breath.
If I had the wings of a dove I would flee here,
for then I could finally find rest;
if I found a faraway nest.
Oh, yes! I would wander away and not be here,
and out in that wilderness stay;
remaining in peace night and day.
Selah [Interlude]
How quickly I'd hurry to my place of shelter,
so far from this tempest and storm;
a hurricane's starting to form.
Confuse them, O LORD, make their words helter-skelter;
their plans and their language, divide!
There's conflict the city can't hide.
They're daily patrolling the walls of the city,
to keep the invaders at bay;
while violence and sorrow hold sway.
Destruction and ruin both rule without pity;
oppression and fraud, with deceit
are rampant and don't leave her street.
If enemies chose to insult me — I'd bear it;
no foe ever did what you did,
or otherwise, I could have hid.
Instead, it was you — like myself, one with merit;
companion and guide; in the end,
considered to be a close friend.
We shared a sweet fellowship walking together
to God's house to praise him in song;
we walked with the worshiping throng.
Let death stalk my foes and surprise them — whenever,
and take them alive into hell;
for evil's at home where they dwell.
But I choose to call upon God in his glory;
the LORD hears me morn, noon and night.
Each groan's heard, however so slight.
He rescues my soul from the battle before me,
though many more stand there arrayed;
for many have joined their crusade.
He hears me and then are my enemies humbled —
the one who's enthroned without end.
Selah [Interlude]
They change not and don't fear God's hand.
When friend attacks friend, then their covenant's crumbled,
their words butter-smooth — yet war's on;
though oily-soft — swords are drawn.
Cast all of your cares on the LORD who will bear them,
for he'll be sufficiently proved;
the righteous will never be moved.
But you, God, will show them the pit of despair, then;
the wicked will live half their days.
But I'll put my trust in your ways.
This was an interesting one. Normally, once I start out with a rhyming scheme, I stick to it to the end. This one, however, kept evolving as I wrote.
It started out something like this:
It started out something like this:
Listen to this prayer I'm praying,
hide your presence not from me;
hear my plea.
Hear the words that I am saying,
I am restless in my thought;
and distraught
hide your presence not from me;
hear my plea.
Hear the words that I am saying,
I am restless in my thought;
and distraught
These two stanzas cover the first two verses in Psalm 55, but verse 3 is much longer and nothing I did could make it fit. I struggled with the third and fourth stanzas and then the changes began. The third line in each stanza went from 3 syllables to 5; the first line went from 9 syllables to 12; the third line went from 5 syllables to 8, then to 12, then back to 8. Finally, the third line of every stanza was italicized, then after it was all written, I changed my mind and took that away.
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