Psalms

By Gary Batchelder

Psalm 1

I lift my voice to you, my God,

I join with the intelligent universe of your design,

I join with those that live in light,

That recognize you, my God,

The source and sustaining of all life.

I lift my voice to praise you,

My heart rises in unison with your creation,

My heart pours out its gratitude.

For you have raised me from blackness,

From the horror of oblivion,

To a bright place where you are seen and known.

For you have rescued me from the

evil designs of my enemies,

Within me and without me.

You have saved me from my former master

And my former self: a blind slave.

You have held me in your healing arms,

Your warmth has closed my wounds.

Your tender care has put light in my eyes,

You have granted me sight,

And I see now, my God,

That you are worthy of all praise,

My Lord and my King!

 

 

Psalm 2

Our educated heathen rage,

Oh my God,

They bind themselves in intricate knots.

When I try to untie them,

They devise new ways

Of opposing their freedom.

They war with your Spirit

To preserve their fortresses of pride.

They guard their poverty,

They cherish their false treasures.

Real treasure is yours,

Oh God,

And yours only to give.

Value is yours,

All that has value has passed through

Your hands

Unto your creation that opens its life

To Life.

 

Psalm 3

My enemies are terrorists,

My God,

They cast imaginations of doom in my mind,

Slanders against you,

My Provider and Everlasting Benefactor.

They say you will abandon me,

They say you are against me,

They throw up selected scenes from my past,

They want me to hide in fear.

But before you, Oh God, do I rise or fall,

Not according to the design of this world

Or the god of this world.

Before you alone am I established in blessing.

You have defeated my enemies

With your own blood.

Help me see,

My Savior,

Help me not empower my enemies.

Help me see them small,

In the context of your power and

loving provision for me.

Psalm 4

I bless you, Oh God,

I thank you for the fathers and mothers

You have given me throughout my life.

I thank you for golden hearts and the knowledge

And loving care they have poured into me,

For hanging on to me when I let loose of myself,

For seeing behind my stubborn rebellion and seeing

Something of You in me.

Oh God, bless them,

Whether present or graduated,

Let them feel my love and gratitude.

Psalm 5

I know you love me,

My Lord,

Knowing that holds me up

Against the storms of darkness.

The enemy and those he recruits

To parrot his foul errors

Would take away my faith in your love.

He wants me to feel alone,

To turn to his evil companionship,

And to destroy me.

But you, Oh God, are with me always.

Your eyes never leave me,

Your heart is set upon me.

You are in me and

I am in you.

Your embrace is life to me.

I praise you now and

I will praise you forever!

 

 

Psalm 6

I praise you,

My God.

I give voice to my gratitude.

I release my hearts store of adoration

And I worship you,

My wonderful Lord and Friend!