Some poems from Psalm 119

Psalm 119 is the longest of all the psalms at 176 verses. The theme is love for the laws of God and a determination to follow them. Laws is also expressed as word, precepts, commands, decrees, statutes, and ways. It’s God’s plans for human flourishing and serving, communicated to us.

The psalm is divided into 22 stanzas, representing the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Each stanza is made up of eight verses. I wrote a prayer/poem for each stanza and will share a few of them here. It’s best to read the actual portion of the psalm along with the poem, although each poem could stand alone.

Sometimes I Delight
“I rejoice in following your statutes.” Psalm 119:14, BET

How can a young person
stay on the path of purity?
Even more pertinent,
how can an old person
faithfully follow you?

I have hidden your word in my heart
so well that some days I can’t find it.
I delight in your word
sometimes. I smile.
I hold it in my hands
and cherish its contours
and patterns. I giggle
at the colored specks of light.
I laugh out loud
and the unimaginable
nuances of love.

I will not neglect your word,
with your help, of course.
Like the old hymn says,
I’m prone to wander.
Hold me to my intentions, Lord.
Do whatever it takes.

Open My Eyes
“Open my eyes that I may see….” Psalm 119:18, GIMEL

Open my eyes, Lord,
when the Bible gets boring.
When familiarity stiffens my brain cells
and my heart feels paralyzed;
when legality repulses
and the light grows dim,
open my eyes, Lord.

I am a stranger on earth,
an alien among ordinary people,
an imposter in church—
unsanctified, blind
and mostly silent.
How will your commands bind my wounds?
Will they bring me
to the place where I can say,
Your statutes are my delight!?

Running in the Path
“I run in the path of your commands.”
Psalm 119:32, DALETH

I run in the path of your commands.

Every morning I get up, put on my sweats
and my running shoes,
then open the door.
It's cold outside but the air is fresh.
I head out of town and up into the hills
where your path twists and climbs
among the pines and Douglas firs.
You’re doing great, you tell me.
Just keep going. Follow the path.
I do. Mile after mile.
I seem to gain strength as I go.
Legs pumping, arms swinging,
my heart beats to the rhythm of your ways.
The scenery only gets better ‘round each bend.
Your commands energize me, cheer me on,
keep me chugging higher and higher,
closer to the finish line
at the top of the mountain.

In the Night
“In the night, Lord, I remember your name….” Psalm 119:55, ZAYIN 

Last night I got up three times
to go to the bathroom.
I worry I’m not getting enough sleep.
I long for the night to be over.
I check my watch. 12:30. 2:30. 3:30.
Last night I dreamed of a green hill,
freshly manicured grass,
scattered wildflowers—a cemetery. 
Death with beauty. I woke up.
I think it was my death.
Should I be distracted?
The middle of the night
always invites fear in.
It's hard to resist.

When I’m tempted to indulge,
remind me, Lord,
to remember your name.

Let It Be Everywhere
“The earth is filled with your love, Lord….” Psalm 119:64, HETH

Everywhere I go and all places
where I stay, your love is already there.
When I drive to the grocery store, I pass it
walking down the sidewalk, peeking out
apartment windows, and sitting beside me
in the car, keeping me company.
When I spend the day indoors,
your love looks out at me from my book,
reminds me I’m not alone.
Your love connects me with the refugees
I see on TV. It hovers over
the war zones of Gaza and the Ukraine,
rides the Santa Ana winds above Los Angeles.

Please, Lord, let this love of yours,
that so comforts me here in my little town,
rain down in more obvious doses today
on Gaza, Ukraine, and the City of Angels.
Fill the places of terror with the love
that fills the earth. Comfort the refugees
with your presence, just as you comfort me.

Some poems about David from 1 Samuel

 The Total Package
“He was glowing with health and had …
handsome features” (1 Samuel 16:12).

Like Michaelangelo’s David,
this one had it all—healthy, good-looking,
musically gifted, and, now, chosen.
Although God told Samuel,
it’s not good-looks that impress me
but the heart, David’s handsome features
apparently helped.

Exorcism by Music
“David would take his harp and play …
and the evil spirit would leave….”1 Samuel 16:23

Better than wrestling with the devil,
shouting, Out! Out! damned demon!,
David merely plucked his lyre.
The evil spirit didn’t stick around
to enjoy the concert.

Shining
“He chose five small stones from the stream.”
1 Samuel 17:40

Seven shiny stones
sit on my window sill.
A generous granddaughter
gave them to me
from her own precious collection
one Christmas morning.
Polished in a machine,
rubbed smooth, their sparkle
is artificial but pretty.
The blues and reds
are slightly unnatural,
but I treasure them nonetheless.
The five stones David picked
from the stream bed
felt smooth in his hand.
Polished only by the swift
natural flow of water,
they didn’t glitter
like mine do.
That morning
the only things shining
were David’s eyes.

Peace in the Desert
1 Samuel 27

David escapes, so we’re told,
into enemy territory, sidles up
to the Philistines with his appealing grin
and his entourage of hard-bitten
desert warriors. The Philistine prince
generously grants David a town,
name of Ziklag, where the fleeing
Israelites make themselves at home
for a year and four months.
We’re not told what happens
to the citizens of Ziklag.
Do they share their homes
in a spirit of resigned hospitality?
Are they relocated?
Since this is irrelevant to the plot,
no mention is made.
Having long left his sheep-herding
ways and having no experience
in agriculture, David survives
the year and provides for his own
by doing what he does best—
raiding neighboring villages,
exterminating the inhabitants,
and bringing home the lamb chops,
donkeys, and winter garments.
That’s what a year of peace
in the desert looks like.