(Prayer-Psalm: for preservation.)

Lord forgive my sins—
In word, thought and deed.
Forever preserve me
In your righteousness.
Uphold me in integrity
That I might worship
With a clean heart,
Lifting my hands to you.
My sole desire is to be true;
Oh, never let me fail.

Come what may.
God will keep me
In his righteousness,
Ever preceding
To guide the way.
And in his kindness
And goodwill,
He won’t let me stray.

(A Psalm of Supplication: prayer of the afflicted.)

Lord, my soul tearfully quivers
With the deepest of emotions.
My broken, languishing voice soars
With a cry that is destined
For your throne.
I moan in your presence,
And groan for anguish of soul.
Silently, my tears fall—
Pooling at your royal feet.
Your presence comforts me.

You are the pillar of truth,
Upholding me
In the darkest hour.
I will remember
Your faithful covenant,
For your word sustains me.

Show me the way.
Guide my feet,
And make my path plain.

(A Psalm of Adoration.)

I adore your majesty, Lord,
And exalt the highness
Of your regal throne—
Covered with splendor
And might.

To your comparison—
All earthly desires pale.
Your glory shines perfectly,
Even in the darkest night.
Excellent is your light.

Eternity is your dwelling.
Your omnipotence precedes time,
And your truth is sublime.
I adore you, Oh Lord, my God.

(Psalm of Hope Midst a Cry of Grievance.)

O Lord, my God, where are you?
My troubles are grievous and sore;
I need you now—right now.
Why are you so far away?
When shall I savor the feat?

My soul, why be anxious?
Rest in the Lord.
I know him—he is near.
The Lord will deliver.

He will bless and set me
In a sure place.
And I will serve him
All the days of my life.
For He only is my God.

(A Thankful Psalm: universal approach
to giving thanks.)

Thank you, Lord, for all things
Created by your powerful hands:
The earth rotating on its axis—
Giving us days.
The moon that circuits the earth—
Allowing us months.
And the earth circuiting the sun—
Giving us years.

Thank you for the expansive galaxies.
And the abundantly diverse creatures,
Among whom are the jaguar,
Peacock and conch—all called by name.

You have created mankind in your image
With the ability to reason and understand.

Thank you for producing such a vast
And awesome creation,
With compelling observations—
All worthy of notation.

To the divinely deserving One
By whom we are wondrously made.
And to whom we offer gratitude
With sincere accolades.

(A Ballad: song of exhortation
and spiritual commitment.)

Sing of God's wondrous salvation,
Declare his mighty hand.
Tell of his infinite love,
Walk in his sovereign plan.

Sing to him in the morning,
Meditate through the night.
Herald his marvelous grace,
Live in his glorious light.

(Psalm of Appreciation: remembering
and acknowledging God's faithfulness.)

There is no limit to God's favor
And the riches of his blessings;
His kindness cannot be measured.

'Pon awakening each day,
I can breathe, see and hear.
Morning, noon and night,
I call upon my God who hears
And answers my prayers.

Lord, how can I forget your kindness?
As long as life remains,
I will remember your favor.
Even if life forsakes me,
You will never.
Your mercy is great toward me.

Surely, as there are stars in the sky,
And as the moon shines—
As long as you are God,
I will remember.

(Psalm of Devotion: a commitment to praise.)

My soul, abandon your cares.
Shake off your weariness
And cast aside your infirmity.
Arise and praise the Lord.

With the lavishing of affections,
Set your heart upon him
Whose heart is unto you.
And let your love be to him
With eyes for him only.

Like waters rushing over a divide,
And like the fountain of water
That constantly springs forth—
So let your praises pour,
Oh my soul.

(Song: prayer for healing.)

Open the windows of heaven,
Send healing Lord.
Fulfill your promises given,
With healing Lord.

God is my life;
He is my health.

God is my strength,
Salvation, and wealth;
I put my trust in him.

Oh, rain ‘pon us.
Rain ‘pon us. Rain ‘pon us!
Send healing Lord.

(A Psalm of Perpetual Trust.)

I will trust in God,
My strength and my helper.
He is my assurance;
My soul, be not disturbed.

There are many ships at sea,
But only those without mooring
Drift, being helplessly tossed,
And driven about by rough winds.
But those with an anchor
Are steadfast, even in the storm.

God is our stay.
All who place their trust in him
Shall never be moved.
The Lord is the anchor of the soul.

(A Psalm of Trust: prayer of the afflicted.)

Leave me not to walk alone
Thro’ barren land and wilderness,
Where the lurking of the foe
Is ominous.

Day by day, my feet would tremble,
My heart would faint,
And my faith would fail—
If it were not for you.

Oh, see me through the storm;
In You, my anchor firmly holds.
Great is your strength,
And marvelous is your love.
I shall gladly trust in you.

(A Psalm of Exhortation to Praise God.)

Let praises arise
And ascend unto God:
The praise of the redeemed,
Like a mighty bellow.
The sound of hallelujah!
And glory!
The cry of victory.

Let the saints in glory
Dance and sing.
Ever to joyfully
Laud their King—
The God of heaven and earth,
Who redeems them from all things.

(A Psalm of Expectation: a prayer of hope and adoration.)

Oh Lord, who faithfully fulfills
My expectancy,
You are the hope of my life.

I come to you daily,
With grand expectations.
There is no other Deliverer—
None to call upon.
My prayers are unto you,
My faith is in you,
My worship is of you,
My service is to you,
My heart is for you,
And my allegiance is with you.

You, who are greater than
All my troubles and fears,
Are my praise and song,
And my meditation
All the day long.
You deserve my all, Lord.
I love you for who you are.

(Psalm of Divine Commitment: God is
committed to his people.)

God comforts his people
As they cry unto him.
He will deliver them
From fear and affliction.
God loves his people;
He fulfills their
Good expectations.

And keeping nothing
Wholesome from them,
He willingly supplies
All their needs.
For they are ever the
Apple of his eye.

I will sing praise, and honor.
And meditate ‘pon the Lord.
And will tell of his goodness.

(A Psalm for Protection: God is apt to keep.)

My soul, rest comfortably in the Lord;
No harm shall come nor evil befall.

The watchman watches to protect;
The burden of security rests upon him.
Always alert, he does not sleep
Because he is the watchman,
And the goods are left to his charge.

God, the faithful keeper,
Mightily shielding those in his care.
He neither slumbers nor sleeps,
But his eyes faithfully watch everywhere.

(A Praise-Psalm Ballad: a song of songs.)

Blessed is the Lord,
He gives me songs:
Songs of praise,
Songs of praise.

Blessed is the Lord,
He gives me songs:
Songs to praise
Unto his name.

I will sing
With all of my heart,
All of my soul,
All of my strength.

I will sing
With all of my might.
I will sing
Unto the Lord.

(A Meditative Psalm : spiritual commitment.)

I love to sing of the Lord
And meditate 'pon him intriguingly.

Oh, to worship
With the offerings
Of prayer, praise
And thanksgiving.

I'm honored
To speak of his name.
My mind is in awe
To think of him.
My hands fold—
In reverence.
Merrily, my feet
Dance in his presence.

I bow to his majesty
And yield to his authority.

My eyes sparkle for his glory.
My ears tingle to hear the story
Of the almighty Rock of ages—
The Lord God of old.

Oh Lord,
These feeble hands
I raise and lift unto
You in worship and praise of Your
Great name.

Currently incomplete.

There is none like you,
Oh Lord, my God --
My Father, and my Friend.
You are always near,
Listening for my feeble call.
And, faithfully, you are there
When I cry unto you.
My salvation and strength,
You build me up each day.
You comfort my heart,
Leading and guiding me
In the right way.

I was created to worship you,
Oh Lord of all creation.
Who rides the waves
And strolls the seas.
And rules o’er all the nations.

The eons all belong to you,
Who made mankind of clay.
You keep the earth
And the universe,
Whom the lightening does obey.

(A Psalm of Supplication: the cry of
grievance in affliction.)

Life's painful impositions,
I will cast upon the Lord.
He faithfully will bear them all.
At night I toss. At dawn I weep
With no desire for food,
Or sleep.

O restless soul.
God's weary sheep—
Do not fret nor stray.
In his own time,
The Lord shall
Bear your cares away.
He’ll give a song
To soothe your heart
And turn your night
To day.

(A Steadfast Trust.)

Surely tomorrow will come
With all her joys, and ills,
And sorrows.

But there’s no need to fear.    
For, Lord, I know that…
Still, You are God.

Currently incomplete.

Currently incomplete.

‘Tho you hide yourself,
You’re never far away.
But standing behind a wall,
You peep to see if I might care
To search for you.
And there is always an indication--
A clue to your nearness.

Oh, for your presence,
And your listening ear.
Just one feeble cry
And you’re on the spot.
The touch of your gentle hand,
Ever drawing me near--
Wiping every tear.

Psalm-84
Oh, Lord, manifest yourself
In times of trouble.

Disclose your faithfulness.
Uncover your compassions.
Display your kind mercies.

Reveal your mighty deeds…
The stealthy moving
Of your gracious hand.

You are most generous.
And I am forever seeking
Your unfathomable love.

Oh my God, I welcome
Your blessings evermore.

In all your mercies,
Sweet and beautiful Lord,
I want to know you.

And in every trying hour,
When I may want to cowl,
Help me to trust in you.

Father, pick me up,
Though I stumble or fall.
And with a firm hand
Help me to stand.
Oh, hear my feeble call.

Teach me your ways.
Open my eyes, Lord,
And guide my heart.
Open my ears,
And help me to hear your voice.
Teach me, that I might know you.

Oh, gentle light, shine ‘pon me.
Brightly beam in my life.

Comfort with your warmth.
Nurture me with the strength
Of your presence.
Guide my feet in this bleak world.

Impart life, and spur growth.
Fill me with your presence,
Till I am all that
You want me to be.

Oh, thou divine torch,
Burn that your glory
May be reflected in me.

The floods of your joy
Overwhelm ecstatically.

In sickness,
You are my health.
In weakness,
You are my strength.
In darkness,
You are my light.
When dying,
You are my life.

Oh may my cross
Be a sacrifice,
And never a burden.

Father, in reclining,
I go with your Word
In my heart.

Like the baby with a pacifier.
Or nourished with a bottle
Of milk, I am comforted
For a night of rest.
No tossing and counting sheep,
But only a peaceful sleep.

Oh, the hope and comfort
Of your Word…
Too big for words.

The hammer of God’s divine will
Pounds, pounds, and pounds still,
Breaking to pieces
A stubborn boulder
Until the crude rock becomes dust
That scatters at his mild breath.

And to his delight,
A precious stone
Both, new and lovely,
And refined, is formed.

(A Psalm of Praise.)

I praise you now,
O God of light.
The ruler of darkness
And of night
Who treads the vast
And raging sea.
For where you are,
Night cannot be.

I am like the weak
Little loggerhead,
Prodding. Pushing along.
Trundling across
The sandy dunes of time,
Striving to reach
The sea of infinity
For its healing waters.
Infinite living waters.

'Pon entering life’s stormy strides,
His perfect peace accompanies
With incredible calm.

Though the rain beats down,
Floods rise, lightning flashes,
And thunder rolls,
One can rest, in spite of the storm.

I do not seek a closet shelter.
Nor to crawl under a bed for fear.
For God is my shelter,
And he is always there.

In the midst of it all, I can sleep.
I can rest in him.

What kind of love is this
‘Pon which, gratefully, I’ve stumbled?
So great I cannot understand it.
So incredible I have never known,
Nor can I ever know it.

A love all encompassing.
No exceptions. No exclusions
A love beyond limits.
No fences, walls, boundaries or borders.

More faithful than the dawn,
More just than the law.
And purer than the light.

And yet, it is a tough love.
Demanding justice, mercy, truth --
And whatever is right at all cost.

Always requiring responsibility
And accountability.
A love that demands the best.

(Confident in God's love.)

There is one thing I know of the Lord,
He loves me.
If ever that I am sure of the Lord,
He loves me.
He’s proved his love over again.
In all of my trials, I call on him.
He never fails to come to my rescue.
He loves me.

Whenever in doubt, I go to his word.
Said that if he cares for the birds,
He loves me.
I don’t worry. I don’t fret.
God in his mercies has not failed me yet.
His great love can never fail.
He loves me.

Desperately, I cried to God
And He has not heard me today.
He does not answer.

The path is dark.
The way is bleak.
Oh Lord, where are you?

You are my only light, Lord,
Oh, guide me, I need you now.
Hear my call.

I will wait for him;
He will come.
For he will answer me.

(Reflecting upon my first encounter with the Lord. After desperately seeking to know Him, I found God on the pages of His Word.)

I thought to find him there
in nature--the singing brooks.
The sparrow’s song.
The murmuring sea.
And even the brilliant Mr. sun,
But it wasn’t to be.

Instead, I heard a faint-soft voice
Speaking to me from the pages
Of his awesome and abiding word.
‘Twas then I realized
That I had found him.

When the path is dark
And my senses are dull
And the pain is more
Than I can bear,
I look heav’nward--
‘Yon sun, moon, and stars,
Where a voice then whispers,
“I am here.”

This tent of temporary abode,
Gives way, becoming
More fragile by the degree.

The color fades.
And in aging, it rips, tears,
And painfully trembles.
The best repairs are only
For a short while.
And, soon, it shall fold.

But, ever, my faith is in God,
Who has assembled for me
A new and lasting abode.

Lord we enter your gates
With thanksgiving.
We come before your presence
With singing.
Our voices we raise
As we enter with praise
To render to you
The glory due.
We lift our hands
And humble our hearts
As we offer praise to you.

We praise you.
We praise you, Lord.
We offer praise unto you.

The divine broom
Of his wondrous love
Sweeps over the hidden
Crevices of my soul.

Careful not to miss
The hard to reach places
Of nooks and crannies,
He sweeps behind the doors,
And even ‘neath the rugs.

And removing the particles
Of dirt and dust from the heart,
He sweeps and sweeps
Until he has swept it all away,
And I am clean.

Have you heard of the rainbow story
With a *** of gold at the end?    
Such incredible tale of hope,
A positive message to send.

As children, we’d see a rainbow
And remember the tale of old—
Longing to find the rainbow’s end
To discover the *** of gold.

But there is a rainbow for all
As life’s opportunities come.
And those are the ones we chase,
Where such ‘gold’ might be from.
And hope is sparked after all these years
Whenever a rainbow appears.

(2/2015 revision)

Mildly descending
Millions of raindrops – quickly
Forming a puddle.

Human life is sacred
Like hallowed ground.
And all should protect
The sanctity of
Those grounds.
Not to trample.  
Not to sabotage.
But only to protect
One’s right to live,
Making it an
Experiential joy
For all.

Went to the frig
For a boiled egg.
At the veggie tray—
Not looking for veg.
Didn’t see what I wanted,
But knew it was there.
My question then:
The eggs!  But where?
Then, before my eyes,
In spite of myself,
Boiled eggs in a bowl
On the bottom shelf.

FOOTNOTE: It’s important to look in the right place for the right thing, at the right time.

Sun-clad mountains glow.
White-foam currents flowing midst
Dark, damp river rocks.

We build castles, and great they may be—
Proudly displayed for all to see.
But highly constructed and formed so grand,
We fail to realize they are of sand.

Dreams and ambitions of noble degree
Often crumble and vanish at sea.
Failed relations, goals not reached,
Abandoned visions, promises breached.

Foundations that are made of sand
Don’t guarantee a dream will stand.
But those dreams built on solid rock
Withstand troubles when they knock.
So, firmly anchored you should be
As not to drift and toss at sea.

Savannah is beautiful is she not,
With her lovely homestead lots?
Have you seen her in the spring?
She is the most charming thing.

Azaleas blooming everywhere,
Adorning parks and town squares:
Fuchsia, red, pink, and white.
Such a breathtaking sight.

Dogwoods scattered here and there,
Nestled among the trees.
Magnolia fragrance fills the air,
Borne by gentle breeze.

Wisteria lends a delicate touch.
The aged oak we love so much.
How charming, spirited and brisk;
So beautiful and picturesque.

Crape myrtle with a crimped look
Brightens lawns and scenic nooks.
The river with its gentle flow.
The beach where many love to go.

Juniper, cypress and cedar too,
Give contrast with their dark-green hue.
The sago palm in bold fanfare
Is seen almost everywhere.

Savannah is fortunate to be
Richly filled with history.
Beautiful art for all to see
Adorns the various galleries.

Fancy eating, southern style.
Down-home cooking worthwhile.
A little time is all it takes
To visit the restaurants and lakes.

Come see Savannah in the spring;
Enjoy the view that nature brings.
And may God's blessings ever be
Upon our city by the sea.