Psalm 50 (51)

Sprinkle me with hyssop,

and I shall be made clean.*

Let the droplets of water

linger on my skin

and sink slowly into my soul

and purge the darkness within.

 

Wash me,

and I shall be made whiter than snow.

Purify all of me,

my actions

my thoughts

my intentions.

 

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

and renew a right spirit within me.

Give me the desire

for Your purity.

Help me to guard

my eyes

my ears

my body

from temptations that sully me.

 

Cast me not away from Thy presence,

and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.

But hold me tightly

against Your chest, my Beloved,

so that our hearts

may beat as One.

 

O Lord, Thou shalt open my lips,

and my mouth shall declare Thy praise.

May my joy of Your love, Your mercy

be always present

in my laughter

in my tears

and on my tongue.

 

A sacrifice unto God is a broken spirit;

a heart that  is broken and humbled God will not despise.

My Beloved, may my heart

break with Yours.

May Your tears

be my tears.

 

*The bold italicized words are part of the original Psalm 50 (Septuagint)  from the Bible

 

I Thirst

I thirst.

My throat is dry.

I am parched.

I need to satiate

my soul,

the core of

who I am.

 

But I refuse to drink

from stagnant ponds

and from cups

or bowls

or basins

or even buckets

for that matter

if the source

is not flowing

with living waters.

 

I need gushing

rivers

streams

fountains.

I need

rapids and waves

to blast away

complacency and indecision.

 

But what I need most

is to nourish my soul

by drinking the tears

of my lonely

hurt

angry

needy

hungry

neighbors

who need to feast on my love.

 

My Beloved,

lead me to the wells

that are deeper

than I can imagine.

Show me how

to love with sacrifice

so that I might

quench this thirst

of my soul.