Psalm 119 (Part Seven)—Lord, don’t you see what is happening to me?

"I will meet you in the night watches and turn and turn your word around inside myself."

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter of the Bible, so we’ll break it into seven parts. It is an acrostic poem, with one stanza for each of the 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet. Here are the stanzas for qoph, fresh, shin, and tav.

Rendition of Psalm 119 (Part Seven)

Qoph

I make this plea with everything I have: 
Answer me, Lord. I will obey.
I am asking you to save me.
I swear I will keep your word.
I will wake in the dark.
I will  pray and then hold myself quiet
Listening to the dawn chorus
And your voice in the stillness
Before the day begins.
I will meet you in the night watches
And turn and turn your word
Around inside myself.
When I speak, you hear me.
I ask you again: revive me.
You are good and faithful.
You are far from those 
Who make evil their master.
You are near to those who seek
The truth of your commandments.

Resh

Lord, don’t you see what is happening to me?
I have not forgotten you,
Why have you forgotten me?
Rescue me, plead my case,
Run to my side. 
Revive me with your word.
I know what the wicked do not:
Your law is life.
Your mercies can’t be counted.
Your justice raises us up.
Even though my enemies teem and plot
I will not turn aside from your path.
I hate what they are doing.
I have hewn close to your word,
But they have wandered from it.
So I say again: revive me
Because of your love for me.
Sow your truth again in me
And make it grow and bear fruit forever.

Shin

I am harassed and harried for nothing.
Though I tremble in this trial
And cry out and beg off,
I still rejoice in your word.
I still wonder at your ways.
I feel I have found a great treasure
And it is mine to keep.
At my best, the happiness that comes 
From following your law is enough.
What would it mean if you could boast
Of my days as I boast of you?
Peace follows those who follow you.
They plant each step firmly and do not stumble.
Though they stumble, they do not fall.
Though they fall, they are not crushed.
Though they are crushed, they rise again.
So my days are full of hope in you.
I will do what you say.
I will store your words inside me.
They will churn in my heart
And burst into its hidden chambers,
And you will finally master
All my secret loves.
For none of my ways are hidden from you.
Be my treasure. Bring me peace. Reign.

Tav

Lord, hear my prayer
And let at last my cry come to you.
Give me understanding from your word,
So that I can order my prayers, 
My longings, my fears, and loves aright.
Save me and I will finally find the gift
Of praise, of rest, and of consolation.
I will sing again and write and laugh.
After everything, give me your hand
And help me. You are the one I’ve chosen
And the one I want to long for.
Revive me  and I will praise you
And order my life by  your justice.
I have spent so many lost years
Wandering like a sheep,
But you sought me and took me in
And I will not forget it.

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Catching up with the Darking Psalter

If you are new to the Darkling Psalter, it is a project to create renditions of the Psalms (artistic rewordings based on the original Hebrew) and original poems to pair with each one.

Psalms with poems: 1, 2, 6, 8, 13, 14, 16, 19, 22, 29, 31, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 42, 46, 51, 53, 65, 73, 74, 84, 86, 88, 90, 107, 121, 123, 130, 131, 137, 142, 147.

Psalms only: 3, 23, 62, 117, 119 (part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6),139, 148

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