Psalm 11—The day has fallen dark around me, and the darkness is full of arrows.

"Lord, what refuge do I have but you?"

Rendition of Psalm 11

Lord, what refuge do I have but you?
When my days each become small jokes
Like the kind a razor makes,
When the whole house sleeps
Except for my night fears,
When the old, long longings
Tremble in my trembling hands,
Bring me home. 
Call me back like a bird
To your mountain.
The day has fallen dark around me,
And the darkness is full of arrows.
From my youth to this day,
I have suffered terrors.
So, Lord, what can I do
When the ground under me trembles
Every time I try to stand,
And with one hand
I could reach out 
And touch the grave?

Yet, I know that nothing is lost on you;
No trust slips from your hands.
Your temple is the whole earth.
The heavens are your throne.
Even this swaying, darkling land
Is your holy ground. 
I remove my shoes and wait.
You walk the righteous and the wicked
Alike through their trials. 
You bring each a cup 
Brimming with their own works;
Fire for fire and wind for wind.
But those who wait for you
Will feel your love, 
Will pass through dark to day,
Will see your face.

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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) paired with original poems.

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, 118, 121, 123, 130, 131, 137, 142, 147.

Psalms only: 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 23, 27, 43, 50, 54, 62, 63, 66, 75, 91, 100, 110, 114, 117, 119, 120, 122, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 132, 133, 134, 139, 140, 148

Psalms complete: 74/150—49%

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