Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Psalm 80

Beloved, the lilies are critical. This is a poem on presence - face and facing till we have faces. Notice this is uniquely titled as a testimony - as well as a psalm.

For the leader
to the place of lilies
a testimony of Asaph
A Psalm
Shepherd of Israel hear
guiding Joseph like a flock
sitting on the cherubim
shine
in the presence of Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh
arouse your strength and bring salvation to us

O God turn us
and reveal your presence
and we will be saved

יְהוָה God of hosts
how long are you angered with the prayer of your people
you make them eat the bread of tears
and you make them drink a bucket of tears
You set us judged among our neighbours
and our enemies ridicule us

יְהוָה of hosts turn us
and reveal your presence
and we will be saved

A vine from Egypt you brought
you drove out nations to plant her
you presented her presence
you rooted her roots and she filled the land

her shadow covered hills
and her boughs God's cedars
she sent her harvest to the sea
and to the river her tender shoots

why breach her walls
so that all passing by of a way pluck her
the boar ravages her from the wood
and the beast of the field devours her?

O God of hosts return please
consider from the heavens
and look and visit this vine
and the stock which your right hand planted
and over a son that you made strong for yourself
burned with fire cut down
from the rebuke of your presence they perish

let your hand be on the one at your right hand
on the child of humus you made strong for yourself
we will not move away from you
let us live and on your name we will call

יְהוָה God of hosts turn us
and reveal your presence
and we will be saved

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