Writing Your Own Psalms

Materials and Setup

Materials & Setup:

Examples of psalms from the Bible and psalms written by everyday people.

Writing materials like a journal, paper, pens, and pencils.

Café Cantate Domino

A Coffee Psalm

O

God,

You

are

like

coffee!

You percolate . . . and the mere sound of you stirs me from sleep. I thirst

     for you, O God, in the morning when I wake up. Your aroma permeates

my soul when I come into your presence. You pour yourself out and

shower me with blessings. You fill my cup with good things. Your

heat and steam rise as incense and fill my nostrils. I lift you up

with my hands and drink you into my being. Your warmth

penetrates my mouth. O taste and see that the Lord is good!

Your warmth continues to travel through me, warming my

gut. You dwell ever within me. You energize me, O God.

After a time, you give me energy to set about the tasks

you lay before me. I return to you, O God, throughout

the day, and get renewed and refreshed every time

I drink you in. O taste and see that the Lord is

good! You restore my soul and fill my senses.

You help me get through the day when

my sleepiness tries to keep me

from doing your will. O taste and see that the Lord is good.

O God, you are like coffee to me!

© 2012 by C. Christian Dederer

 

Psalm 2

On my journey to You, I was distracted

bu the sea and mountains.

Foolishly, I dismissed clouds traveling

in indescribable shapes.

I tried to describe those that seemed to invite my efforts.

In defiance, they altered

their faces and went about their business.

For too lonf, my spiritual level dwelt in what seemed fixed.

I missed that even rocks

are constantly in flux.

In ignorance I dared to claim that

You do not change.

What is prayer other than effort

to get You to change

what appears to be Your plan?

“If it is possible, remove this cup…”

Help me escape crutches

in whatever form they appear.

Help me respect the beauty

in the clouds as they cross the skies,

while making alliances only with those who share

their present understanding.

By Dwight L. Wilson from his book, Modern Psalms: In Search of Peace and Justice

 

Psalm 71

In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;

     let me never be put to shame.

In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;

     turn your ear to me and save me.

Be my rock of refuge,

     to which I can always go;

give the command to save me,

     for you are my rock and my fortress.

Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,

     from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.

For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord,

     my confidence since my youth.

From birth I have relied on you;

     you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.

     I will ever praise you.

I have become a sign to many;

     you are my strong refuge.

My mouth is filled with your praise,

     declaring your splendor all day long.

Do not cast me away when I am old;

     do not forsake me when my strength is gone.

For my enemies speak against me;

     those who wait to kill me conspire together.

They say, “God has forsaken him;

     pursue him and seize him,

     for no one will rescue him.”

Do not be far from me, my God;

     come quickly, God, to help me.

May my accusers perish in shame;

     may those who want to harm me

     be covered with scorn and disgrace.

As for me, I will always have hope;

     I will praise you more and more.

My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds,

     of your saving acts all day long—

     though I know not how to relate them all.

I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign Lord;

     I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.

Since my youth, God, you have taught me,

     and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.

Even when I am old and gray,

     do not forsake me, my God,

till I declare your power to the next generation,

     your mighty acts to all who are to come.

Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens,

     you who have done great things.

     Who is like you, God?

Though you have made me see troubles,

     many and bitter,

     you will restore my life again;

from the depths of the earth

     you will again bring me up.

21 You will increase my honor

     and comfort me once more.

I will praise you with the harp

     for your faithfulness, my God;

I will sing praise to you with the lyre,

     Holy One of Israel.

My lips will shout for joy

     when I sing praise to you—

     I whom you have delivered.

My tongue will tell of your righteous acts

     all day long,

for those who wanted to harm me

     have been put to shame and confusion.