Dear Father in heaven above,
We are brought so very low.
Prevent us with mercy and love;
May they quickly our hearts overflow,
And may You forget our iniquities shamefully done in the past.

Help us, O God of salvation;
Peace with repentance begins.
Glorify Your reputation—
Purge away all of our sins,
That on Your wonderful name among men no reproach may be cast.

Let the sighing of those in the prison
Come before You and enter Your ear.
By Your power alone they are risen
To live daily above pain and fear.
O Father, preserve all the saints who for Your sake are sentenced to death.

And now we, Your people, give thanks,
The sheep of Your pasture sing praise.
As a river that surges its banks,
As the great sun sends light forth in rays,
So we’ll show forth Your praise to all people as long as our bodies have breath.

❧          ❧          ❧

During the month of June, my studies from the Psalms will be accompanied by poetry. This week’s poem is based on verses 8, 9, 11, and 13 of Psalm 79:

from Psalm 79

O remember not against us former iniquities:
let Your tender mercies speedily prevent us,
for we are brought very low.

Help us, O God of our salvation,
for the glory of Your name:
and deliver us, and purge away our sins,
for Your name’s sake.

Let the sighing of the prisoner come before You;
according to the greatness of Your power
preserve those that are appointed to die.

So we your people
and the sheep of your pasture
will give You thanks forever:
we will show forth Your praise to all generations.

Photo taken in Milton, FL, 2018

“Prayer and Praise” Copyright © 2017 Angela Umphers Rueger – All Rights Reserved

Scansion:
The Arnold
Stanzaic verse, written in any even number in quintains.
Lines 1-4 are indented exactly 9 spaces.
Lines 1-4 are trimeter, Line 5 is hexameter. No particular rhythm.
Lines 1-4 are alternating rhyme; Line 5 rhymes with Line 5 of the next stanza.
The Line 5 rhyme changes every 2 stanzas.
Rhyme scheme: ababc dedec fgfgh ijijh