This poem is a rendition of Psalm 42–43. It is another desert-themed poem for Lent.
Do You hear it?
The hoarse pant of the hart
searching
for quiet waters?
So my parched soul
for You, God.
From the depths of my being I thirst for God—
the living God,
God of ever-flowing life.
When will I see His face again?
The salty waters of
my tears
have been my bread
day and night,
as all day long the voices say,
“Where is your God?”
Memories flood as
I pour out my heart
to my soul:
Oh, how I used to join the congregation,
leading the way as we streamed
to the house of God
in a communion of praise,
a fountain of joy,
celebrating the feast of God,
once upon a time.
My dear soul, why do you lay yourself down in the dust?
My heart, why do you writhe and groan so deep within my bones?
Hope in God! Expect great things from Him!
One day,
you will praise Him anew for
the deliverance that comes
from the radiance of His face.
Oh God, my God,
my soul drags in the dust,
so I remind myself of You.
I go to the mountains,
to the headwaters of the great river,
searching,
listening—
The swells of chaos churn deep within
the earth,
calling out one to another
in echo of Your thundering waterfalls
breaking over me
with all Your pounding waves.
I remind myself in the surge:
Every day Yahweh sends His faithful love
and every night His song is with me,
a prayer to the God of life—my life.
So as the waters rise I cry out to God,
my Rock in the torrent:
“Why?
Why have You forgotten me?
Why must I stumble about in this darkness,
oppressed by the enemy?
Do You not see?
My bones burn within me
with the taunts of my attackers.
Do you not hear them?
All day long they mock me,
‘Where is your God?’”
My dear soul!
Why do you lay yourself down in the dust?
Heart!
Why do you writhe and groan so deep within my bones?
Hope in God!
One day,
you will praise Him anew for
being my deliverer and
my God.
Vindicate me, O God!
Fight for me
against the faithlessness of the world!
Deliver me
from the deceptions of my accuser!
For You are God, my Refuge!
Why have You cast me aside?
Why must I stumble about in the dark,
oppressed by the enemy?
Send Your Light and Your Truth!
Let them guide me
to Your holy mountain,
the place where You dwell.
Then at last,
I will come again to the altar of God,
to God Himself,
my joy,
my delight.
I will worship You
with a sweet song of the soul,
O God, my God.
Listen, o my soul,
why do you lay yourself down in the dust?
My heart,
why do you writhe and groan in my bones?
Hope in God! Expect great things from Him!
One day,
you will praise Him anew,
for He is my Deliverer and
my God.