1 The heavens declare the glory of God;And the firmament showeth his handiwork.2 Day unto day uttereth speech,And night unto night showeth knowledge.3 There is no speech nor language;Their voice is not heard.4 Their line is gone out through all the earth,And their words to the end of the world.In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,And rejoiceth as a strong man to run his course.6 His going forth is from the end of the heavens,And his circuit unto the ends of it;And there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.7 The law of God is perfect, restoring the soul:The testimony of God is sure, making wise the simple.8 The precepts of God are right, rejoicing the heart:The commandment of God is pure, enlightening the eyes.9 The fear of God is clean, enduring for ever:The ordinances of God are true, and righteous altogether.10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold;Sweeter also than honey and the droppings of the honeycomb.11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned:In keeping them there is great reward.12 Who can discern his errors?Clear thou me from hidden faults.13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins;Let them not have dominion over me:Then shall I be upright,And I shall be clear from great transgression.14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in thy sight,O God, my rock, and my redeemer.
The heavens parade a billion stars
Beauty where no one breathes
The earth cries complexity
At times glorious
Too often terrible
In April
Carolina comes alive
Silently, the deer appear
Watching us
Through the blush of azaleas and ornamental pear
Believers rejoice in the testimony of the Lord
His commandment is pure enough they say
His authority is paramount
As we look on
Waiting for opportunities
And rescuers
We are righteous in our truths
Forgoing fantasy
Sloughing off directives
From those who would buy and sell
Our blood and brains
Who will protect us?
Who will redeem us?
Who will hear?
Let the words of our mouths be acceptable
In the sight of our rescuers
Whoever you are
Psalm Twenty
1 God answer thee in the day of trouble;The name of the God of Jacob set thee up on high;2 Send thee help from the sanctuary,And strengthen thee out of Zion;3 Remember all thy offerings,And accept thy burnt-sacrifice; 4 Grant thee thy heart’s desire,And fulfil all thy counsel.5 We will triumph in thy salvation,And in the name of our God we will set up our banners:God fulfil all thy petitions.6 Now know I that God saveth his anointed;He will answer him from his holy heaven With the saving strength of his right hand.7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;But we will make mention of the name of God our God.8 They are bowed down and fallen;But we are risen, and stand upright.9 Save, God:Let the King answer us when we call.
Will troubles come again?
Will cannons boom in the capitals
Return us to misery
And destroy the families
We have come to love?
Our prayers rise to heaven
With the cries of the wounded
Evaporating in the upper air
The North invades
What more to say?
We are not rescued
And no longer honored
No longer anointed
We cry out and no one hears
We lament and no one mourns
We are fallen
Who will hear us?
Who will rescue us?
Psalm Twenty–one
1 The king shall joy in thy strength, O God;And in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!2 Thou hast given him his heart’s desire,And hast not withholden the request of his lips. 3 For thou meetest him with the blessings of goodness:Thou settest a crown of fine gold on his head.4 He asked life of thee, thou gavest it him,Even length of days for ever and ever.5 His glory is great in thy salvation:Honor and majesty dost thou lay upon him.6 For thou makest him most blessed for ever:Thou makest him glad with joy in thy presence.7 For the king trusteth in God;And through the loving kindness of the Most High He shall not be moved.8 Thy hand will find out all thine enemies;Thy right hand will find out those that hate thee.9 Thou wilt make them as a fiery furnace in the time of thine anger:God will swallow them up in his wrath,And the fire shall devour them.10 Their fruit wilt thou destroy from the earth,And their seed from among the children of men.11 For they intended evil against thee;They conceived a device which they are not able to perform.12 For thou wilt make them turn their back;Thou wilt make ready with thy bowstrings against their face.13 Be thou exalted, O God, in thy strength:So will we sing and praise thy power.
God is on our side
No doubt
Our government is crowned with gold
Literal and metaphorical
Our ruling class gives thanks to God
The rest of us are schooled
To thank the King
Leader by Divine Right
O Lord
You have placed him there
The will of the people
Want him to regulate
With an iron fist
So they can be safe from interlopers
And foreigners
From slaves and former slaves
Looking for revenge
We
