Last January, our pastor, Rev. David Kalas, introduced a program for the year called the 3×5 Club. This program is designed to help you read the bible in a year. The meaning behind 3×5 is that you read 3 chapters every day except Sunday, on which you read 5. In order to encourage us, he developed this fantastic web site (see link on the right) and teaches a class each month based on the readings.
I have read the bible front to back purposefully once as a young woman, and most of it at least once more in the last 22 years, some of it several times over. The old testament is tough sometimes – reading all of the ‘begats’ and trying to understand the blood and violence of the early Hebrew nation. However, I do love the history. The stories of the judges and the early kings fascinate me, and I often wish I could go to Israel to see the biblical archeological sites. I will, someday.
Anyway, we are reading Psalms right now, and our class tonight was dedicated to this lyrical book. While I normally find these classes interesting and informative, tonight I was suffering from a really long weekend of extensive activity (Bellin Run, kayaking, Tour De World biking event), so mid way thru the class I was struggling to keep my eyes open. Towards the end of the class, Pastor Dave began talking about Hebrew poetry, and examples of it in the Psalms. That perked me right back up, and I listened intently as he described the various forms.
One of the forms he talked about involved using the first letter of the alphabet for each line or stanza. We don’t notice this in our English translations because the affected Psalms were written based on the Hebrew alphabet. He went on to say how the Psalms are also prayers, encompassing every emotion from joyous thanksgiving to requests for vengeance and death, and that the early Hebrews often used imagery in their prayers, something we no longer do.
Intrigued, I thought I would like to try my hand at crafting some modern day psalms, using imagery and Hebrew poetry forms. I decided to use the alphabetical form first, and came up with most of this first attempt while I walked the dogs after I got home. I am not a great poet so bear with me, and realize that the letter X is very hard to incorporate :). Although written tonight and not 3000 years ago, it’s not exactly ‘modern’, in that it does not reference modern day events or images.
I hope you like it. Feel free to add your own Psalms in the comments if you like!
Apple, O Lord-
Bulbous
Crisp
Delicious apple of your
Eye.
Freely you have
Granted Grace.
Holy is Your name.
Infuse us with
Joy.
Keep us close,
Loving
Master!
Never leave us!
Oh
Prince of Peace,
Quench our wars.
Resurrected
Shepherd,
Touch our hearts and
Usurp the evil.
Victorious!
Wondrous! Even
Xerxes bowed to
You, Babylon defeated.
Zealously we worship!
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