This week for What's on Your Mind '09? Shane is encouraging everyone to join in on the psalm journey we took last week. Since I already shared my psalm as we were going along, today I have "dug up" the very first psalm I ever wrote.
This was written on July 24, 1994, as I sat on a big rock off the edge of Prentiss Bay in Michigan's upper peninsula, just outside of Cedarville.
A psalm of thankfulness to my God
It is good to praise the LORD;
to consider His works and marvel at them,
to consider his deeds and bow before Him,
to remember His faithfulness and give Him thanks.
My heart sings praises to You, O LORD.
My eyes behold the beauty of Your creation;
the deep blue waters extending beyond the horizons,
the towering green trees rising from the land,
the vast blue sky powdered with clouds of white.
Even the waters sing in rhythmic waves upon the shore, as birds, too, sing Your praises.
You warm me with the sunshine and cool me with a gentle breeze.
My soul sings praises to You, O LORD, in thanksgiving for Your great mercy.
For You, O LORD, created me.
You knew my needs and watched over me as I foolishly sought fulfillment elsewhere.
You fully knew my sin and wickedness;
You saw me in rebellion.
I was blind,
a fool,
arrogant,
irrational,
dead.
But in Your great mercy You reached out to me.
Though I had not listened before, yet You called me again.
And this time, thanks be to God, I listened to You!
You came into my heart and saved me from an eternity of hell.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, for He has become your salvation!
You, O LORD, have become my rock.
I look to You now, to You alone.
My spirit sings praises to You, O LORD.
You have displayed Your faithfulness to all generations.
You kept Your promises to Abraham, Issac, and Jacob;
You also keep Your promises to me.
You cause my heart to rejoice as I remember answered prayer,
reflect on Your steadfast love,
trust in Your mercy and grace.
Your ways are wonderful LORD,
beyond my comprehension,
yet within reach of my praise and thanksgiving.
And so I sing to You this psalm of gratitude, with my heart, soul and spirit.
For You are great, O LORD, and greatly to be praised!
I still remember sitting on a big rock, writing that psalm. How strange to think that was almost 15 years ago! I was 22 years old; hadn't been married even a year yet. My, how life has changed!
God has been so faithful.
He has carried me through so much.
And though I know I loved Him as much as I could at the time, because of all I've been through with Him - because I have known Him through the storms - my love for God today is far greater.
Makes me smile to imagine where I'll be with Him in another 15 years!
And so I will encourage you once again to write your own psalm. You can take the journey I led last week, or go on your own. Digging up this psalm from 1994 has reminded me again how much I love remembering where God has taken me. And I trust you will be similarly blessed.
If you would like to see the psalms that other bloggers are creating, please visit Shane.
9 comments:
What an awesome psalm, Karen! I can just picture you in that idyllic setting writing this out.
I agree that we change so much over the years. It's probably a good idea to always date our writings and perhaps give a little summary of where we are. Because one thing is sure - life is change. We'll be in a different place spiritually (and maybe physically, too) in later years.
Karen,
What an awesome psalm. And to see you had such wisdom and connection with God at such a relatively young age. I admire your passion.
I got side tracked from the psalm writing project last week, but have selected my psalm. If/when I finish, I'll let know.
Blessings,
Kelli
I've sporadically kept a journal over the past 12+ years, and it's always good to look back over them from time to time. Sometimes I'm encouraged to "step it up" and other times I'm so very glad that God has continued to challenge me and grow me over the years. He is so faithful, isn't He? Happy Day, Karen!
I wrote this Psalm this year, it's called an A-Z Psalm, for obvious reasons:
Almighty God
Beloved
Create in me a clean heart
Do not turn your face from me
Excellent Most High
Father
Giver of all things
Holy, holy, holy
Immanuel - God with us
Jehovah,
Knowledge comes only from You.
Lover of my soul,
My Redeemer,
Never leave me, never forsake me.
Open my heart to your word.
Prince of Peace
Quiet my mind, so I hear only you.
Restore me.
Save me from my sins, O Lord.
Teach me your ways, that they may be mine.
Understanding only comes from you.
Vanish not from me, but stay with me.
Whether in want or plenty let me be satisfied in you.
Xcellent are you are God.
Yahweh - I AM
Zephyr - Your voice whispers.
You knew my needs and watched over me as I foolishly sought fulfillment elsewhere.
You fully knew my sin and wickedness;
You saw me in rebellion.
I was blind,
a fool,
arrogant,
irrational,
dead.
But in Your great mercy You reached out to me.
Though I had not listened before, yet You called me again.
And this time, thanks be to God, I listened to You!
Woo-hooo, does this ever speak to me. I have so been there! Thanks be to God that He forgives and restores!!
Leah
How wonderful that The Lord had already captured your heart by this age, Karen! I was a few years later...steady seeking by 25, didn't put all the pieces together until 27. My oldest was already 9, my youngest an infant. God gives grace, but you are blessed indeed to have been "apprehended" at so young an age! I was just slow to catch on! :)
love ya'!
Maria
Writing psalms is such a cool idea. I need to try it. Thanks for this neat series!
Again, THANK YOU! You did SUCH a great job teaching this past week. Thank you so much Karen!
Beautiful Psalm Karen.
Since my teens I've kept journals and written what you call Psalms that I call Poetry unto the Lord or Expressions of my heart -- all private thoughts illuminating His love and faithfulness. It's a wonderful thing to do to write out the expressions of our heart for the LORD.
Post a Comment