Singing with the Heart

I cry aloud to God,
aloud to God, that he may hear me.
In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;
in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;
my soul refuses to be comforted.
I think of God, and I moan;
I meditate, and my spirit faints.

You keep my eyelids from closing;
I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
I consider the days of old,
and remember the years of long ago.
I sing with my heart in the night;
I meditate and search my spirit:
‘Will the Lord spurn for ever,
and never again be favorable?
Has his steadfast love ceased for ever?
Are his promises at an end for all time?
Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has he in anger shut up his compassion?’
And I say, ‘It is my grief
that the right hand of the Most High has changed.’

I will call to mind the deeds of the Lord;
I will remember your wonders of old.
I will meditate on all your work,
and muse on your mighty deeds.
Your way, O God, is holy.
What god is so great as our God?
You are the God who works wonders;
you have displayed your might among the peoples.
With your strong arm you redeemed your people,
the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.

When the waters saw you, O God,
when the waters saw you, they were afraid;
the very deep trembled.
The clouds poured out water;
the skies thundered;
your arrows flashed on every side.
The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
your lightnings lit up the world;
the earth trembled and shook.
Your way was through the sea,
your path, through the mighty waters;
yet your footprints were unseen.
You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron. Psalm 77


Sleeping on benches in transit
alone in the crowded places
unknown and totally unrelated
the sunrise is slow to find me now.

They weary ancient ones wait vigil
but their singing has come to a stop
they are too weary to hold even a note
they faint in the night watches.

I am waiting to get home
to dig my bare feet into warm sand
to sit by the ocean and sing again
now only humming in the night cloister.

Alone resembles abandoned so
that I shiver with these hollow eyes
that search the horizon for face
a welcome smile and open arms.

Once we nestled in safety cocooned
we thought we were being stifled
anxious for independence we fled
now all trying to get back home.

Lead me again great shepherd
guide me through these deep waters
take my hand for the sea is rising
and the harbor home so far away.