PRAISE poems and contemporary psalms

Some time ago, I asked, "Is there something You want me to do, Lord?" and, immediately, the word "Praise" came to mind. Having been raised in a polite Christian family, the inclination to thank God and people came easily enough, but praise?

Ready to obey, but not very well-practiced in praising, I sensed God's help as relevant thoughts and phrases caught my attention each morning. Once I’d typed those beginning lines, other thoughts and lines swiftly followed – somewhat like a stream-of-consciousness flow, but more subconscious or even unconscious of what might come next!

Spontaneity remained key – often with a phrase that startled me or an insight God gave in thoughts I'd never had before the opening for a prayer, poem, or contemporary psalm gained my attention. So my "method" became an intent to obey rather than create as I wrote down each thought or phrase with the anticipation that the rest would freely follow. It did, and this blog resulted.

For about a year, my morning began with the same routine of listening, writing down what came to mind, and seeing what followed. Ironically, perhaps, the first lines occasionally began with a complaint or other negative thought! Then I recalled reading that a third of the Psalms in the Bible can be called “laments.” However, the psalmists did not remain in that negative state but, with prayer and recollection, remembered the goodness of God, Who can always be trusted.

With Psalms as my mentor, I seldom gave the prayer-poems a title, other than the first line, which began with a grumble, worry, or joy. This continued for months, then suddenly stopped! For days, I mopped around, wondering what had happened, and finally it dawned on me: I had enough prayer-praise-poems for a book.

Having met Catherine Lawton on social media and checking out the lovely, faith-building books she publishes through Cladach, I contacted her with a proposal for a book entitled PRAISE! Not only did she accept the manuscript, she divided the book into sections and suggested some tweaks to tighten the poems or clarify meaning.

With thanks to her and Cladach, I pray the praises here and collected in the book PRAISE! will encourage you to talk with God regularly, moan or mourn as needed, and let the Lord lift you into a life of ongoing praise.

Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2018

PRAISE! paperback




…

Lord, help me to bear

Your Good News when I feel
as though I have none.
Help me to bear Your love
when I’ve descended low.
Help me to bear this lift
of praise for Your compassion.

Mary Sayler, ©2016
#aahcoo

… 

For the glory of Your Name

deliver us, Jesus,
from peoples and nations
who defile Your holy temple in us.

For the glory of Your Name,
deliver us from every evil
or sin that wins our shame.

To You we give glory and praise
for Who You are and all You make.
Pardon us, Lord, for Your Name’s sake.

by Mary Harwell Sayler, © 2016
Poem based on today’s reading in Psalm 79.

…

Our souls proclaim the greatness of the Lord!

Our spirits rejoice in Christ our Savior!
For the Lord has looked on us – such lowly servants –
and given us the Baby Jesus and called us blessed.

Great things has our Almighty Father done for us
and Holy is His Name.

We who honor Him will have mercy,
and the strength of His arm will
lift us up and fill our needs
for Christ will come to our aid forever!


by Mary Sayler, ©2015
an adaptation of the Magnificat by Mary, Mother of Jesus, as given in Luke 1

…

Praise our God Who Prays For Us

to listen,
to walk in the ways of the Lord.

Then
God’s Hand will restrain
every hand lifted against us.

Then
The Hand of the Lord will protect us
and feed us honey
from The Rock.

by Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2015
after reading Psalm 81

…