SONGS OF MENTAL EMOTION
AND PHYSICAL DISTRESS
Wendell Johnson has
characterized the generic ill of mankind as the IFD disease
-idealization, frustration, demoralization. The second two phases
of this disease produce the emotions and physical distress of
humans when their projection of reality does not comport with their
perception of reality. The majority of the Psalms are involved with
these emotions and they are presented in this section in a
sequential parade of IFD disease cycles as manifested through the
stages of life; childhood, youth, middle age, old age i. e. spring
fever, summer sunstroke, September song, the male and female
menopause and senility.
Psalm #8
(a
song of realism)
Lower than angels,
crowned with
glory and honor,
the King of the Hill.
Ordained to spout
out wisdom
from mouths of babes and sucklings.
Psalm #129
(a song of birth defects)
Afflicted since youth,
plowers plough upon my back
making long furrows.
May they be as me, as grass,
withered
before it grows up.
Psalm #58
(a song for
the street wise)
Estranged from the womb,
they that
go astray from birth,
whose ears hearken not,
heed not the
voice of charmers
charming never so wisely.
Psalm #19
(a song of true humility)
Daytime pours out speech,
but night revealeth knowledge.
Let words of my mouth,
meditations of my heart,
be
accepted in thy sight.
Psalm #51
(a clean
song)
Wash me thoroughly.
Create in me a clean
heart.
Purge me with hyssop.
Cleanse me from iniquity,
I shall be whiter than snow.
Psalm #131
(a
song of obsequious humility)
My eyes are not lofty,
and my heart is not haughty.
Quiet and behaved,
as a child
weaned from mother,
I sit still, I know my
place.
Psalm #39
(a song of forced
humility)
I will heed my ways,
keep my mouth with a
bridle,
my heart hot within.
While I muse, the fires
burn.
Without, all is vanity.
Psalm
#40
(a song of operant conditioning)
Thou didst not
desire
sacrifice and offering
nor penance require.
Then said I, Lo I will come
I delight to do thy will.
Psalm #101
(a song of conceit)
I behave
myself
wisely in a perfect way.
with a perfect heart.
I will see no wicked thing
or know a wicked person.
Psalm #61
(a song of rocks)
Lead me
to the rock,
one that is higher than I.
My tower of
strength,
a shelter for me, secure,
that I may daily
perform.
Psalm #89
(a song of confidence)
King James Version
Lie not to
David
his seed endures forever.
Beating down his foes,
wicked men shall not exact,
nor sons of wickeds
afflict.
Psalm #89
( a song of
confidence)
Revised Standard Version
Don`t lie to
David
his line
endures forever.
His foes shall be crushed.
Enemies shall not
outwit,
nor the wicked humble, him
Psalm
#89
( a song of confidence)
Upbeat News for Modern
Man
Never con the man.
He was not born
yesterday.
His contracts enforced,
wise guys can't rattle
his cage,
nor sons of bitches, bug him.
Psalm #108
(song of champions)
Gilead is mine
and Philistia is mine.
Moab, my washpot,
over Edom cast my
shoe.
Manasseh mine, mine all mine.