SONGS OF EMOTION AND DISTRESS

(Continued) The battle and the war over life returns to its normal catastrophes. The young people indenture themselves to the King or the Prince and all too soon learn that they are not heirs but servants, not servants but slaves. The more canny strike out for themselves substituting career for service. This idealization will take longer to extinguish.

Psalm #66
(trial by fire and water)

As silver is tried
thou hast tried us and proved us.
through fire and water
through affliction, in the net
to a healthy, wealthy place.



Psalm #133
(a song for organization men)

How good, how pleasant
for brothers in unity
together to dwell.
Like dew upon the mountains,
like ointment upon the head.



Psalm #43
(A rational song)

Send out light and truth
Let them be my holy hill,
my tabernacle.
Why then am I so cast down,
disquieted within me.



Psalm #7
(a song for reduction in force)

Have I dony Evil
unto them at peace with me,
without case or cause?
If there be iniquity,
lay my honor in the dust.



Psalm #146
(a song of caution)

Do not trust the prince.
He is but a son of man
in whom no help is.
His breath departs, dust to dust.
On that day, all plans perish.



Psalm # 134
(a short song for serfs)

Behold ye servants
which by night stand in the house
bless ye now your lord.
Bless in the sanctuary,
bless by lifting up your hands.




Psalm #123
(a servants song)

I lift up mine eyes
as the eyes of a maiden
touching her mistress,
as beseeching servant eyes,
pleading, but filled with contempt.



Psalm #32
(a song for the stubborn)

Be not as the horse.
Worse yet, be not as the mule,
devoid of judgement
and whose temper must be curbed
with bit, bridle, spur and whip.



Psalm #36
(a song against pride)

Stay the foot of pride.
Setting up in his own eyes,
flattering himself,
devising mischief in bed,
in a way that is not good.



Psalm #41
(a song for dear old pals)

Oh, my dear old friend
yea, mine own familiar friend
in whom I trusted,
who once did eat of my bread,
has now, now shown me his heels.



Psalm #49
(an old parable)

Hear a parable,
a dark saying on the harp.
Trust not in riches.
None can redeem your brother.
None can reach beyond the grave.



Psalm #62
(in praise of man)

Men dream up mischief.
Men of low degree are vain,
high degreed tell lies.
On balance, altogether,
man`s but a tottering fence.



Psalm #86
(a plea for moral support)

Proud men against me
and violent assemblies
are seeking my soul.
Show me a token for good
that they who hate are ashamed.



Psalm #52
(a sharp song)

Thou deceitful tongue
loving all devouring words,
devising mischief,
a sharp razor of deceit,
loving lies, loving evil.



Psalm #59
(a song for drifters)

Go round the city
making a noise like a dog
belching from the mouth
wand'ring up and down for meat
grudging, if not satisfied.



Psalm #69
(a bitter song)

Reproach breaks my heart,
I am full of heaviness.
I look for comfort
even pity -there is none
gall is meat; vinegar, drink.



Psalm #55/56
(a song of influenza)

Fearfulness, trembling,
put my tears in a bottle.
Count out my tossings.
Oh had I wings of a dove
I would fly away to rest.



Psalm #109
(a lament)

Gone like the shadow,
tossed about like the locust,
wounded in the heart,
my flesh faileth of fatness,
my knees are weak through fasting.



Psalm #13
(a song of exile)

How long, O how long
will you hide your face from me?
How long hide your heart?
How long my soul in sorrow?
How long, if not forever!



Psalm # 137
(a song for exiles)

As captives we wept,
our harps hung on the willows.
O Hawaii Nei,
How can we sing in strange lands,
let the tongue cleave to the mouth.



Psalm #106
(the devils song)

Mingling with heathen
lusting in the wilderness,
inventing idols -
similitudes of glory.
Make way for the calf of gold.



Psalm #44
(a prayer for succor)

People sold for naught,
counted as sheep for slaughter.
Scorned by the neighbors,
our belly cleaves to the earth.
Why do you sleep? Redeem us.



Psalm #130
(Out of the depths)

From the depths I cry.
Attend to me, hear my voice,
my supplication.
My soul waits the morning watch
Yea, more than the morning watch.



Psalm #141
(evening song)

Give ear to my voice.
Let my prayer be sent forth
to thee as incense.
and the lifting of my hands
as an evening sacrifice.



Psalm #4
(for evening shadows)

Lifted up by light,
There is gladness in my heart.
I dwell in safety.
Now I lay me down to sleep,
pray the Lord my soul to keep.



Psalm #124
( a song of freedom)

Our soul is set free
as a bird out of the snare,
the snare of fowlers.
We are not prey to their teeth.
The snare broken, we escape.



Psalter Index****Songs of Joy and Praise