Category: Rewritten Psalms

May God be with you in times of trouble
To comfort, support and guide you.
May God put people in your path
To love, honour and care for you.
May God remember all the good works
you have done in God’s name.

May God bless you so you may be contented
and be a part of all of you plans.
May your life be so filled with God’s presence
that you recognize God’s work in your success.
May God answer all your prayers.

I know that this will come to pass,
Because God cares for all people
and is present to those who are open to God’s call.
Open you heart to God,
Walk humbly with God,
And you will find blessing!

For the original Psalm visit https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+20&version=NRSV

God, I look at your creation with wonder.
Everything in the universe sings of you glory.
From vast galaxies and solar systems,
To the tiniest particles we have yet to discover,
You voice is heard through all of creation.

As the sun rises and sets each day
We are reminded that each part of creation serves a purpose;
Everything is connected.
Nothing is separate in you wondrous creation.

And so, you set laws for us to follow;
To live in respect with creation;
To love and serve others;
To honour and share all you have given us.

These laws are a golden standard
that we all should stive for
But at times, O God,
I fall short.
I put my wants ahead of the needs of others.
I stray from the path you have made clear for me.
Cleanse my heart of these sins –
These things that separate me from you
And the people and creation around me –
Help me to find my way back to your path.
Help me to set aside false desires
And to live a life guided by your love.

May it be so.

For the original Psalm visit https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+19&version=NRSV

God, you are my strength,
When I feel like I am not enough.
You are the voice inside me that let’s me keep going,
The part of me that believes it will be okay.

And God, I need that strength!
There are still too many days when I lose my faith;
My faith in myself and faith in that part of me
that nudges me to follow your path.

And I remember the time when I gave up;
When I stopped believing it could get better;
Stopped believing in your power to create change;
And I decided I was done…

But God you weren’t done with me!
You sent angels to protect and to bring me back.
Angels in unlikely places and in surprising ways
To bring me out of the darkness and into your light!

So, God, I sing your praises!
I give thanks that you chose me,
and opened my heart so I could choose you,
And be open once again to the potential for joy.

God, you are with me,
To offer me strength whenever I am feeling weak,
And for that I am eternally grateful.

For the original Psalm visit https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+18&version=NRSV

God, hear me as I call out to you,
Listen, as I do my best speak honestly.
I pray that I am on the right path
and that you will affirm that for me.

If you look into my heart and test what you see,
You will know that I am not perfect,
But I do try to what’s right.
I try to care for your people
and to care for your creation.
I walk the path you set me on
and try to not go astray.

But I know that you will answer me God,
Despite my imperfections,
and continue to guide me to do what is right.
And yet there are so many people
who seem to struggle to follow you.
They prey on the vulnerable
and take more then they need.

Surely God you could put a stop to this!
Make them confront the harm they are causing
and help them to repent and change their ways.
Teach them to share their abundance,
So that no one will go hungry,
and we can create a better world for future generations.

Just as I will continue to follow your way,
Ready to listen to corrective guidance
if I should stray.

For the original Psalm visit https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+17&version=NRSV

Keep me safe in your embrace, O God,
For you are my comfort.

God you truly are the best part of my life;
You bond me in deep relationship
With your followers;
For which I am truly grateful.

It gives me the strength to resist the false gods of the world;
That so many people seem to fall victim to.
Gods of consumerism,
Of ego driven goals,
Of taking more than what is needed.
When I know you are with me God
It is easier to resist these social traps,
And work for good in the world.

Lord you are my strength and my wisdom,
You lead me on a path that is good,
And help me see the places of joy in my life.
I give thanks for the guidance you have given;
For the path you wrote on my heart.
I will continue to follow that path,
With you by my side
to redirect me if I stray.

So, I give thanks and sing praises;
That you saw fit to save me from the depths of despair,
And fill my life with you and purpose.
And I will continue to give praise
For all that you have blessed me with,
For the rest of my days!

For the original Psalm visit https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+16&version=NIV

Psalm 15

God, who is counted among the saints?
Who has a special place with?

Only those who always do what is right,
and only speak the truth;
who don’t spread rumours
nor cause harm to their friends,
nor cause trouble with their neighbours;
who don’t take advantage of the poor
by charging them too much or paying too little.
who denounce evil and hurtful behaviour,
and hold in high esteem those who honour you.

Those who do these things
and live lives full of goodness surely belong to you;
But I believe that there is still room
for people who have made mistakes,
who have lived less than perfect lives,
but want to do better.
Surely there is room for all with you,
for we will be transformed by your grace
and everlasting love.

For the original Psalm visit https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+15&version=NRSV

God, there are so many people who deny your work in the world.
They believe the false narrative that they cannot believe in science and in you.
They claim to trust logic and proof,
but in reality they just limit the world to what they can comprehend.

You move through all things is the world;
Speaking to anyone who is willing to listen,
and open their hearts to you.

But there are so many who struggle to find that connection.
They focus solely on their own narrow worldview
and miss out on the beauty of interconnectedness.

Do they not see how we are all connected through your creation?
That we drink the same water
and breathe the same air?

Instead of finding comfort and connection in your creation,
they go through life feeling lost and alone.
We could live in a world of unity and balance,
If we would just be open to your plan!

Help us to find new ways to open the hearts and minds of all to you;
So that we may live in and care for the world you created,
According to your plan.

For the original Psalm visit https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+14&version=NRSV

O God, I am running out of patience!
I am trying to follow the path you laid out for me,
But I am tired of feel out of sync;
How long do I have to wait for my path to align
with the one I see you calling me to?

I need an answer!
I could wait to walk this path in your time,
If you would only reveal to me what that is,
So I no longer feel like I am stumbling around blind.

As I wait, I recall the times you made yourself known to me,
and I am filled with gratitude!
So I will continue to sing your praises,
Even if I am a little frustrated at times…

For the original Psalm visit https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+13&version=NRSV

Help us, God, the world seems to know you no longer;
so many people are no longer living lives of faith.
They make promises of a better world
that they have no intention of living out.

God rid the world of these divisive lies
and encourage speech that brings unity.
Silence those who speak falsehoods in your name;
until they learn to speak your message of love.

There are so many people who are marginalised in this world;
because of their economic status, their race,
their gender, their sexuality, their ability,
Teach us to speak your words of healing and hope;
To truly make a difference in the world.

God, I trust that you can work in the hearts of all people;
To lift up the marginalized and restore balance to your world.
There is so much in balance and inequity in this world,
But with your Spirit as guide we can create a safe place
for all your people.

For the original Psalm visit https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+12&version=NRSV

I want to live my life connected to the Spirit,
And yet there are so many distractions in this world
pulling me away from the life I am called to.
Calling me to shallow pursuits.
But if I am not rooted in God,
how can I live a life of love?

God you are at the centre of all things.
You move throughout the whole universe,
Breathing your life and love into all that exists.
You hold us to account for our wrongdoings –
For the things we do the hurt each other and creation.
You call us to a new way of being;
to repent our ways and share in your love.
For you are a God of love,
You inspire us to share in that love
until all the world knows your love.

For the original Psalm visit https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+11&version=NRSV