Psalm 23 (narcissus)

I will draw myself a basin;
~~I will pour myself pure water like a stream that starts towards the ocean.

And a river will fall over my eyes, mist as fresh as forgiveness, rain as sweet as reunion;
~~a river will flow into my cupped hand, the soul of youth in a pool of beauty.

Yes, I will prepare, before the Blessed Beauty, ablutions for prayer, reflection of His will, echo of His desire;
~~I will offer myself, prepared by water, like a ready shoot cut in its flower.

Psalm 22 (an acrostic)

Perfect Word is of the Lord:
Scripture belongs to Him alone;
Although, the poet longs to praise.
Love allows the call a stumbling cub can hear;
Mercy is found in the name of this prayer.

Comment

I'd like to thank Anonymous, for visiting. S/he makes the point that my blog is not scripture, though it is religious in content. This is true, and I am glad to see that Anonymous understands this distinction. My blog presents original poetry written in the psalm genre of poetry which has a traditional structure and content, the way a haiku generally has a syllabic structure and usually nature as its content.

Some may not realize psalms are not confined to the 150 psalms of the Old Testament. I’ve read many beautiful psalms on the Internet that convey New Testament Christian themes. My psalms are written from a Baha’i perspective. I have included links to official Baha’i sites, so the reader can find an introduction to the Baha’i Faith. Thank you, Anonymous, for your interest in distinguishing between original and biblical psalms. My goal is to compose 150 psalms, as others have done.

For anyone interested in matters pertaining to this blog, please see entries tagged "psalmspeak" which is the title of the blog. One entry includes a short definition of the term, psalm.

Psalm 21

Look to Haifa, all Israel;
~~Look to Israel, Haifa, from Mount Carmel.

Look to Israel, all people;
~~Look to all people, Israel, from The Universal House of Justice on the holy mountain.

Look to the House of Justice, all lands and earth;
~~Look, lands homeless, hopeless, to the hope of justice in the house of man.

Psalm 20 (a lament)

“O Children of Men! Know ye not why We created you all from the same dust? That no one should exalt himself over the other.” -- The Hidden Words of Baha’u’llah

***

God, why are You eclipsed by men in power and full?
~~They are seen as great: large as the sun, as bright as stars,
~~yet they are no more than a moment’s moon: when will You appear again?

Send a savory ray to me between the rue and rain you gather over them;
~~become a healing balm to the meek; break up the bombs of the ill.

The vain make their plan and ask Your blessing;
~~I make no plan and ask Your will.

In the beginning, the prideful, proud of their pride, see a world of weapon and wound;
~~in the end, the innocent, afraid to fear, see an earth of war or worth.

In their desire for more, the proud mar Your store,
~~but they can never harm You.

I struggle against them,
~~but I have harmed no one: save me.

They fight the other’s body to the ground;
~~I fight them all: have I thrown down my own soul?

When we end the ruin, battle and field humbled to dust,
~~help us then begin to raise the path where praise will lead us.

Psalm 19

Man, woman, religion, race, nation:
~~How can we hope to find truth?
~~How can we know?
~~How can we be free?

Man, woman, religion, race, nation:
~~Stand in the open,

And let truth find you:
~~Stand, open, hope, know. Be free.

Psalm 18

As gem in geode, honey in the comb;
~~As oasis in sand, pearl in the shell:
So shape the good in man, O God;
~~So school the newfound pulse in the heart's nest.