Psalm (my commander) 90

Be my commander, Lord;
~~be my commander and chief.

Men give orders,
~~but you give order to the world.

Men range mountains,
~~but you make the mountains to range.

Man’s might, with all his war, is in your power;
~~with all your power to do as you might, Lord, hear my prayer:

free the captives of the world;
~~free a world captive to war.

Psalm (no other) 88

No fortress of stone nor palace of gold will still my soul;
~~not a fortress in mountain mist or palace of sun in a sapphire sky will still my ceaseless soul.

Nothing in my honor named on a banner,
~~not anything known of my renown raised on a towering standard;

None such as mother of pearl,
~~no one so much as queen of hearts;

Never a sword of glory,
~~not ever a saber of greatness in feat or threat;

Neither wellspring of healing nor fountain of youth,
~~not either diamond mine or lion’s pride, not even royal robe or cloak or warm-blooded coat;

Nor silver spoon and noble land,
~~neither any table spread with milk and honey;

Naught but God alone will fill the whole of my soul;
~~none ought but God, for no other will fill my soul.

Psalm (Angels) 87

Angels, surround me, come down around me:
~~angels surround me, angels come down around me.

Angels, calm me:
~~angels calm me, comfort and console me.

Angels, guide me:
~~angels guide me, guard and teach me.

Angels, hear me:
~~angels hear me.

Psalm (May 23) 85

Raise my spirit, O my soul, to such rays of inspiration that I find myself above the realm of rise and fall;
~~rouse my sight, O my soul, to the site of streaming light, past days of shameless waste and the dark hunger of night.

Lift my innocence, O my soul, like a windborne seed;
~~begin an air of wonder in newfound life, O my soul, with a wakened planting, like a beaming stand of trees, or a grace of ease to stand on the springborn’s first morning.

Psalm 59

Nearing God increases wonder,

~~and nearing His whisper fills the listening soul:

His hum gives assurance;

~~His tap and pat begin and confirm a firm course.

His ringing call,

~~His thunderous-sounding ponderous pounding,

His vast and sweeping overpowering hail astounding

~~swell the trembling, listening, hearing soul.

Psalm 24

A man in prayer is as quiet as the wind when the wind is quiet,
its breezy breath struggled still;
~~a limb in praise is as quick as the wind when the wind is quickened,
bending bough into bow, branch bowing low,
bridged to fit a higher will.