Save me Father
Liam Lyons ‘22
Psalm 69
Save me, God,
for the waters have reached my neck.
I have sunk into the mire of the deep,
where there is no foothold.
I have gone down to the watery depths;
the flood overwhelms me.
I am weary with crying out;
my throat is parched.
My eyes fail,
from looking for my God.
More numerous than the hairs of my head
are those who hate me without cause.
Those who would destroy me are mighty,
my enemies without reason.
Must I now restore
what I did not steal?
Reflection:
I used this psalm for the fact that not only I liked the theme of it but the message really hit hard with me. You may just believe that this is only referring to one that is drowning but I see it as more. The drowning, in my eyes, refers to someone who is losing or has lost touch with God. The person is failing to call out or reach God as he is losing his life and his faith. But even in our darkest hour God has our back. He will always be there from the beginning to the end. The enemies or people who may not like us will always be there but at the end of the day we are our biggest enemy. When we shut out God and the ones who care about us that is when we begin to fall or drown in this case. We must live every day thankful to God and the gifts we have received because we will never know when it’ll be taken away from us.
My Prayer:
Save Me Father
O God, please help me.
The waters have swarmed me in from the shore,
enhancing me in the tide.
I fail to see or hear you,
for in my darkest hour I am losing Faith.
Keep me strong father,
as I do not know how much longer I can remain.
My enemies draw near,
to see the collapse of myself.
At the end of it all,
I will consider restoring what I have broken.
Times of Trouble
Connor Melean ‘22
Psalm 142: 1-7
I cry out with my voice to the Lord;
With my voice I implore the Lord for compassion.
I pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare my trouble before Him.
When my spirit felt weak within me,
You knew my path.
In the way where I walk
They have hidden a trap for me.
Look to the right and see;
For there is no one who regards me favorably;
There is no escape for me;
No one cares for my soul.
I cried out to You, Lord;
I said, “You are my refuge,
My portion in the land of the living.
Give Your attention to my cry,
For I have been brought very low;
Rescue me from my persecutors,
For they are too strong for me.
Bring my soul out of prison,
So that I may give thanks to Your name;
The righteous will surround me,
For You will look after me.”
Reflection:
This prayer is about keeping faith in God and His plan even when things get hard. This prayer spoke to me because I have gone through times when it seems like everything I have worked for was for nothing or everyone is against me. I understand how it can be very difficult to see God’s plan and love for us during a crisis. This prayer is reminiscent of the story of Job, where even after losing everything in life, his wealth, his property, and his family, Job is still able to love God and have faith in Him. This psalm is a great example of how we need to trust God in both the good times and the bad.
My Prayer:
I cry out for the Lord
And I tell him of my plight
When I could not find faith
The Lord still had love for me
When all those around had turned on me
He was still there for me
Even though no one else was
I cried out to you, Lord
I said, “You are my rock, my foundation on Earth.”
Acknowledge my pleas
For I have been pushed in a hole
Save me from my enemies
For I cannot face them alone
Free me from this fate
So then I remain in your grace
The right thing will be done
As long as I have you on my side
Forgiveness For Progression
Jesus Reyes ‘22
Psalm 25: 1-7
Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.
3 Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.
4 Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths.
5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.
6 Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O Lord.
Reflection:
This psalm speaks to me because I can connect to it personally. I feel like people should not be looked down upon because of their past because it will then affect their future. I am a firm believer that anyone can progress as a person regardless of their past will the right people around them. The image above is a perfect example of what people who are lost need in their life. I think that anyone who is going through any type of problems should refer to God. I personally have a past I am not proud of, but that did not mean I could not change into the person I wanted to become. This psalm is amazing and especially for people who might be in a crossroads and they need help choosing the right path.
My Prayer:
I am yours O Lord
2 Lord my god, my trust is in you, do not be ashamed of my wrongdoings.
- Not to judge because I have sinned, but those who have not changed when they have sinned.
- Show me the right path my lord, guide me towards good.
- Lead me to the truth and teach me your ever knowing knowledge.
- Remember my love and kindness Lord, have mercy upon me.
- Please Lord do not judge my past, but keep in mind my good intentions and actions.
The Light at the End of the Tunnel
Gavin Ward ‘22
Psalm 27: 1-6
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The Lord is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
When evildoers come at me
to devour my flesh,[b]
These my enemies and foes
themselves stumble and fall.
Though an army encamp against me,
my heart does not fear;
Though war be waged against me,
even then do I trust.
One thing I ask of the Lord;
this I seek:
To dwell in the Lord’s house
all the days of my life,
To gaze on the Lord’s beauty,
to visit his temple.
For God will hide me in his shelter
in time of trouble,
He will conceal me in the cover of his tent;
and set me high upon a rock.
Even now my head is held high
above my enemies on every side!
I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and chant praise to the Lord.
Reflection: When I read this psalm, I pictured a dark tunnel with a glimmer of light at the end. When we walk along our path of life without God, it feels like walking through a dark tunnel. It is very lonely and there is a feeling of uncertainty. You do not trust the tunnel and are afraid of something happening with each step you take. When we start to include God in our journey through life, then we start to see that light at the end of the tunnel. Once we fully open up and allow God to fully be in our lives, we will finally reach that light at the end of the tunnel.
My Prayer:
With God on my side, what should I be afraid of?
He protects me from harm and keeps me safe.
I seek to grow close to God and be close to him for the rest of my life, for he will give me shelter when I need it most.
Now, with the help of God, I have risen above the evil, but I will always remember to give thanks and praise to the lord.
The Lord Is Here, the Lord Is Alive
Joe Ternes ‘22
Psalm 42: 1-3
As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
My tears have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
Reflection: This Psalm stuck out to me because it is so meaningful. It has so much meaning and hidden details. We all are looking for God, we might not know where to start. But, that doesn’t matter. As long as we start somewhere we are doing good. After we start looking we will find him. After we find him, we will get this constant need or “thirst” for Him. When it says, “When can I go meet with God?” I think we have already met Him. The last reason it stuck out to me was when it said “While people say to me all day long, Where is your God?” Many people think this and say this. They are lost and we need to help them find the right way.
This relates to my life because I have a constant need for God. We should all have this. God protects us and did everything for us. I have a constant thirst for God too. This thirst brings me closer to Him everyday. Becoming closer to God has changed my life for the better. So now when people ask me “Where is your God?” I try to help them find Him. Whether they believe me or not, I try to show them the way to righteousness with every answer I have.
My Prayer:
A wild animal pants for a river filler with water,
Like how my soul pants for my God.
Our soul needs God, it thirsts for God,
for the God that is still alive.
Where can we find and meet my God?
The God we all have been looking for.
My sorrows are my food,
24 hours a day.
People say to me 24 hours a day,
“Show us your God.” Even though we already have seen our God.
Amen.
