Psalm 68: A threnody for 9/11
God has arisen.
He has gone up.
He’s gone and we are left here on earth.
His enemies are scattered.
They have filled the earth.
In every community they crow and strut.
In every village and valley they rule
while the righteous are ruined.
Bomb-makers. Mine-makers.
Sweatshop slave-drivers. Swindlers and exploiters.
Bureaucrats and topcats swilling the lifeblood of their citizens
and trampling the daily bread of their victims.
This planet is hell for the heaven-bound.
We are all orphans and widows.
Every motherless child and grieving mom is our family member.
Fallen firefighters. Prisoners of war. Bombed mosques.
Where is the Prince of Peace?
Where is the King who ascended?
Where are his chariots?
Ride on the clouds. Right now.
Come, make the earth shake. Send a second flood.
We don’t need rainbows. We need an ark.
Wow. Moving, beautiful, and true. Excellent job. And thank you for daring to including “bombed mosques.”
Thanks, Phil. I’ve edited the title and a few other things. It will probably continue to change as I reflect on this day.
That is cool. FYI, there is biblical precedent for this kind of thing. Note how Ps 73 turns Ps 37 upside down.
I will do that. Thanks.
excellent – the implied lament is just what prayer is about – you do make sense of this psalm!
deep and powerful