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    Psalms Redux: Poems and prayers
    Psalms Redux: Poems and prayers
    Psalms Redux: Poems and prayers
    Ebook134 pages1 hour

    Psalms Redux: Poems and prayers

    By Carla A. Grosch-Miller

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    About this ebook

    These striking poems take the powerful themes of the Psalms and transpose them from a distant and ancient culture to a contemporary one with recognizable images and metaphors. Combining raw honesty with beauty and depth, they explore every human experience from rage at life’s cruelty to joy at life’s blessings.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherCanterbury Press
    Release dateJul 9, 2014
    ISBN9781848256415
    Psalms Redux: Poems and prayers

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      Book preview

      Psalms Redux - Carla A. Grosch-Miller

      Introduction

      This project began out of the blue when, after a number of years of sporadic attempts at daily prayer, I resolved at the start of 2012 to use every day a prayer book I had been using on and off since 1998, A Guide to Prayer for All God’s People.¹ This treasured book contains daily scripture readings, other devotional offerings, a hymn and, most importantly for this project, a weekly psalm.

      The first week I stumbled over the psalm. The metaphors used and structures of belief underpinning the idea of God simply did not relate to my faith. Whilst the original words had a beauty and resonance that came from the wisdom of the early writer and my own deep familiarity with the text, I could not pray that first psalm (and some others after that) at depth and with integrity. So I rewrote it and christened it a Psalm redux, the ‘redux’ signifying that it was a restoration and refreshment of the ancient text.

      From that time on, I found the writing of a weekly psalm redux to be part of my prayer discipline, sometimes hesitantly (reluctant to disturb ancient texts so beautiful and meaningful), other times of necessity. A few of the psalms reflect the wrestling that accompanies the emergence of new understandings of the God who gives us life and invites us to flourish.

      Psalms redux are not meant to supplant the psalms that are the foundation and poetry of our faith. Rather they are prayer aids for those of us who need a fresh language that guides us into the depths of renewing prayer. Most are geared to the individual at prayer; some are easily used in corporate worship.

      I offer these to you with the prayer that they will refresh your prayer life and guide you into the depths, as they have for me.

      Carla A. Grosch-Miller

      Oxford 2013

      1 Job, R.P. and Shawchuck, N., 1989, Nashville: Upper Room Books.

      Psalm 1 redux

      Delight is born of discipline chosen.

      Contentment grows with wisdom.

      Deep listening leads

      along a cairn-marked trail,

      dew clinging to grass bent

      by pilgrim feet.

      The sky is blue here.

      Birdsong lifts the head.

      A cool breeze caresses the cheek.

      Legs grow strong like tree trunks;

      arms branch flexibly

      and dance with the wind.

      From each finger drips

      a ripening fruit.

      The water is fresh and clear.

      The plain is broad.

      Come.

      Psalm 3 redux

      The sins of religion have gone public:

      rigidity, hypocrisy, intolerance, wilful ignorance

      and worse –

      the crushing of the spirit of those whom God

      cherishes,

      the dealing of death to those whose life is precious.

      In response, many are faith’s foes.

      Talk of the Holy is met with distain and mockery.

      But You, O God, continue to re-create the world,

      dancing at the fragile edge,

      breathing at the margins,

      in vulnerability offering Yourself

      again and again.

      You call us into quiet, into a nurturing beyond words.

      You strengthen our backs and stretch our hearts.

      You lift our heads and spur our songs.

      You move in and beyond us,

      inviting us to fashion the world anew in love.

      Each day I awaken,

      aware of Your sustaining presence

      which holds the planets

      and sparks our imaginations.

      There is nothing to fear,

      though much to lose.

      When we turn away from You,

      we turn away from life.

      Psalm 4 redux

      I claim my righteousness in the face of those

      who would deny me my right,

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