Today's Poem: Sing and Praise:

Sometimes a light surprises
believers while they sing
It is the L-rd Who rises
With healing in His wings

When comforts are declining
He grants the soul again
A season of clear shining
To clear it after rain

In holy contemplation
We sweetly then pursue
The theme of G-d's salvation
And find it ever new

Set free from present sorrow
We cheerfully can say
Let the unknown tomorrow
Bring with it what it may

It can bring with it nothing
But He will bear us through
Who gives the lilies clothing
Will clothe His people too

Beneath the spreading heavens
No creature but is fed
And He Who feeds the ravens
Will give His children bread

Though vine nor fig tree neither
Their wonted fruit should bear
Though all the fields should wither
Nor flocks nor herds be there

Yet G-d the same abiding
His praise shall tune my voice
For while in Him confiding
I cannot but sing and rejoice.

PRAYERS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT --- PART 9

Majestic Sovereign, Timeless Wisdom, Your kindness melts my hard, cold soul. Handsome Lover, Selfless Giver, Your beauty fills my dull, sad eyes. I am Yours, You made me. I am Yours, You called me. I am Yours, You saved me. I am Yours, You loved me. I will never leave Your presence. Give me death, give me life. Give me sickness, give me health. Give me honour, give me shame. Give me weakness, give me strength. I will have whatever You give. (Song of Songs 2).

I ask You, Adonai Yeshua, to develop in me, Your lover, an immeasurable urge toward You, an affection that is unbounded, a longing that is unrestrained, a fervour that throws discretion to the winds! The more worthwhile our love for You, all the more pressing does it become. Reason cannot hold it in check, fear does not make it tremble, and wise judgment does not temper it. (Song of Songs 8).

Merciful Father, we come to You confessing the sins of our civilization, in which we have all shared. We have been so bent upon our selfish ends that we would not stop to have mercy. When we have seen those whom the injustices of the world have bruised and beaten, we have passed by on the other side. We have built around ourselves the walls of privilege, within which we might not hear the passion of exploited men, the weeping of women, and the bitter cry of children robbed of happy youth. O YAHVEH of judgment, make us fit to ask for Your forgiveness before it is too late. (Isaiah 1).

Almighty YAHVEH and Father of light, a child is born for us and a son is given to us. Your eternal Word leaped down from heaven in the silent watches of the night, and now Your Church is filled with wonder at the nearness of her YAHVEH. Open our heart to receive his life and increase our vision with the rising of dawn, that our life may be filled with His glory and His peace, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. (Isaiah 9).

Adonai, we beseech You to help and defend us. Deliver the oppressed, pity the poor, uplift those who have fallen, be the portion of those in need, return to Your care those who have feed the hungry, strengthen the weak, and break the chains of the prisoners. May all people come to know that You only are YAHVEH, that Yeshua HaMashiach is Your Son, and that we are Your people and the sheep of Your pasture.
(Isaiah 25).

O eternal and most glorious YAHVEH, You who assure us that precious in Your sight is the death of Your saints, enable us in life and death, seriously to consider the value, the price of a soul. It is precious, O Adonai, because Your image is stamped and imprinted upon it; precious, because the blood of Your Son was paid for it; precious, because Your blessed Spirit, Ruach HaKodesh, works upon it and tests it by His various fires; and precious, because it is entered into Your revenue and made part of Your treasure. (Isaiah 43)

I asked for strength that I might achieve; I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey. I asked for health that I might do greater things; I was given infirmity that I might do better things. I asked for riches that I might be happy; I was given poverty that I might be wise. I asked for power that I might have the praise of men; I was given weakness that I might feel the need of YAHVEH. I asked for all things that I might enjoy life; I was given life that I might enjoy all things. I got nothing that I had asked for but everything that I had hoped for. Almost despite myself my unspoken prayers were answered; I am, among all men, most richly blessed. (Isaiah 55).

Behold Adonai, an empty vessel that needs to be filled. My Adonai, fill it. My faith is weak; strengthen me. I am cold in love; warm me and make me fervent that my love may go out to my neighbour. I do not have a strong and firm faith; at times I doubt and am unable to trust You altogether. O Adonai, help me. Strengthen my faith and trust in You. In You I have sealed the treasures of all I have. I am poor; You are rich and did come to be merciful to the poor. I am a sinner; You are upright. With me there is an abundance of sin; in You is the fullness of righteousness. Therefore, I will remain with You of whom I can receive but to whom I may not give. (Isaiah 65).

Grant to me, O Adonai, to know what I ought to know, to love what I ought to love, to praise what delights You most, to value what is precious in Your sight, to hate what is offensive to You. Do not suffer me to judge according to the sight of my eyes nor to pass sentence according to the hearing of the ears of ignorant men; but to discern with true judgment between things visible and spiritual, and above all things to enquire what the good pleasure of Your will is. (Jeremiah 8).

Hello everyone! Hope everyone has had a happy Feast of Tabernacles!