Psalm 102

God, you say I'm a saint,
but I feel only like a sinner.
Every careless word,
every stupid act
shows up to haunt my steps.
Thoughts assail me, crying out,
"You are worthless.
You are terrible.
You are a horrible person!"
How can I silence them?
They seem so true to me.
I feel like nothing,
a beaten down blade of grass
crushed under the weight of imperfection.
I know you love me,
but I don't feel love for myself.

Help me, Lord!
Help me to feel your love.
I want to grasp the depth of your compassion.
In me is only despair,
the thought I can never be better than I am.
Let me feel the arms of my savior,
he who gave his life for me,
holding me tight, squeezing my hand,
and whispering, "You were worth it.
Nothing you can do will stop me from loving you."
I long to hear these words,
now in the midst of my depression.
Speak to me!
May I hear your voice!

Psalm 101

This psalm is written in response to the video here.

LORD God!!! Savior!!! Blow Taker!!!
I want to get out of the prison,
I want to stay out of the prison.
I don't want to make grace small,
released from the penalty
but staying in the cell.
I want to WALK THROUGH THE DOOR!
Keep me outside the door.
I want to live in my relationship with you,
a child invited and welcomed into your house,
your adopted daughter,
one with you.
Dress me in your armor,
cover me with your protection,
send me into the world
with a heart and mouth
bold to proclaim your truth.
Make me a lion that roars out,
"I am a lamb rescued by my Shepherd!
I will not yield!
I will not give in!
I will stand and cry out,
'My God reigns!
He can release you!"
This is my cry today.
This where I want to go

and this is what I want to do.

Psalm 100

O Yahweh, hear my cry!
I live in a world of evil,
evil appears on every side.
Morals and values have disappeared
swallowed up in convenience and pride.
Time is a rushing stream,
people dive into it and are swept away.
They say, "I must fill my life with the flesh,
with every thing my eyes see as good."
There is no thought of restraint,
no contemplation of good or evil.

For satisfaction, citizens have given up their rights
so that they may be oppressed.
"Save us!" they cry to their leaders,
but their leaders answer in confusion,
a busy mockery themselves.
There is no salvation in the ways of men,
men lack eternity and a sovereign mind.
How can fallen man save fallen man?
Like blind men trying to cross a ditch
are those who trust in sinful man.
There is no hope in this way.

Lord, even the religious have forsaken truth!
They cling to traditions or rules,
they hold tightly to man's opinions.
They sing out, "Worship, worship!"
yet turn around and fill their actions with sin.
They make for themselves a cheap grace,
treading down the gift given to them.
Who is the man on the cross?
They want no true allegiance to him.
To love him they must obey,
but this they find too "hard" to bear.

But as for me, abolish sin in me.
I do not harbor evil in my heart,
may evil never rule over me.
Let me fix my eyes on your cross,
Jesus Christ, whose blood washes me.
May fruit grow forth from my life
out of a heart of obedience, of love.
May my allegiance be to the Lamb who was slain,
to the Lamb sacrificed on my behalf.
Make my life, O Lord, an offering,
an offering of truth, morality and inestimable value.