Psalm 78

Gather round, I have a story to tell. Of old things and faraway things.

A story my grandfather sang and I will sing to you.

Remember it well and teach your children's children. For this is how we began.

Let not even the strongest or greatest of us forget what Yahweh has done.

His miracles are beyond understanding and too numerous to count;

But listen as I remind you where we came from.

Of how He parted the sea and raised it like a wall. Of when He split rocks out poured an ocean.

But even then there were those without faith. Who sat mocking and laughing;

Saying 'but water is not enough. Give us bread. Give us meat.'

And despite His anger, He still opened the heavens and let the manna down;

Even in His righteous fury, He gave us the very bread of angels.

Remember my children, this is the God that created all, and with a breath He summoned the winds.

From the East and from the South, He blew in quail until the birds overran the camps.

But still the people doubted and they turned their fickle backs, trusting their own destiny;

But whenever He showed anger, they spun around and plead mercy.

Back and forth they wavered; flattering Yahweh one moment and cursing Him the next.

This was their God - their redeemer, rock, fortress - their guide through the desert.

The One they kept turning against.

Time and time again He forgave them; remembering their frailty, He held back His anger.

Yet it was like they did not remember His great power and their salvation from Pharaoh.

Yahweh turned the Nile itself to blood. He sent flies and frogs.

Gave the Egyptian crops over to locusts. Rained down hail and sleet. Sent boils and disease.

In His rage at Osiris and Isis He sent darkness and death.

But Israel He spared; and like a shepherd, He led them out of Egypt, guiding them like sheep.

He parted the red waters and swept away the harrying chariots with His crashing tide.

And so He brought His children to the very border of His holy land.

He cleared the way and divided the pastures as a father gives inheritance.

But once more they rebelled and like their fathers before them, they were wild and reckless;

The laws of Yahweh went unheeded, His statutes unregarded.

Instead they raised alters to foreign gods and sang praise to other lords.

So He withdrew His glory, pulling back from His temple.

With a pang, He allowed war to engulf His favoured children; for fire and sword to ravage their home.

Until at last, like one awakening from sleep, He arose, beating back Israelite enemies and destroying their foes.

With a tender sweep, He gathered His children into His arms.

And He selected Zion, the mount He loved, settling once more as God of His people.

From amongst the sheep-littered hills, He called to David; taking the sheep-boy as royal shepherd to watch His children.

And so David now reigns, with a heart of justice and truth.






Prompt: Poem or short story for spiritual genre. Must contain: faith, destiny, time, watch, tide, ocean

Line Count: 37

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