Shepherd’s Morning Psalm
A Psalm in the morning …
My rest has ended, but Yours never began
You have kept me through my slumber
You were awake keeping watch with concern and prudence.
Your grand omniscience is to be marveled
Your awesome power too grand to comprehend.
When I consider your grandness, why do I struggle so to fix myself upon Your ways?
For when I contemplate You, I find solace, guidance, and meaning.
But, when my eyes are elsewhere, I am lost and so easily entangled.
Have mercy upon my weakness, Your child who needs sleep and sustenance to live.
Guard my eyes, set Yourself as a watchman over my senses.
Surely you are able to do this for Your namesake.
For I desire to see Your riches, the depths of Your wisdom, the vastness of Your understanding.
Make this day a day of journeying into Your glory, steadfast, immovable, purposeful.
Deepen my resolve, set my face, steps, and engagements in the direction of your love.
Set me upon Your high tower and protect me from the assault of the enemy.
Surround me, empower me with Your Holy Spirit.
Strengthen my heart with the glories of Your salvation and the wonders of Your Son.
Bring to bear upon my soul Your lovingkindness.
Raise me to be a shepherd of Your people, don’t let me waste the strength You provide.
Give me a heart of compassion, a mind with understanding, feet to lead, arms that care.
Open Your word to my eyes, enlighten my soul with its wisdom, cause me to speak forth its truth.
All this.
But not for me. For I am but a man.
All this.
For You.
For Your namesake.
For I have taken Your name and have been joined with it.
Don’t let Your name be sullied by my ineptitude, but glorify it, lift it up, let others see Your glory.
Strengthen me to hoist up Your standard so eyes may fall upon Your goodness and be drawn to You.
Let me be a bucket to draw from Your well of living water,
the pole upon which to fly Your banner of truth,
a brick on the path to Your Kingdom of peace.
What great joy I might have to lift You up and bring You glory.
