Psalm 8

O Lord, our Lord, in all the earth
Majestic is Your Name
The heav’ns above declare Your worth
And infants sing Your fame.

So glorious Your display of might
Your enemies must bow
Against You all must cease to fight
And all surrender now.

Considering the heavens grand
The moon and stars so fair
I wonder why You think of man
And treat him with such care.

With majesty and glory crowned
Just slightly less than God
For us the mysteries abound
Mere creatures made of sod.

All that You made is to us giv’n
Beneath our feet they yield
Fish in the seas and birds of heav’n
All creatures of the field.

O Lord, our Lord, we give You praise
Your glory we proclaim
Gladly our voices now we raise
Majestic is Your Name.

© 2014 J Dan Small

Psalm 7*

O Lord, my God, in You I take my refuge
Save me from those who want to take my life
Deliver now or like a lion, they’ll maul me
And I will die, their victim in this strife

O Lord, my God, do I deserve this trouble?
Have I done wrong to one who was my friend?
If I have sinned, then let them overtake me
Trample me down. my life bring to an end

Arise, O Lord, stand up against their rage
Rise up and judge, rise up and judge
Arise, O Lord stand up against their rage
Rise up and judge, rise up and judge

O Righteous Judge, You gather all the nations
You rule on high and render justice there
Defend my cause, my innocence reward now
But to the wicked, judgment now declare

The Lord is just, He tests the minds and hearts
He is a shield to all who walk upright
He does hate sin and will destroy in anger
All who rebel. Against them He will fight

The evil ones conceive, give birth to trouble
They set their traps, but fall in them in shame
O Lord Most High, because you always do right
I will sing praise and glorify Your Name.
© 2014 J Dan Small

*This Psalm is written to the meter of “How Great Thou Art”

In Your wrath do not strike me, O Lord
   Nor rebuke or Your anger display
Extend mercy for, Lord, I am weak
   Heal me, Lord, for my bones waste away.

Lord, how long must my heart remain sick?
   Won’t You come, rescue me in Your love?
If I die what is gained by my loss?
   From the grave can I praise You above?

All night long, tears stream down on my bed
   I’m exhausted and weak with this grief
Vision blurred, eyes grow dim in dismay
   From my foes I can find no relief.

But alas, evil men, you must flee
   For the Lord my cry heard and has come
The Lord heard and He answered my prayer
   In disgrace and great fear, off they run.

© 2014 J Dan Small

This is my morning prayer
O Lord, now hear my sigh
   My King, my God
   To You I pray
And eagerly draw nigh.

Not so the wicked man
He cannot near You dwell
   The boastful ones
   And those who lie
You will destroy in hell.

Your mercies are so vast
You open wide the gate
   Trembling I come
   Before You bow
My paths, O Lord,
make straight.

But those who walk in sin
Whose hearts and mouths rebel
   With flatt’ring tongues
   They’ll self-destruct
And with You cannot dwell.

Let all who trust, rejoice
E’en shout the joyful sound
   You shelter us
   We love Your Name
With blessings You surround.

© 2014 J Dan Small

Psalm 4

My righteousness comes from You, Lord
Please hear me when I cry
Your many answers I record
In grace, once more, draw nigh.

How long will you, O sons of earth
In dust my glory tread
How long, with lies, decry my worth
Your worthless slander spread?

This is my confidence each day
The Lord calls me His own
He always listens when I pray
He hears my every groan.

When anger threatens to control
He counsels me, “Be still
In righteousness restore your soul
Let trust your spirit fill.”

Where is the good?  Some hope for me?
My day is one long trial
If only I could see Your face
And feel Your gracious smile.

At last my heart with joy now sings
My life with good o’erflows
Only the Lord controls all things
Security He bestows.

O Lord, my enemies increase
So many to me say
“He can’t expect his God to help”
They taunt me night and day.

I know You are my Shield, O Lord
You lift me up with care
You wipe my tears and hear my cry
As I call out in prayer.

And so I lay me down to sleep
The Lord surrounds my bed
I will not fear the masses now
Their threats I will not dread.

Do save me now, O Lord, I pray
Rise up and strike them down
Salvation belongs to You, O Lord
Your blessings are my crown.

PSALM 2

The nations plot their futile schemes
The kings confide in vain
Determined in their silly pride
Emboldened by their fame.

“Who is the LORD that we should bow,
Or His anointed Son?
“We will not have them rule o’er us
Their rule and reign is done.”

Meanwhile, unmoved in Heav’n above
Their Maker hears their plans
He laughs uproariously at the joke
And then He takes the stand.

“On Zion’s hill My King shall come
My plan can’t be deterred
I have determined and decreed
All pow’r on Him’s conferred.”

“You are My well-beloved Son
I have begotten You
Ask for the Kingdom, it is Yours
And all these nations, too!”

“The Day will come when on the earth
Their reign of terror You’ll break
With rod of iron You’ll rule them all
Oe’r earth possession take.”

Take notice, then, you haughty kings
And judges of the earth
Worship the LORD in holy fear
And celebrate His worth.

Yes, humbly kiss the Son today
Don’t risk His holy wrath
He blesses all who trust in Him
Who walk His narrow path.

I’ve begun to “rewrite” the Psalms and will share them with you.

Psalm 1

Abundant blessings fill the lives
Of those who walk with God
Who listen not to godless talk
Nor linger where they trod

They treasure hearing what God says
Not mocking, godless speech
Both day and night to Him they turn
To learn what He would teach

There is a river flowing from
The living God above
And planted close so fruits abound
Are those who know His love

Like trees they prosper, standing tall
Unmoved by storms or drought
Not so the wicked who like chaff
By winds are tossed about

It won’t go well for folks like that
When the Great Judge they meet
They’ll have no place among the saints
Who at His table eat

The blessing on the saints is this
Each one the Lord does cherish
But, oh, the peril of the lost
Whose every hope will perish