Psalm 36

In my heart, I understand this

– malevolence initiates violation –

without reverence for Godde there is no true vision. 

Faulty vision promotes cheating in order to make life easy

but wrongs are soon discovered and hatred surfaces ...

When one has stopped being wise,

                        stopped being kind, words become deceitful, errant …

Lying in bed devising trouble … not hating evil,

establishes one on a destructive path

O my Guardian, your kindness fills the heavens,
your faithfulness reaches to the skies,

your integrity is like your mountains, O Godde,
your judgments are great and deep …

You save both mortals and beasts,

O Godde, our Protector!

How precious, Godde, is your grace!

You creation trusts you even as you overshadow it;

all feast upon the rich goodness found within your house,
you allow them drink from the stream of your delights.

You provide the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.

Continue offering your grace to those who know you
and your close presence to the hearts that seek you.

Don’t let pride interfere,
don't wickedness push me away …

There evil lies, forever fallen,
flung down, unable to rise.

Psalm 35

My Guardian,

strive with all that strives against me,

fight against that which oppresses me …

Shield and protect me,

be my strong defense;

Say to me I am your salvation.

Those who would harm my soul

will blush with shame, those devising evil

are confounded and will repent …

My Protector, your angel will drive them away

like cut grass in the wind, your angel will pursue them

along a dark and slippery path.

Without cause, they prepared a net for me

they dug a trap to catch me …

Desolation overcomes the one who seeks to surprise

the concealed net captures the concealer

who falls into desolation … 

Let me rejoice in my Guardian;

I will delight in Godde's salvation. 

 

Deep in my bones I ask, who is like you?

Who else can rescue the weak from the strong;
the poor and needy

from those who exploit them?

Violent witnesses rise up,

questioning me, yet I am innocent ...

They replace good with evil, and I grieve …

Yet I humbled myself with fasting and praying

for their sakes;

And when my prayer returned to my heart,

I mourned for them.

I went walking, mourning for them

as if they were a brother or friend,

I grieved as if they were my mother;

I was bent over with weeping.

My stumbling delights them;

they gather, looking to take me unawares,

their whisperings tear me apart.

Within a twisted and mocking mask

the godless bare their teeth …

My Guardian,

how much longer will you just look on?

Rescue me from this ravaging,

this lion that would devour my soul.

I thank you in the great assembly

I praise you among the crowds of people.

They won't gloat over me,

they won't squint hatefully at me ...

they can not speak peaceful words

but devise deceit against those who are peaceful.

They shout their accusations – Hah !

We saw you with our own eyes!

But you saw them, My Protector,

don't stay silent, don't stay away from me …

Awaken! Come to my aid, my Godde, my Guardian!

Acquit me by your incorruptibility, my Guardian,

my Godde, then they will not gloat over me …

 

They won't say Hah! We've got all that we want

or We've consumed them …

Disgrace and humiliation return

to those who gloat over another's distress,

confusion and shame come

to those who aggrandize themselves at another's expense ...

Rejoicing and gladness come
to those who delight in incorruptibility; 

they will say Our Protector is great

and delights in giving peace to those who serve ...

I will tell of your integrity

and praise you all day long.