The wide skies Speak of his mercy, and the distant hills Stand in his steadfast love
We resume our poetic journey through the psalms and come today to psalm 25, a little landmark and staging post, exactly one sixth of the way through the psalter. It’s a good psalm for pausing on the journey, taking stock, getting a good view of the way ahead for psalm 25 is all about putting earthly life in the heavenly perspective. I particularly like the line in verse 14:
Mine eyes are ever looking unto the Lord: for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.
If I look down too often at my own tangles they get more tangled still whereas if I look up to Christ and trust him, he can gradually do some of the untangling for me, a theme I have developed in my response to this psalm.
As we reflect at this staging post, can I say a big thank you to everyone who has supported me me with a friendly ‘cup of coffee’ over the past month or so. It’s been very encouraging, and as a result I feel much more secure going forward into my new life as full-time poet. But can I also add that although the ‘buy me a coffee’ button is there for anyone to use at the end of these posts, there is absolutely no obligation, and it need only be an occasional thing. These posts themselves will of course always be absolutely free to all. (you can read more about the whole coffee thing and why I started it on this previous post)
As usual you can hear the poems by pressing the ‘play’ button if it appears, or else by clicking on the title.
The gates will open for us both, look up!
I hear that voice each day when I’m downcast
I hear it when I’ve almost lost my hope
And now, when I’m entangled by my past,
My feet are netted by necessity,
Snared in the traps of time that bind so fast,
My eyes turned downward, dimmed by what they see,
I hear that voice again and raise my eyes
And he untangles me and sets me free.
He alters my perspective. The wide skies
Speak of his mercy, and the distant hills
Stand in his steadfast love and make me wise
In his simplicity, and all my ills
Diminish and recede to their true size.
That I may find my peace in all he wills.
If you are enjoying these posts, you might like, on occasion, (not every time of course!) to pop in and buy me a cup of coffee. Clicking on this banner will take you to a page where you can do so, if you wish. But please do not feel any obligation!
Malcolm Guite 
Dear Malcolm Thanks for your insight into the Psalms. I follow the Lectionary (or try to) but always struggle with the Psalms. I find them distant and anachronistic, yet I’m aware that so many people over millennia gain a great deal from them. By focussing on an aspect and opening it up to modern ears (in such wonderful verse), you are breathing new life into them.
I presume you will be making this Psalm Corona into a book. I like to see how your language resonates with the original that you follow. May I suggest that you include that version with each poem, or at least a relevant section of the Psalm.
Thanks for virtually dropping by every day.
Margaret Roberts
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Thanks Margaret. Yes it will indeed be a book coming out next year. My publisher thinks including the whole text of all the psalms as well as the poems will make it too bulky but I will probably preface each poem with a relevant verse in the Coverdale translation
Thank you Malcolm.
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Hello! I have followed you on facebook since meeting you at Kindlingsfest on Orcas Island and finally clued in to the fact that I should find you here on WordPress. Thanks for bringing a little bit of the UK here to me in Minnesota – as well, of course, as bringing the Word and your lovely poetry. 🙂
Hi Gretchen. Glad you’ve found me here!
Kindlingsfest is where we, too, first met Malcolm Guite, Dick Staub, Jerry Root, Jeff Johnson and so many others. Don’t you miss those Kfests?!? I certainly do. I am an avid Malcolm Guite follower and am signed up on-line for auditing his Regent College course, Poetic Meditations of the Teachings of Jesus. I anticipate a rich, rich blessing! Dr. Guite, I refer to you as my 21st Century mentor. I thoroughly enjoy your perspective. Thank you.
Many thanks. Look forward to joining you on the course!
Thank you for this! I’m looking into “attending” as well. https://www.regent-college.edu/summer/courses/course-details?course_id=INDS.542&track=summer
I do miss them, yes! Enjoy that class!
Nice to have the link to your response to Psalm 24 here .. since that is the phrase I copied next to Psalm 24 early this morning from recall and then thought how did Malcolm respond to Psalm 25? Thank you
Glad you found it