Oh Jesus, show me once again the path out of my sadness
In many respects psalm 43 is a direct continuation of psalm 42, indeed some editions run them together, so this pairing of psalm 41/42 is a good place for my choice of the ‘corona’ form for this sequence of poems in which the last line of each poem forms the first line of the next, and at the end of my response to 43 I return to the image of the living waters which was central to my poem on psalm 42
As usual you can hear me read the poem by pressing the ‘play’ button if it appears, or else by clicking on the title. For the other poems in my psalm series type the word ‘psalm’ into the search box on the right.
Shucked of the husk of all my wasted years
I long to step forth, free of all encumbrance
To set aside the heaviness, the tears,
The sin that clings so close, the doleful hindrance
Of resentment and regret, to let them go
Roll them below the cross, as Christian once
Did in his pilgrim’s progress. Then I‘d know
A lighter step once more, the joy and gladness
The psalmist longs for here. Oh Jesus, show
Me once again the path out of my sadness
And set my steps back on your holy hill,
Send out your light and truth to be my witness
And since I cannot climb by my own will
Abide with me and be my will, my strength,
The living fountain whence I drink my fill.
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Malcolm Guite 