Lesson from the Psalms a selection from Psalm 77
I cry aloud to You, O Friend,
to the Eternal Listener, that I might be heard.
In the day of trouble I seek the Beloved;
in the night my hand is stretched out in prayer;
my soul yearns to be comforted.
I think of the Beloved, and I moan;
I meditate, and my spirit is weak.
You trouble me and I cannot find peace;
I am so fearful, I cannot sleep;
I am so filled with fantasies I cannot speak out.
How well I remember years past,
when You were a companion close by.
I commune with my heart all through the night;
I meditate, my spirit seeking its Friend:
“Will You abandon me forever, and
leave me comfortless in my distress?
Where is your steadfast Love that made my soul to sing?
Are your promises empty, that I feel so alone?
I call to mind the closeness of my Friend;
yes, I remember the joy of the Beloved’s presence.
I contemplate in the Silence,
recalling how You led me along the Way;
For your Way, O Beloved, is holy.
There is no other like You!
You are the One who will bring us to wholeness,
You manifest your Love to all who call upon You;
With You the peoples are redeemed,
the nations brought to peace.