Psalm 5: “Spinning” (Psalter Project)

“Sweet God, turn to me, I turn to you…” From “wooly thoughts” to “echoes laid straight,” here is my version of Psalm 5, “Spinning.” (My sister Lindsay and I are writing poems based on each of the psalms in order. You might want to start at the beginning of our Psalter Project, or see all the psalms I’ve posted so far.)

Sweet God, turn to me, I turn to you
I spin my wooly thoughts to yarn, made straight
You wind them in your hands and hold them still
And when my thoughts are gone again I wait

I wait for you, and waiting watch my thoughts:
You knit them into lace, and lace my heart
So in the morning grayness I will mumble
Mumbling, make the singing echoes start

I wait in peace because I know you’re good
You do not love the ugly thread of hate
You’d never love a liar, let her lie;
To smooth my path you’ll lay the echoes straight

But there are some who turn from you in hate
Their words spun stench of a decaying heart
Flattering words decay from sweet to stale
God, crush them with their echoes when they start

While those who talk to you can stand up straight
Enveloped in the cape you fling on them
Woven words and breath made plaid on your great
Loom, with laughter stitched into the hem