A Host of Angels

Meaning in Psalm 89

by Alfred D. Byrd

OUR GOD is seated upon the Throne.
Around our God, a host of angels,
Countless in number, blazing with light,
Fall down as one in front of the One
Who spoke a word, and angels became.
The angels would say, "To fall to God
Lifts up one's heart to live in the truth."
Our God is greater than all that's made.
Our God exists without beginning;
Onset and outcome are one to God.
The earth, the heavens — the works of God
Belong to the One Who spoke a word
And made from nothing all things that are—
Among these things, the line of humans,
Fragile and fractious, but loved by God.
How happy are those who speak this truth:
"Our God, though high above the heavens,
Loves us who live below on the earth.
Our God, in love, has sent us a light,
A law of justice, the means to peace.
Our God appoints us shepherds to lead
The sheep to safety within the fold."

Amid a people chosen by God,
Our God appointed a youth as king.
His head made wet with oil of olives—
Symbol of Spirit, the breath of God—
The boy named David was set apart
From tending a flock to lead a land
To love its God in love of neighbors.
David received from God a promise:
"Nothing can part your life from My love.
You'll conquer the foes who hate My Name;
You'll build, through a son of peace to come,
A house for Me to live in your midst.
Recall My promise in times of grief.
Whenever princes of flesh and blood
Forget My light and walk in darkness,
Hardship and heartbreak will fall on you,
And you'll think, 'Our God is gone for good,'
But I'm the Faithful, the One Who keeps
Whatever promise I make secure.
Your time of darkness will end at last
When you turn to Me and see My light."

Misfortune would come, foretold by God.
Not even David was pure of heart.
A flame of lust would kindle murder;
Heartbreak would pass from father to son.
A temple was built, and built again.
A light from heaven came down awhile
And spoke as human heaven's wisdom:
"Only in God is peace to be found."
The light went back to heaven, and we
Have looked with hope to see it again.
Around us, meanwhile, darkness prevails.
Our leaders can't lead the flock to peace.
To them, we look in vain for guidance:
Teachers of law are twisting the truth
And making Your Name a word of hate.
"How long," we say, "can troubles go on?
Is God concealing the light from us?
Our lives go by as quickly as dreams,
Yet we see distress go on and on."

Amid the darkness, recall the One
Who promised the sheep, "My love endures."
If we turn our hearts to God in faith,
We'll find the light that lasts forever.
Nothing can hide from the light of God.
In darkness, evil triumphs awhile;
In the light, the will of God appears,
Restoring the reign of law — of love.
As you live in dark, but long for light,
Recall a promise, a word from God.
Let's pray, "Our God, please send us David,
Loving Your Name and living in truth.
We need a David to lead the sheep
From darkness to light around the Throne."

If this poem spoke to you, you may enjoy my Biblical epic poems

A Song of the One, the age-old account of Creatlon, Fall, Redemption, and Glory retold in verse for a new millennium, and

The Stars Bow Down: An Epic of Joseph, the timeless tale of a favorite son whose brothers sold him into slavery, but whom God raised from a prison to save the known world from famine.

A Fire Breaks Out

Meaning in Psalm 88

by Alfred D. Byrd

FACING a time of troubles, we find
A way to God that runs through darkness.
Nothing at all seems certain to us
While we look at death and live in fear.
A flood, it may be, has wrecked our homes
And left us feeling useless and old.
A fire breaks out, burning possessions.
Illness may rob us of youth and strength
And change us so much in eyes of friends
That they see no more what joys they knew—
They see a stranger, withered and weak.
How many the ways for good to go,
And evil — heartbreak — to come and stay.

Amid our pain, we feel rejected,
Looking around for the love of God.
We wonder whether our God has changed
A face of love for a face of wrath.
What wrong of ours has earned a judgment
Turning our hopes to dust and ashes?
"Surely," we say, "our God forgets us."
Empty, our days, and endless our nights,
November's dimness, bringing winter.
Sorrow will form the limits of life
Unless we look beyond our sight.

It's easy, in times of peace, to say,
"We'll meet in heaven and live in joy."
It's hard, in times of grief, not to think,
"What fools we were to believe in hope!"
Our eyes of flesh can't see the wonders
Witnessed by those who've gone to the grave.
Our ears of flesh can't hear thanksgiving
Offered to God by friends of our youth.
It's faith, not sight, that lets us proclaim,
"Our God is righteous, faithful to give
The gift of mercy to all who come,
Forsaking despair, to claim the joy
Of knowing the God Who knows our hearts."

Our God, we call from a world at war
To You, Who sit at peace on the Throne.
Remember our life, a work of Yours—
A work gone wrong, in need of Your aid.
We look for light in times of darkness;
Only in You can we find the light.
All things apart from You will perish;
Only what comes to You will abide.
Remind us, our God, of who You are,
And say, when we doubt, "I'm here with you,
And you will return at last to Me;
You'll see My face and live on with love."
Remind us, our God, to show Your love
As we live with those who need our help.

If this poem spoke to you, you may enjoy my Biblical epic poems

A Song of the One, the age-old account of Creatlon, Fall, Redemption, and Glory retold in verse for a new millennium, and

The Stars Bow Down: An Epic of Joseph, the timeless tale of a favorite son whose brothers sold him into slavery, but whom God raised from a prison to save the known world from famine.

A Place of Love

Meaning in Psalm 87

by Alfred D. Byrd

BEAUTIFUL city crowning a hill,
Our God has made a home in your midst.
Your walls divide a world of darkness
(Sorrows combining laughter with grief)
From a place of law, a place of love.
Your gates have opened a way of peace
For all who serve the will of the King.
Your streets are filled with pilgrims who shout,
"Let's go to the House of God today!"
A temple proclaims, "Our God has come
To live with us and become our guide
From despair to hope, from death to life."
How happy are those who come to light
As Zion's children, hearing the truth!

How sad the city before us today!
Divisions prosper; conflict is king.
Each tribe cries out, "The city is ours!"
Each tries to make of God a puppet
Serving agendas of pride and war.
"The spirit of God has gone away,"
A prophet tells us, "until we change."
Too often, we take the word amiss:
We change our clothing, but not our hearts.
In a world of haste that knows no rest,
We see the temple only by faith;
We wait for God to unveil the light.

When we hear the voice of God again
(Not one can name the day of hearing),
Zion will be a place of rebirth.
Not only a tribe that keeps the Law,
But a host that turns the nations to one,
Will come to Zion to worship its King,
The One Who counts the nations as dust,
But deems each life more precious than gold.
In streets untroubled, dancers will sing,
"We've found the blessings of God at last."

The day of peace seems distant to us,
But dawns already, chosen by God.
While we wait to see the King enthroned,
Let's honor the One with acts of love.
What joy awaits the servant who's found
At work on the day of God's return!
Let's tell each other a word from God,
"Remember Zion, and pray for peace."

If this poem spoke to you, you may enjoy my Biblical epic poems

A Song of the One, the age-old account of Creatlon, Fall, Redemption, and Glory retold in verse for a new millennium, and

The Stars Bow Down: An Epic of Joseph, the timeless tale of a favorite son whose brothers sold him into slavery, but whom God raised from a prison to save the known world from famine.

Waiting for Help

Meaning in Psalm 86

by Alfred D. Byrd

TROUBLES are rising, surrounding our lives.
The poor and needy are waiting for help;
Oppressors are seeking to learn who's weak.
Respect for the truth of God is rare
In the world around us — a world in pain.

Above this world is the Throne of God,
Where we see the glory that comes from the Light.
The One is greater than all that is made;
The nations may rage, but are dust in the scales
Beside the worlds controlled by the King.
You need but lift your eyes to the sky
To look at wonders, Creator's delights.
The One Who set the stars in motion
Ordered the times to start and to end.
On a day unknown to all but God,
The nations will come before the Throne
And kneel to honor the Highest and Best.

The One Who is far is also nearby.
Embracing our lives, our God resides
Within our houses — within our hearts.
Our God is Love, forgiving and kind
To those who turn from despair to hope.
In seasons gone wrong, we can say to God,
"You're slow to anger and faithful to give
A hand of mercy to those who hurt.
We can call on You because You answer."

Help us, our God, with strength to go on.
Please save us from all that threatens our lives.
Please teach us the way to live in the truth;
Please show us the path that leads us to You.
A love for a world that cheats and robs us
Leads us astray until we recall
The blessings that come from You alone.
Please heal divisions within our hearts
And make us wholly united in You.

If this poem spoke to you, you may enjoy my Biblical epic poems

A Song of the One, the age-old account of Creatlon, Fall, Redemption, and Glory retold in verse for a new millennium, and

The Stars Bow Down: An Epic of Joseph, the timeless tale of a favorite son whose brothers sold him into slavery, but whom God raised from a prison to save the known world from famine.

We Got Forgiveness

Meaning in Psalm 85

by Alfred D. Byrd

LOOKING behind us, we see the blessings
Showered by God on paths of the past.
Although we'd fallen, our God revived us.
Finding us dirty, our God made us clean.
When we turned from our sins, we got forgiveness,
Sending our guilt away from our hearts.
With mercy and grace from God in our lives,
We knew good fortune, the joy of peace.

When we live on hilltops, it's easy for us
To fall from the heights we knew at first.
We've gone astray and earned rejection.
Anger is what we perceive from our God
When we turn from the light to go our own way.
A time of judgment appears unending.
Misery lengthens the hours of a day.
We shout to our God, "Please help us again!
Don't beat us until we turn to powder!
Show us Your love, which saves us from fear!"

Let's listen to what our God has told us:
"Faithful servants will savor My peace—
Not merely an absence of war, but joy
That comes from neighbors who trust each other
(Speaking the truth will bind us as one)
And trust in Me as the Source of justice.
Living a lie is the path of a fool;
Seeking the truth is the path of the wise.
Whoever respects the will of the One
And works for glory for God, the King,
Will live in the peace that flows from the truth."

A love that bears fruit can transform the world.
Good works will build a household of peace.
The hand that points from the earth to God
Will find a hand from heaven to clasp it.
Harvest is coming — rewards from our God.
In a land of peace that comes from justice,
Righteousness covers the path to the Throne.

If this poem spoke to you, you may enjoy my Biblical epic poems

A Song of the One, the age-old account of Creatlon, Fall, Redemption, and Glory retold in verse for a new millennium, and

The Stars Bow Down: An Epic of Joseph, the timeless tale of a favorite son whose brothers sold him into slavery, but whom God raised from a prison to save the known world from famine.

Outside the Refuge

Meaning in Psalm 84

by Alfred D. Byrd

FACING the world as it is today,
We need a refuge, a place of hope.
Outside the refuge, wickedness prospers,
Grinding our lives as meal for its bread.
Outside the refuge, we find no safety.
Evil will meet us wherever we go.
While we keep our hearts in the world, we'll find
No peace — no trust in neighbor or self.

The sparrows have found a place of rest—
A nest in the eaves of the House of God.
The birds can breed and nurture their young
Beneath the wings of the One Who made them.
Altar of fire in temple of light—
A place made holy by God in its midst
Is a place where we find the hope of peace.
The light reveals the way to the truth,
The fire makes pure all things that draw near—
No shadow remains in the heart of the light.

Let's go from darkness to seek the light.
The path of those who return to God
Is a path well watered, abounding in fruit.
In the hope of peace, in the taste of fruit —
We'll find the strength to finish our journey.
Nothing can keep from reaching the goal
The one who answers the call of God.

It's better to spend a day with God
Than lifetimes in quest of things of the world.
It's better to stand by the doors of God's House
Than to sit on a throne amid deceit.
The king on the throne may reign awhile,
But leaves the throne to others — his foes?—
Who may waste the work of the king before them.
Dawning in hope, it sets in despair,
The end of all things apart from God.

On what foundation can you rely?
Whatever one brings to the House of God
Remains with the King Whose reign will not end.
The one who opens the door to hope
Will make a way for joy to come through.
The source of joy is the spring of the light.
A sun is rising — the sun is our God!
In the light of that sun, we'll find delights,
The blessings of peace, which comes from our King.
How happy are those who trust in God,
The One Who hears and answers our pleas.

If this poem spoke to you, you may enjoy my Biblical epic poems

A Song of the One, the age-old account of Creatlon, Fall, Redemption, and Glory retold in verse for a new millennium, and

The Stars Bow Down: An Epic of Joseph, the timeless tale of a favorite son whose brothers sold him into slavery, but whom God raised from a prison to save the known world from famine.

No Sign of Action

Meaning in Psalm 83

by Alfred D. Byrd

SLEEPING? Sometimes, we fear that God is.
No sign of hearing, no sign of action—
Troubled, we struggle with faith and with doubt.
We yearn for a sign, but must live on hope—
A hope that's mocked by those of the world.
When we look around, we stare at strangers
Posing a threat to the ways we've held.
We hear a babble, we face rejection—
Nothing seems certain to us any more.
The rumors of war that come fast and thick
Invade our homes and batter our ears.
A fist has been raised; a voice cries out,
"Bring death to those who say, 'We're chosen'!
Felons like them deserve no mercy.
Conquer their land and make it your own!"

It's easy for us to shout at God,
"Destroy the ones who'd kill Your people!"
Justice has said, "An eye for an eye."
The ones who draw a sword should perish,
Gutted by what they'd meant for gutting.
"Set them afire, our God!" we might cry.
"Let them burn to a crisp and be forgotten!
Make them like leaves that fall in autumn!
Riding the wind, they'll fly from our sight."
Our God understands the heart within us.
Anger and wrath are parts of us all.
To pray for payback is what we do.

What's harder, but best, in the sight of God
Is a way that tells us, "Do good to your foes!"
The ones who hate us — the ones we fear—
Are just like us in the eyes of the One.
Before we heard the voice of our Friend,
We wandered in darkness and hated the light.
Let one who's been saved not turn up one's nose
At ones who still live in the jaws of death.
Let us pray for God to send our foes
The light that opens one's eyes to the truth.
Let's speak of the light in the midst of darkness.
Setting aside our doubt and our fear,
Let us greet our foes with acts of love.
The One Who saved us from darkness and death
Can turn a will of war into peace.
The peace that lasts — the peace that is real—
Arises from hearts that have learned to see
All persons as kin united by God
And God alone as the source of life.

If this poem spoke to you, you may enjoy my Biblical epic poems

A Song of the One, the age-old account of Creatlon, Fall, Redemption, and Glory retold in verse for a new millennium, and

The Stars Bow Down: An Epic of Joseph, the timeless tale of a favorite son whose brothers sold him into slavery, but whom God raised from a prison to save the known world from famine.