MY PSALM 337 STRENGTH FOR NEW CHALLENGES
Heavenly Father, Lord and Master,
Is there a Balm in Gilead where the sin-sick
And world-weary can go to find succor, healing and rest?[1]
And beside those still waters, will You lead me still
To restoration and revelation of Your mercy and grace?[2]
And perhaps, when my weary feet can gain the altitude,
You’ll lead me once again to the hills
From whence comes my strength.[3]
There glimpses of the horizon reveal hope,
Inspire me to continue climbing
Until I regain my composure,
Because You lift me up, You let me see Your glory.
And when I am ready, when You know I can bear
To learn the teachable lessons You have prepared
For my soul to learn, You will lead me where I dare not go:
Where the path is rocky, the borders jagged,
The twists and turns terrify.
New trials I fear considering,
Confusion, defeat, and despair
Bring dimming tears to steal my vision,
And I tread with fear that I will stumble.
I may fall, and lose my precious dignity.
There You will tell me again of Your love and mercy
When I most need You to reach me where I am.
Your grace will be sufficient for that day
Even as it is for this day’s troubles.
I’ll once again know Your Eternal Presence,
Close up and personal, when I get myself out of the way.
I will find comfort in Your healing balm
When I stop feeling sorry for myself and look only to You.
I will once again rest in Your loving arms,
And in truth experience the true Balm of Gilead.
For as the old spiritual says:
“There is a balm in Gilead
to make the wounded whole,
there is a balm in Gilead
to heal the sin-sick soul.
Sometimes I feel discouraged
and think my work’s in vain,
but then the Holy Spirit
revives my soul again.
If you cannot preach like Peter,
if you cannot pray like Paul,
you can tell the love of Jesus
and say, “He died for all.”[4]
Because of Your eternal love and mercy
I can pray in the Blessed Name of Jesus. Amen.
DATE_________________________
[1] Jeremiah 8: 22
[2] Psalm 23
[3] Psalm 121
[4] Spiritual. www.hymnary.org. stanza originally published in 1869 as “Hark the Voice of Jesus Calling” by Daniel March in the Lutheran Hymnal. http://www.lutheran-hymnal.com/lyrics/lw318.htm
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