Psalm 8 | nkchurch

The Imagination of the Earth

Let us bless
the imagination of the earth
that has waited patiently
for the earth to settle
the heat to subdue
the mountains to rise
and land to cool

that has waited patiently
for the rocks to break
and soil to form
and seas rise
and air to clear
that has waited patiently
for the ingenuity of creation
to design seed pods
to lie in the cold
until warmed by the earth

that has waited patiently
for grain to evolve
and grape to adapt
and bread to be discovered
and wine to ferment

that has waited patiently
until heaven was unearthed
in the rising of bread
and promise uncovered
in the shimmer of wine

Let us bless
the imagination of the earth
that has waited patiently for today
for us to break this bread,
and pour this wine
and release the wonder
of the story of our salvation

May you never lose the wonder
that is there at the heart of things
May your eyes awaken to see it
but only your silence be able to proclaim it
May you never loose the wonder
that lies in the crumbs of this table
And may you find God
in every breaking of bread with another

Psalm 8

Two versions read in dialogue, one original to New Kilpatrick and the other from The Message

God, brilliant Lord,
yours is a household name.

Abba Father
Daddy God
hear the songs
with which the children of the earth
praise you.

Nursing infants gurgle choruses about you;
toddlers shout the songs
that drown out enemy talk,
and silence atheist babble.

From the mouths of children
laughing at play in the streets
in a world of adventures and possibilities
is mightier praise than any enemy’s voice

I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous,
your handmade sky-jewelry,
moon and stars mounted in their settings.

A billion, billion gallaxies
10 billion years ago
let go their light
to send it on its way
now it designs our sky
our very own history lesson
of starlight

Then I look at my micro-self and wonder,
why do you bother with us?
Why take a second look our way?

And me.
Why me?
Who am I against all of this?

Yet we’ve so narrowly missed being gods,
bright with Eden’s dawn light.
You put us in charge of your handcrafted world,
repeated to us your Genesis-charge,
made us lords of sheep and cattle,
even animals out in the wild
birds flying and fish swimming,
whales singing in the ocean deeps.

Creation breaks open with wonder
a wonder alive in us
and calls us to our place within it
not above it
not below it
but companions within it

God, brilliant Lord,
your name echoes around the world.

Original parts (c) RHamilton2015

Other parts (c) The Message