Every Day

inspired by Psalm 145
Deborah Beach Giordano
© March 20, 2011

Every day I will bless You, and praise Your name
forever and ever.

You remember those words, o Holy One,
when the psalmist danced
and sang
his merry little tune. 

Those were the good old days,
when we looked upon the world
hopefully,
confident
of every grand possibility,
expecting sweet blessings
like manna
to rain down from heaven
unceasingly.

Every day I will bless You, and praise Your name
forever and ever.

It’s hard to say those words
today
when we can find
no cause
to dance or sing; 

these are the days
that try our souls,
that challenge our faith,
that fill us with wild,
helpless rage;
when lives are destroyed
cities lie in ruins,
and disasters
rain down
unceasingly.

Every day I will bless You, and praise Your name
forever and ever.

An easy promise to make
in the midst
of a celebration,
when our hearts are full
of delight,
the air sparkles
with laughter;
our spirits lifted up
on wings of joy. 

So much harder
in the middle
of chaos and confusion
when our lives are filled
with complications,
the future clouded
with mumbled threats;
our spirits weary
and sorely troubled.

Every day I will bless You, and praise Your name
forever and ever.

I lift up my eyes
to the heavens
and sigh out
these hasty words;
a vow taken
with no thought
for what might yet be,
carelessly,
throwing caution
to the wind. 

Then the breeze
asks me softly
to once again
throw caution
to the Wind –
tossing my worries
and doubts aside,
letting my spirit soar
on the wings
of the white dove
of hope.

Every day I will bless You, and praise Your name
forever and ever.