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Tattered
and Torn
“weeping
were all the people, having heard
the
words of the Torah.” Nehemiah 8:9
Oh,
Lord our God, we are tattered and torn
By
the iniquities that we have worn!
Stained
by our guiltiness, blood we have shorn
Out
of the innocent that Thou hast borne!
Leaning,
in rags, we are, on broken reeds,
Shattered
by dignity false as our deeds!
Slandering
those who, in goodness, have led
To
lives of righteousness; on them we’ve fed!
Tearing
their souls apart, blood running red
From
the sore wounded hearts that we have bled!
Forcing
them to their knees, laughing; instead
Inside
we feel our need, fallen and dead!
Oh,
Lord, come forth and bring life to our souls,
And
in true dignity that we can hold,
Bring
forth the hyssop branch that it be told
Our
sins are scrubbed away, and with new souls
Cleansed
in Thy shedding blood, renewed and whole,
Repented
of our sins, our hand Thou holds!
Looking
to Calvary whose nails Thou hold
As
if the world would spin out of control
Should
You release the grip that binds Thy soul
To
our iniquities that sealed our souls
Into
the torment of unending night,
From
which You rescue us into Thy Light!
©2015
William F. Maddock
