Conjugation Exercise

I.
O LORD, be my shepherd,
Then I shall not want.
Make me to lie down in green pastures:
Lead me beside the still waters.
Restore my soul:
Lead me in the paths of righteousness for thy name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
Let me fear no evil:
Be thou with me;
With thy rod and thy staff comfort me.
Prepare a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
Anoint my head with oil;
Overfill my cup.
Cause thy goodness and mercy to follow me all the days of my life:
And let me dwell in thy house for ever.

II.
Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom is coming,
Thy will shall be done
In earth, as it is in heaven.
Thou givest us day by day our daily bread.
Thou forgivest us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
Thou leadest us not into temptation
But deliverest us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom,
And the power, and the glory,
For ever. Amen.

—8/24/24

Confession

Jesus, I apply to thee:
Dire the plague that ails my soul,
Other succor do not see,
None but thou canst make me whole.
And thou know’st I’ve tried my best
Other remedy to find,
Yet in none save thee is rest.

Mercy on a sinner take;
Hear, O Lord, my feeble prayer.
Do not me to hell forsake,
Though a seat I’ve earned in there.
Naught in me can claim thy grace,
Yet I sorely pardon crave;
Leave me not to my disgrace.

Inward, what I quail to find
Is the old man thou hast slain,
Dark of heart, of futile mind—
‘Cept if thou restore again.
Faithful Jesus, cling to me;
Spirit right within renew;
Let the new creation be.

See the penitent: he stands
Ere the mercy-seat above.
Let the blood from Jesus’ hands
Sprinkle in atoning love
Over every wicked thing
That I’ve ever entertained.
If thou cleanse me, I am clean.

Clothe me, Lord, in righteous white;
Fire in thy refining grace;
Fit for beatific sight
Of thy blazing, holy face.
Then at last my heart can raise,
Free, amazed, and full of love,
Perfect, pure, eternal praise.

—8/9/24 (probably based on Psalm 51)

Do you think Jesus fantasizes

About life with the Beloved?
Does he dream of forehead kisses;
Of falling asleep on the couch,
Her head on his shoulder while a movie runs;
Of holding hands at the store;
Of telling her about his day?
Does he think about the nice clothes he will get her
(For the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints)?
Does he wait expectantly to show her a new heaven and a new earth:
“Babe, check out this place I built for you;
You’re really gonna love it.”