Mere Cognition

Lord, I look upon the my house
In its ruin and its desolation
I recognize my iniquity
My rebellion against you
When I would pray to turn away
Yet cling to the comfort of complacency

In my stubbornness you left me
To teach me lessons I would not learn
And the consequence is laid bare
The chances you gave me
Squandered at the expense of my charge

O wretched, sinful man that I am!
My transgression destroys the other half of my flesh
I pass it on to my descendants
The land groans in hatred!

But you, my Lord, my savior
Plucked me once out of the ways of death!
Twice you have given me redemption
Thrice you told me, "no, my work for you is not done"
You mend my heart, you renew my mind
In your mercy you restore me!

Lord, I call out to you
I ask for one more thing
O wretched man that I am,
What standing do I have to petition you
When every day I stumble again
Will you not hear the groaning of my heart's desire?
Will you turn your face from the wrenching of my soul?

Your love is boundless, your mercies daily anew
Blot out my iniquity, drive it from my bones
You hear the groanings of heart
And wrenching of soul.
Your steadfastness does not abandon me
I see your works, I perceive your grace
You do not cast me away
You strengthen me, you refine me
You alone sustain me.

Oh Lord, I look upon your works
Mighty and majestic
You give wind to wings and provision to beasts
You hold the earth in your heavens
Give light to the stars
And order to chaos.

I lift my head up to you, I praise your steadfastness
For you are my God, my redeemer
The one who bore me out of iniquity and
The one who gives me strength.

Why then, oh Lord, do you suffer such iniquity,
Mighty to correct me yet turn your eye from others in their wickedness?
They succor themselves with their pride;
They whitewash their unbelief with the word of their heart
Hardened, blackened, and unwilling to obey
Your precepts clear as the fresh fallen snow.

Your ways are righteous; your will clear in your word
You are my fortress, my witness, and my sustainer
I will wait, my God and my creator; I will wait on you, for in you my hope lives freely.

You are righteous in your ways, and I may not understand them
But they are nonetheless your ways.
So I will wait on you, for your will always be done.

I come to you daily, sinfully soiling that which you give me
I come to you, and I ask for forgiveness for my unbelief
And you, in your mercy, give me another day, without spot,
when I should rightly be condemned for my sin.

I know, my God, that I did nothing to deserve this;
Yet your steadfast love washes over me
Like water, cleansing me of my transgressions against you.

Heed wisdom, O peoples
Understand my words
My Lord, my God does not turn his eye
His reasons we are His own, his ways unfathomable
But the one who sees in secret is faithful.

Do not trust in your own thoughts,
That sin abounds because he is absent;
Remember that we see only through a mirror dimly
Rest in His steadfast love
And soon face to face.