Is it all right to use Bible quotations or quotations from the Psalms in a poem?
Here is an example of one of my poems with such:
Conversation with Aged
by Peter Menkin
I recite a long Psalm,
119,
beginning as a confession
but lending my thoughts
and opening my heart.
Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes,
And I shall keep it to the end
Give me understanding, and I shall keep your law;
I shall keep it with all my heart.
Be gentle to memory: of failure
to seek God, and desire good
creates a long list of weakness
and mindless concerns that ignore
God for so many years.
Let your loving-kindness come to me, O Lord,
And your salvation, according to your promise.
Old ones I talk with as I read, speak
of their youth, and I think
“Is this what is on their minds?”
So I soothe and open my heart
to let in healing to younger times
in my life. Even to childhood.
Happy are they whose way is blameless,
Who walk in the law of the Lord!
Happy are they who observe his decrees
And seek him with all their hearts!
I say words for them, these old people, and
for others:
in thought before words,
in mind before thought,
present in the heart, and I listen,
always desiring to hear.
This talk with old people
leads me to gentleness with myself.
This is their message.
They say to me, “I am living
so long. I hardly think about it.”
I continue my reading
Psalm 119.
I am a stranger here on earth;
Do not hide your commandments from me.
Let my cry come before you, O Lord,
Give me understanding, according to your word.
Fernando
Tags: Desire, Heart Failure, Stranger
February 3rd, 2008 at 11:22 am
Sure, many poets have done just that.
February 5th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
yes it’s very good it shows that you read the bible, in fact you are quoting Psalms119:16,26,31,43,46,52,56,66,64,77,80,82etc;
why not continue the whole Psalms of David, it’s soothing for the spirit when we are lonely. the bible is the only book who can give consolation to people who suffers distress in this world.
and Psalms 119 is the longest book of David.
You can also read after ecclesiastes, and proverbs it’s nice also the contents in fact the whole bible itself because it’s historical book
February 7th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
My speech is said cause my bed sick in sleep yet mine ears and weep and feeling to kill sweet spirit in words from the glass be out sweet spirit comfort me when his fees and feeling to the flames.
The hour of all terrors me oppress and hellish cries fright parting soul and hellish cries fright parting soul sweet spirit comfort me when my youth and hellish cries fright parting soul and when lie within my distress when temptations me oppress and hellish cries fright parting soul sweet.
For nothing but for sophisticated words from the watch do keep sweet spirit comfort me oppress and when lie within my youth and weep and that opend which was seald when the house doth sigh and the sins of all terrors me when temptations.