O God, when I forget You, here is what happens to me
I feel deserted, disciplined
I can’t see any light; my world grows dim and gray
Not just my spirit but even my body
Starts to fall apart
My thoughts come back again and again
To feeling sorry for myself
I know this but can’t save myself
I need you, God, to deliver me
Because Your love and light never fails, never dims
But I can’t remember You when I am caught
In the dark grave of depression and despair
I can’t see You; I can’t lift myself out
I just lie there, moaning and groaning
Wearing myself out with depressing thoughts
Now, while I can, I call out to You
Please, please, God, protect me from these very real enemies
See my weakness, hear my cry for help, accept my prayer
Let my darkness vanish in Your light. Amen.

God, my God, I take refuge in you
Asking You, begging You to save me from the darkness that pursues me
Please don’t let it destroy my peace
Don’t let me tear my own life apart
Don’t let me feel sorry for myself as if there is no one who can help me
God, my God, when I forget You, when my thoughts go only downward
Then I have no peace of mind; I rob myself of happiness
I let all the dark and negative overtake me
I live in shadow; I sleep in dust. Please & Praise
God, my God, arise in my mind and lift me up
Up and up lift my thoughts
Away from my own darkness and doubt
Away from depression and despair
Awake in my mind, in my life, my God
Awake and bring truth and goodness
Gather my thoughts and feelings around You
Rule over them from on high
Judge them
Pick and choose those that are worthy
Those that will help me live life well
Those that are true and good, like You Yourself
O my good and true God
My Creator who knows my mind and heart
You can bring an end to the violence I do myself
You can make my goodness strong
You can be ruler of my mind and heart
You can keep me hopeful, loving, faithful
I need to remember that
I need to remember that I can depend on God
God is powerful
God is never negative, never defeated by darkness
God’s bright weapons are aflame
They burn through my darkness
When I am filled with doubt, despair, gloom and doom,
When I fall into the hole I have dug for myself,
When the violence I do to myself begins to tear me down
Then I need to turn my thoughts and feelings to God
To brightness and power, to hope and love
Up, up and up, to light, to thankfulness
To my powerful God
I need to sing praises to God Most High. Amen.

O God, my God
Let Your name be majestic in all my life
May Your glory always shine brightly above all else in my life
When I was young
I learned to sing Your praise
I learned You were stronger than any worries or wrongness
Now, I look to this universe that is Your work
The moon, the stars and everything around us

To remind myself of Your power and sovereignty
You are responsible for everything and everyone
Yet You pay attention to me individually
You love me
You want me to live well
With glory and honor
You give me the ability to rule my life
To control the beasties and burdens
That threaten me
O God, my God
How majestic is Your name in all my life. Amen.

I want to praise you, God, with all my heart
I want to tell of all Your wonders
Rejoicing in You, singing praises to Your name, O Most High
Will make me happy and content
Then there will be no place for my worst thoughts and fears
They will perish before You
For You lift up and light up my mind and heart
You are a true judge of my thoughts and feelings
You have the right and the power
To keep me whole, keep me true
Keep me safe from the enemies within
The weeds in my mind that invade my peace
Envy, suspicion, depression, alienation
You can blot them out forever
You can uproot them
So that I forget the darkness and live in the light
For myself, I want God to reign forever
To be my judge and my gardener
To govern my unruly heart
To be my refuge when I feel oppressed
My stronghold when I am troubled
If I can only remember to call on You, God
If I can only remember
That You have never forsaken those who seek You
Then I can sing praises with a light heart
Sing praises to my Sovereign enthroned in my heart
Then I can silence all my fears with Your name
Because You do not ever forget me as I sometimes forget You
You never ignore my cries for help
But You can see what has happened to me
Too often, I let darkness rule in my life
Have mercy and lift me up
Out of my darkness that strangles hope
Lift me up so I can praise You and rejoice in Your power
In my salvation
Lift me up out of the pit I dig for myself
Out of the weeds of doubt that entangle me
You, You are known by Your justice and truth
I am in danger of being ensnared by my own worst tendencies
Of falling again into the pit of depression
Of forgetting God. Please & Praise
So all I can do is depend on Your faithfulness
You do not forget me
You remain my hope
Arise, God, arise in my mind
Don’t let the dark and worldly parts of me win
Rule my mind and my heart
Weed the garden of my soul
Flood it with Your light
Banish my darkness – it is nothing compared to You. Please & Praise. Amen.

Why, O God, do I keep You at a distance
Just when I need You most
In my arrogance, I turn to my weakest parts
I catch myself up in my own twisted thoughts
I pay attention to all the wrong feelings
I dwell on the lowest of my desires
And forget You
Forget to seek You
In all my thoughts, I make no room for You
I puff myself up, I sneer at those I do not like
I forget Your love and forgiveness
Briefly, briefly, I feel so full of myself
So pleased with my own successes
I boast to myself of my insight
I win arguments and put down those I am angry with
All in my own mind
Instead of remembering “God is here”
I keep coming back and back to my anger, my hurt pride
My thoughts ambush my peace, murder my quiet
Drag my contentment through the mud of my discontent
Until I collapse under my own unkind thoughts
Then I am likely to decide that God has forgotten me
When really I have forgotten God
So rise up in my mind, please, O God
Help my helplessness
Restore my peace
Keep me from being my worst
You do see my trouble and grief
You can take it in hand
I commit myself to You
You are the helper of the helpless
Break through my anger and discontent
God is Sovereign for ever and ever
Darkness disappears in God’s light
You hear, O God, my desire when I am afflicted
By my own weaknesses and failings
You encourage my goodness, my strength
You listen to my cry for help
You defend me against my self-destruction
I have to believe that You can free me
From the terror of my own anger. Amen.