Turning Bible Verses into verse

Some translations of the Bible make almost every verse  sound poetic, such as the King James Version, which can often be scanned into iambic pentameter (basically, five upbeats per line.)

 

Hebrew poetry, however, relies more on patterns of thought, such as a statement further developed to bring spiritual depth and insight. Often, these verses can readily slip into syllabic poems, which use a 5/7/5 count of syllables on three successive lines. 

When this type of poem focuses on God the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit, I call them Highku, after the most High God but with a nod to the haiku form such as shown here:

 

 

Psalm 36:9

For with the Lord is

the fountain of life, and in

His Light we see light.

 

Romans 8:28

For we know all things

will work together for good

for those who love God.

 

Zephaniah 3:17

The Lord our God is

in our midst! He rejoices

over us with song.

 

Or a verse can be paraphrased as shown in this example from Psalm 33.

 

Sing about God’s Word.

Believe in His promises –

each one meant for you!

 

Bible verses can also become free verse or a prayer-song as in this passage from Psalm 143.

 

Let me hear Thy loving kindness

in the morning, LORD,

for I trust –

oh, I trust in You.

 

Teach me The Way

in which I should walk,

for to You I lift up

my soul – my life!

For to You, I lift up my soul.

Nothing replaces Holy Scripture! Sometimes, though, a contemporary-sounding poem can speak to readers who might not ever open a Bible.

May God guide the work we've been given to do in Jesus' Name.

 

 

Mary Harwell Sayler

 

 

 

 

 

 

God messaged me through music

Since I grew up in church, hymn lyrics provided the primary poetry in my life. Well, that and Robert Lewis Stevenson’s A Child’s Garden of Verse. Decades later, I can still recite some of the latter. And I still like to swing and eat animal crackers but without the cocoa. However, the words to hymns escape me until the music begins and kinetic memory beckons me to sing along.

During the day, I usually turn on instrumental versions of classical hymns to fill my home with memories and uplift my spirit. Often, those same old favorites run through my mind, and I like that good company.

This week, though, an internal recording got stuck on a tune I’d heard but couldn’t recall the words. What made this disconcerting was hearing the phrase, “And shall be till I die” play on automatic repeat!

I tried to change the music in my head, but after a short intermission, there was that phrase again, “And shall be till I die” – playing over and over and…. So, I did what most people now do. I Googled the phrase. Up popped “There Is a Fountain” with sheet music showing five verses, the second-to-last of which ended, “And shall be till I die.”

By this time, I was sure God was trying to tell me something, so I couldn’t help but wonder if He were telling me I’m going to die. Yes, we all are, but I was hoping to wait a while. Nevertheless, with a little trepidation, I read the lyrics of that fourth line, and here’s what I found:

“Redeeming love has been my theme; And shall be till I die.”

Yes! Thank You, God! I can live with that theme! And, Lord willing, that theme – that purpose – shall continue in me until I die.

Amen!

 

©2025, Mary Harwell Sayler

 

 

Classic poetry from a faith perspective

This anthology of beautifully-written poetry from the perspective of faith is a must-read for Christian poets and poetry lovers of hope: The Soul in Paraphrase.

You'll not only have an excellent collection of literary poems to study and enjoy, you'll have the benefit of notes and comments by the prolific writer and long-time English Professor Leland Ryken - an expert in the field of literature and the Bible. I've appreciated his work for years and keep many of his books beside my desk for quick reference!

For a review of the book, click onto the current post on my Poetry Editor and Poetry blog.


The Soul in Paraphrase, hardback



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Trying to keep my eyes on Jesus - with or without clouds

The life of a Christian poet-writer is often clouded with interruptions and disturbances – some desirable, some not!

After a wonderful sisters’ cruise to the Bahamas in mid-March, I came home with a head cold aka sinus infection, both of which kept my eyes looking behind me as I tried to move forward and catch up.

Then, the very day my book of contemporary psalms and free verse poems PRAISE! was to be released by Cladach Publishing, my computer refused to work in total disregard of my plans for promotionals.

As soon as a new keyboard solved my pc problem, I resolved to blab about my book all over the Internet – a smart marketing approach for Christian poets and writers who hope people will actually read what they have written.

New book….
Fun time with siblings….
Head cold….
Fritzed keyboard….

Each caught my attention. Each clouded my focus, and yet each drew me back to prayer and a greater appreciation of the Lord in my life.

Praise the Lord for keeping life lively!

Praise the Lord for scriptures that draw us closer to Christ.

Praise God for speaking to and through us in what we’ve been given to write:

Cloud bank

Around us a cloud –
witnesses
of the faith –

and our faith rising
like cloud wisps
forming Jesus’ face –

a reminder of The One
toward Whom we run

as we leave behind
all hindrances –
obstructions, interruptions –

and open our own
luggage
to be searched by none
but Christ on the throne.

by Mary Harwell Sayler, © 2017, poet-writer who based the above on Hebrews 12:1-2, today’s Bible verse in a variety of translations from Bible Gateway

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