Lamenting the Psalms

Forsaken was the theme based on my 2024 key verse, Ps 22:1: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Because Christ was utterly forsaken on my behalf, I never would. I am encouraged by Anne Frank, who died in a concentration camp of typhus fever at age 15. In just her early teens, the age of my oldest grandchildren, it is remarkable that she wrote in her diary, "God has not forsaken me, and He never will."

Rejoice is the theme based on my 2025 key verse, 1 Th 5:16: "Rejoice always," which is the shortest verse in the Bible. Through my ordeal and predicament I learnt that joy and sorrow can coexist peacefully, even perfectly. This was exemplified by Jesus, who was simultaneously all of the following: 

• a man of sorrows who was familiar with suffering (Isa 53:3), 
• a man of peace, for he is the Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6), and 
• a man of joy, happiness and contentment (Jn 4:32; 10:30; Mk 1:11; 9:7; Lk 9:35; Mt 3:17; 17:5; 11:25-30).

Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson (1830-86) is known for her bold original verse, which stands out for its epigrammatic compression, haunting personal voice, and enigmatic brilliance.

Dickinson lived much of her life in isolation. Considered an eccentric by locals, she developed a penchant for white clothing and was known for her reluctance to greet guests or, later in life, even to leave her bedroom. Dickinson never married, and most of her friendships were based entirely upon correspondence.

Although Dickinson was a prolific writer, her only publications during her lifetime were one letter and 10 of her nearly 1,800 poems.^[4] The poems published then were usually edited significantly to fit conventional poetic rules. Her poems were unique for her era; they contain short lines, typically lack titles, and often use slant rhyme** as well as unconventional capitalization and punctuation.^[5] Many of her poems deal with themes of death and immortality (2 recurring topics in letters to her friends), aesthetics, society, nature, and spirituality.