My prayer-poem for Saturday 15 May 2021

My prayer-poem for Saturday 15 May 2021


Lord, your ancient people
have suffered for their name
and we remember in our time
a holocaust of shame.


And I can see why people
who’ve suffered genocide
would want a homeland of their own
to live in peace with pride.


But I have prayed for many years
for blessed Jerusalem
for peace and mutual respect
instead of “us and them”.


And so I pray this prayer today
wanting to know what’s true;
Is Israel justified in acts of war?
Is this approved by You?


Or are the Palestinians
as always is the case
victims of mindless hatred
of faith and class and race?


Lord Jesus, people tell me
that blame is on both sides
and I should be impartial,
politics is what decides.


But Lord, you know your people,
you favoured the oppressed,
please intervene for justice and
Jerusalem the blessed.




©️Mark Andrew Smith