Prayers and Psalms from/for the Latinxs Community
Hispanic Summer Program 2019
* These Psalms were written by students and teachers participating at the Hispanic Summer Program 2019. We were praying for communities assaulted by ICE’s raids.
One thing I asked of the Lord, to keep me alive to make it to the U.S. To be able to do work and provide for my family so that they do not die of hunger. Then when my time is done here on earth I will seek to live in the house of the lord”
“Psalm 27: 1-4
The Lord is my light in the darkness of the desert;
Should I fear Mexican agents of ICE agents?
The lord hold me and protect my life through the hard migration;
What should I fear as I travel?
When evil does assault me to devour my flesh my adversaries and immigration agents they shall stumble and fall and I shall be free.
My heart shall not fear; through those who hate immigrants rise up against me yet, I will be confident.
“Place your love for God in your voice
Place your trust in God in humanity
That we will stand in solidarity with our brothers, sisters, and nonbinary siblings experiencing those injustices.
Give your feelings of security in God to those being ripped from their homes
And give them a home through your action.
Do not remain still, silent, complacement.
Give all of yourself to them as you do God, not only your ‘thoughts and prayers’ but your action.”
“Lord,
You are my shepherd and I want. I seek the green pastures and still waters of El Norte. Will you Walk with me there? Will you show me the paths in your name? Will you run with us on the night journey? Will, you shepherd us to the safe passage? Will there be smiling faces to greet us? What space in the darkness will give us beds, food, and be a home? “
“Psalm 86
A prayer of the rich and the poor
A prayer of the documented and undocumented
A prayer of the sinner and the saint
Of MC- an immigrant, passionate, loving a person whose heart is not connected to a denomination, to a religion, to an institution. A free spirit.”
“Psalm 27: 1-14
The Lord is my light and salvation whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. My heart says of you, ‘Seek his face!’ Your face, Lord I will seek. Do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, God my savior. Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me spouting malicious accusations.”
“I walk through the valley but I still fear no life.
You are not the rod of the evil or the white house staff. I shall find a wellspring within foreign lands a house and shelter because all lands are of the one earth “
“Psalm 42: 1-5
As a deer longs for flowing streams so long for water as I traverse this dry, hot desert
O God can you quench my thirst?
I long for rivers of living waters when will I see your face?
My tears have been my cup day and night as my hearts mocks me continually
Where is God?
I remmeber when the dream was ignited and when the vision came clear, and next, I sing songs of thanksgiving
O my soul today and mind don’t give up- don’t lose hope. Hope in God- he will help”
“Psalm 91
They that dwell in despair and who will not be protected by the Shadow of the Almighty…
Where is their shelter? Where is their hope? In whom can they trust? No one will weep for them, and live our lives and do our work”
“Psalm 46
‘God is our refuge’ they say as they created policies of ever-present trouble for those that have no refuge.
Policies that only cause fear for those that cross the mountains, the deserts, the rivers searching for refuge.
They are told through cinema and radio that across the river is the city of God! And indeed, this is the message the policymakers present as they lead the ‘opportunities of big business and commerce’ They claim that God is with them, for under their proclamation of the Lord nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall, and the earth melts. For whom is God a refuge? For those who die in the river? Or for those who invoke the Lord’s name as they intervene elsewhere and shoot bullets into the rivers as people cross…?
God is whose refugee? Must it be this way?
Is this truley God whom they invoke?”
Señor Jesús gracias por u misericordia
Para con tu pueblo latino.
Guárdanos y protégenos de todos los peligros
que acechan a nuestra gente.
Son muchas las fuerzas que se unen
Para quitar la paz y la armonía,
Pero tu amor compasivo supera
Todos los obstáculos.
Bendito seas que tú tocas los corazones
Que luchan por el bien hoy y por siempre.
Bendito y alabado seas protector nuestro.
Amén.
Padre y Madre celestial, te pedimos por las
Familias migrantes, aquellos que han construido
Su vida fuera de su tierra natal.
Los que tuvieron que correr de sus lugares,
Dejar sus viviendas, sus entornos, por amenazas de muerte,
Por peligros, desastres naturales, por mejores oportunidades económicas,
Porque no vieron otra posibilidad, porque no tenían otra posibilidad.
Que la utopía del evangelio se haga real
En nuestras comunidades, que seamos la mesa que recibe a todas
Las etnias, razas, lenguas, culturas y familias.
Que seamos el banquete que recibe a los que han sido excluidos y todos seamos
Invitados a sentarnos y compartir con Jesús.
Que seamos el lugar de protección, lugar de paz, de alimento, de acogimiento,
una familia, ciudades de refugio y cuidado.
Un lugar sin fronteras, sin estigmas, sin xenofobia, sin homofobia, sin racismo
Sin machismo. Un lugar para todos.
As a refugee leaving their country
Running through the night and not being able to sleep
Trusting in the promise
That the cry lasts through the night
But soon comes the day
Laughs of joy will echo.
The Lord takes care of us
The Lord is a loving God
The Lord loves the foreigner
Come with your peace
Over them, fill their hearts with hope
You are good, You are good, Brings us justice.
Señor ten piedad, ten piedad de nosotros
Por no querer a nuestros vecinos indocumentados
Como nos queremos a nosotros mismos.
Cristo ten piedad, ten piedad de sus hijos indocumentados.
Tú has dicho que todo lo que hacemos por nuestros hermanos
Más humildes, por ti mismo lo hacemos.
Señor ten piedad, y por el poder de tu Espíritu Santo
Refórmanos a tu imagen misericordiosa
Para que reflexionemos y salva a los inmigrantes.
We have Heard it with our own ears oh God
Our ancestors have told us
What you did in their day
With your hands you smashed their enemies
You trampled their foes
But today, where are you Lord?
Awaken Lord! Why do you sleep? Awake!
Slaughter our foes and let us rise
Show your face
Deport your enemies to the pits of hell,
And allow us to flourish.
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want
But I do Lord; I want to be safe,
I want to be heard, I want to cry.
All these are wants but the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want.
I want safety, health care. But where do I go to fix a broken heart?
I have no money, for I left everything behind.
All I have is in this plastic baggie. A paper and a photo.
But the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want.
I’m in the valley Lord and this sun hurts my skin.
Kiss me Lord and quench my thirst. I want water, I want strength,
I want shade. Yet you remind me that you are my shepherd and
I shall not want.
If I cannot want anything or anyone else, I want you Lord.
You are my shepherd and I shall not want.
And I am your sheep, your sheep wanting again.
Psalm 46:1-7
For the mariachis of the sons of Latinamerica.
God is our refuge and strength,
An ever present spring in the desert.
Therefore we will not fear
Though la migra comes this way.
And the mountains close in as we
Try to walk between them,
Though the sand storms seek to carry us away
And these mountains resemble a fridge
There is a river separating us from the city of God
The land of the promise where peace dwells.
God, are you even there?
Will you help us at breakage of day?
This nation is in uproar, will its kingdom fall?
If God lifts His voice, will the injustice melt away?
Dios es grande, God be our fortress.
Psalm 23
The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.
He gives me rest in the desert,
He leads me by the waters of the Rio Grande,
He restores my tired Soul.
He leads me through safe passages,
For his name’s sake.
Even though I must live in the shadows,
Even though I often face death,
I will fear no evil,
For you are with me.
Your words of hope and healing hands,
They comfort me.
You prepare a place for me,
Here in a land that is not my own
In front of those who do not want me here,
And you bless me.
My heart overflows.
Do not forget me.
Do not forget your goodness and mercy.
May I dwell in your house, Oh Lord,
In your land, in your presence.
A place where there is no fear, no persecution,
No borders.
For all my life.
Salmos 64
Dios, Proteganos,
Somos tu Familia
Y necesitamos tu proteccion.
Pedimos justiciar,
Demandamos justiciar.
Que tu reino de amor y pas nos envuleva
Psalm 4
Answer O righteous God to the call of immigrants.
Give them relief from persecution;
Have mercy on them and hear their prayer from prisons, detention centers, houses.
How Long will the US Government turn your love into hate?
How long will the church be quiet, seeking comfort?
May they know that the Lord sets the immigrant apart and hears their cry.
Be faithful in your churches, and when you raise your hands to praise, use those hands to offer help.
Many seek prosperity, even if others have to starve, or be naked, or have no place to spend the night.
If the light of your face is shining on God’s people, why are immigrants not seeing the light?
The grain and wine abound, let us share with hearts full of joy.
May the immigrant lie down and sleep in peace.
May they dwell in safety with you, Lord.
Psalm 23
The Lord is my Shepherd,
I still want so much.
I want for the millions who deserve better than to be targeted for deportation.
They have already walked through the valley of the shadow of death,
Must they see more evil at the hands of those who scared, knew better,
Who yelled.
Those with power and comfort and position
Let there be peace for those who suffer and live in our vey land
Lord, thy rod and staff guide us to safe pastures, rather than be used to beat us.
Guide our people toward justice and wellbeing.
Have mercy, dear Lord, comfort my people.
That I may dwell in they house,
MY house,
All my days and all my life.
Psalm 63
O God, you are my God, the God of immigrants.
We earnestly search for you,
At the same time ICE searches for their lives.
My soul thirsts for you;
my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.
How long will they persecute those who just want to give immigrants water.
I have seen you in your sanctuary cities and gazed upon your power and glory.
More powerful and glorious than the governments that rise up against us.
Your unfailing love is better than life itself, how they, the immigrants, praise you!
So they will bless you as long as they live;
They will lift up their hands and call on your name.
Their soul is satisfied as with a rich feast;
And their mouth praises you with joyful lips.
When they think of you on their bed,
And meditate on you in the watches of the night;
For you have been my help,
And n the shadow of your wings, they sing for joy.
Their soul clings to you;
Your right hand upholds them.
But those who seek to destroy their life, they shall go down into the depths of the earth;
They shall be given over to the power of their own semi-automatic weapons.
They shall be prey to the desert animals.
But the immigrant shall rejoice in God;
All who swear by him shall exult,
For the mouths of liars will be stopped.
Unspecified
God, why have you abandoned us?
Why do our communities fear us?
Why are our homelands continually destroyed by poverty, racism, and natural disasters?
Remember us, your Latino and Latina children,
Those you have created for life, for love
But who are continuing to encounter hate.
Remember how you have dwelled in our beautiful islands, mountains, and forests.
Acknowledge that dwelling.
March to the border where so many are suffering;
To the Desert and Rio Grande where so many have died.
To the detention centers where many are suffering abuse;
To their own pillaged and ravaged lands,
How long will the migrants go unheard?
Are our enemies going to abuse your children forever?
Why do you pull your hand away from them?
Why don’t you hold your sick and dying to your chest?
How long God?
Unspecified
Oh God, the longer I live the harder but more necessary it has become to beg you,
To constantly be in prayer and conversation with you.
The hearts of our “leaders” have been consumed by power, greed, pride, and sin.
Strike them Lord with a bolt of love,
Softening their hearts Lord.
Jesus, Father, Mother, Owner, Master, Friend, Magic Maker
Please protect the children, your children.
Don’t let their faith become weak,
In the darkness let them shine your light, the light of Christ
If we are your sheep, if that is true,
Then Lord lead us to still waters.
If we are welcomed in your house, at your table,
Lord prepare a feast before us.
IN THE PRESENCE of our enemies.
That want to destroy us.
Starve us.
Rape us.
Lord forgive your fallen children,
We have sinned before you.
Come Jesus Come.
Unspecified
Do not turn away from the cry of your people,
The people who seek the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.
See the injustice against humanity.
The dehumanization, the crushing of the human spirit, the division of humans out of fear and selfishness.
You hear our distress. You feel our anxiety.
Let our voices be heard and our message spread.
That humanity is one and we, all the people, are all your people, God.
Prayer for the Sacred
Prayer for the spirit of light to enter the hearts of those acting on behalf of the state
Prayer for the spirit of light to enter the hearts of the ICE agents
Prayer for the spirit of light to enter the hearts of the judges.
Prayer for peace, bravery, into hearts of migrants living in fear.
Prayer for the spirit of hope and solidarity for communities who san stand between ICE and the people.
People for the people
Peace for the people – the children who will see their parents and aunts and uncles and sisters and brothers get ripped away and locked up.
**
If you are undocumented,
How would you pray?
*Lord Jesus, have mercy,
we just want peace, running, escaping
away from violence, from death,
the U.S. is the best place, secure
place to enjoy life without fears,
without intimidation,
we, oh Lord Jesus are looking
for your guidance, please open your
doors to safety, peace, love, joy.
Lord Jesus, have mercy on us,
You know how insignificant, weak
ignorant we are, in front of you,
give us hope, show yourself,
speak Lord for we your servants
are waiting to listen and
follow you to any frontier,
country, desert,
Almighty Father, creator of all
of us, don’t take too long to
show us your way, your
truth, your life.
Amen.
**
BENDITO PADRE SANTO DE CIELO Y TIERRA, PADRE MIÓ… ABBA
HEAR THE UNSPOKEN PRAYERS OF AN OPPRESSED PEOPLE… FOR THEIR
VOICE HAS BEEN SILENCED; THEIR VOCAL CORDS HAVE BEEN RIPPED
OUT OF THE MINDS OF A STIFF-NECKED NATION…
THEIR TRAUMA TRAVELS ON A FREQUENCY SO LOW THE EARS OF
HUMANITY CANNOT DISCERN A SOUND
HEAR US…
RESPOND TO US…
FIND US…
LORD HELP, US!
AMEN.
**
Señor ten piedad
Salmo 23
Jesus eres el pastor de todo nosotros, pido por que no les falta a todos los necesitan en este momento. Los conduces a aguas tranquilas, los infundes dándole nuevas fuerzas. Los guías por senda de justicia por amor a tu nombre.
Así están pasando por ralles difíciles y tenebrosos llevados de fuerzas y que no tengan temor porque tu estas a su lado y con ellos.
Eres tu que suples todas sus necesidades, poniendo un banquete, aun rodeados por sus enemigos, los unges, los continuas llenando de tu Espíritu Santo que puedan conocerte la bondad y el amor los siga todos los días de su vida y en la casa de Jehová del Señor habiten todos los días y para siempre.
**
The Lord is my shepherd
God is the presence who accompanies me
What shall I want?
We who that you provide
the abundance and want,
in the dark of the night, as we cross deserts, as we seek to find shelter, a friendly face, and to make a home.
You make me lie down in far pastures, or by still waters
living as kings around one looks like dry ground and the heat heats me down, with you by my side I see ahead the far pasture, the still waters, that will heal me. That will satisfy me.
As though I walk through the shadow of death I shall dear no evil.
I shall not fear, I shall cry out and shall hope, I shall pursue in my tiredness and so through the hardest of accusations resolute that some hope with you by my side I’ll make it through the other side of this valley of death for you are with me.
Dry sand and the heat heats me down
**
Querido Señor, pastor
para todos en su
creación, ayúdenos en este momento de crisis.
Esperamos que los lideres
de nuestro mundo puedan
reconocer el miedo y la
tristeza de los que
sufren en América central
y México por razones de
la pobreza, el crimen, y
la violencia. Ayúdenos que todos puedan enfocar en
esos lugares donde le falta la esperanza. ¿Por qué
no hacemos más para ayuden las zonas de sufrimiento?
¿Por qué ignoramos? ¿Por
qué evitamos la realidad
de los problemas en
estos países hoy en día?
Ayúdenos que, por fin,
sea posible enfocar en
los lugares donde hay el
más sufrimiento y la
necesidad. La frontera
estadounidense pierde la
meta.
Con su fortaleza y su
sabiduría, ayúdenos
para resolver estas
heridas grandes del
mundo actual.
Amen.
**
Psalm 119: 49-55
Remember your word to our helpless,
for you have promised them hope.
Our comfort in their suffering is this:
you promise to protect their lives.
Our arrogant (President) mocks us all
without any compassion.
But we continue to trust in your words.
One remembers how you worked in ancient
times, and our people find peace in them.
Indignation grips each one of us because
the wicked is overcoming,
it is __________ they have forgotten
your laws.
Your law are our theme of our
sorrow song. Wherever we sleep.
**
Psalm 40:11
Do not, O Lord, without your
mercy from your people.
Let your steadfast love and
your faithfulness keep your migrants safe forever.
For evils have encompassed them without number;
our iniquities have overtaken us,
until we cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of
my head
and our heart fails us.
Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver your migrants;
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Let all those be put to shame and
confusion those who seek to snatch
away our lives.
Let those be turned back and brought
to dishonor who desire to hurt us.
But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in your
saying continually “Great is
the Lord!”
As for us migrants, we are poor and needy
But the Lord takes thought for us.
You are our help and our deliverer;
DO NOT DELAY, O MY GOD.