Pavor Nocturnus
Arise, O sleeper in me, and awake from your dreams.
Awake the world from their sleeping, O God of grace.
Awaken me from the night and release Your spirit in me.
O God, unveil my ears to hear your teachings,
let me listen to the words of your mouth.
I will part my lips in parables; I will utter hidden things of the old,
that what we have heard we have not known.
The waters in my heart saw you,
the depths of my eyes were blinded by the depths of your mercy.
Do I not know that you will rescue me?
I will utter hidden things of the old;
that what we have heard we have not known.
Surely your wrath against men brings you praises through the night.
Yet I will not relent to ask for my mind to prophesy your words even in the depths of my dreams.
For in the waters I saw you,
but the waters saw you too
and the very depths were convulsed.
Your paths led through the sea,
though your footprints were not seen.
You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses,
and I receive the waters being parted for me.
For my flesh is but a passing breeze
that does not return to land or sea.
But my flesh abandons you and should be cut off
like the withering branches of a tree.
Restore me, O God Almighty,
make your face shine upon me that I may be saved.
Restore me, O God Almighty,
look down from heaven and see.
Watch over this vine,
the root your right hand planted,
the one you have raised up yourself.
Catch for me the foxes that ruin what you have given freely..
For the creatures at the floor of the sea are still an unknown species,
their horns and gills have not been seen.
But I have seen them, Lord,
and I lay them at your feet.
Let the horns of the wicked be cut
but the horns of the righteous be lifted up.
And let me not see the wicked and their schemes
as I lay at night awake inside a dream.
For what have I but you?
Let all else be put to death to arise in spirit,
not in flesh.
Come and take me in the night
and lay me back on my pillow at dawn.
The depths of the sea will be won over by your glory.
But if it is your will I will stay and fight
the creatures of my mind.
Because you are the only one worthy to take the scroll
and open up the seals of the sea.
For you created all things,
and by your will they have their being.
My trust is in you who richly gives me all I need.