In Gratitude for Your Gifts

Ashrei ArtThis prayer of gratitude is one of my few attempts at an English alphabetic acrostic. Here, the acrostic is in second word of the first two sets of indented lines, and the first word of the third set. Many Psalms are Hebrew acrostics, such as Psalm 145, the core of the Ashrei. Many classic piyyutim also incorporate acrostics. A sample of the poetic structures of famous piyyutim can be found on Wikipedia.

In Gratitude for Your Gifts
Guardian of my life.
Guide of my spirit:

In Awe we seek You,
With Blessings we reach You,
In Communion we call to You,
With Devotion we come to You.
With Enthusiasm we turn to You,
In Faith we trust in You,
With Gratitude we look to You,
In Humility we yearn for You,
With Inspiration we return to You,
In Joy we praise You.

Source of all being,
Light of the earth:

In Kindness You heal us,
In Love You sustain us,
In Mercy You forgive us,
With Nobility you bless us,
With Openness You hear us,
With Peace you comfort us.
In Quiet we hear You,
With Radiance You bestow divine gifts,
With Splendor You renew the world,
In Trust You’ve given us free will.

Soul of the universe,
Grant us:

Understanding to follow Your word,
Vigor to live by Your law,
Wisdom to follow Your path,
Yearning to study Torah,
Zeal for justice and peace.

© 2015 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

Postscript: The original version of my prayer “Elijah” is an acrostic, although when I revised and expanded the prayer, I chose to forgo the acrostic. I haven’t experimented with much with this form. Dealing with several letters – in particular, ‘x’ – is a challenge. In this prayer, I’ve chosen to avoid the issue by leaving it out.

Please consider making a contribution to support this site and my writing. For usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” For notices of new prayers, please subscribe. You can also connect on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo Source: Judaism.com

Tags: , , , , , ,

“Alden has become one of Reform Judaism’s master poet-liturgists…" - Religion News Service, Dec. 23, 2020

“Mesmerizing, spiritual, provocative, and thoughtful, Alden was everything you would want in a guest scholar and teacher.” – Rabbi Denise L. Eger, Congregation Kol Ami, Los Angeles, and Past President, CCAR

"Alden Solovy has become one of the most revered liturgists of the last decade…" - Jewish Post & Opinion, March 29, 2023

“Alden left everyone feeling inspired.” – Cantor Jeri Robins, Shabbat Chair, NewCAJE6