Psalm 71: Adapted to Today's Reality

As we think of all those suffering from Covid-19--those on ventilators fighting for their lives, those in quarantine with the symptoms or quarantined simply because they have been exposed to the virus,  those family members who are terrified of losing loved one to this virus--let us pray parts of Psalm 71 together adapted to our situation:

In you, Yahweh, we take shelter during this pandemic;

...In your mercy, rescue us from being victims of the virus, deliver us,

turn your ear to us and save us from the illness itself

or from the depressing atmosphere of  being in isolation or quarantined!

Be a sheltering rock for us,

a walled fortress to save us!

For you are our rock, our fortress.

O God, rescue us...

For you alone are our hope, Lord, 

Yahweh, we have trusted you since our youths,

We have relied on you since we were born,

you have been our portion from our mother's womb,

and the constant theme of our praise.

....Do not reject us now, Lord,

nor desert us when our strength is failing,

as the coronavirus threatens our loved ones or our own lives,

as isolation surrounds us, suffocating the very air we breathe, 

and keeping us from being with those we love so dearly.

....O God, do not desert us;

let us live, strong in our faith and our trust,  to tell the rising generation

about your strength and power in our lowest hour

about your infinite power to save us in our neediest hour!

You have done great things;

who, God is comparable to you?

You have sent us misery and hardship

but you will give us life again,

you will pull us up again from the depths of the earth, and once more comfort us.

We praise you and we trust you,

our ever-faithful God,

We call upon you in this time of stress, 

O Holy One of Israel!