Gomer Daughter of Diblaim

Gomer, Daughter of Diblaim
Based on the book of Hosea
     
Lord, you bless me, a woman born of low means,
You bring to me a husband, a man that you have entrusted with your Word,
A man to speak your will to your promised children,
We are prosperous under you,
Ba’al provides.
We have wealth and food,
We need not hunger.
Bless us Lord,
hwhy is our Lord God,
With Ba’al you provide for us all we need,
Your children of Ephraim.
My heart is with your man of faith,
I will be a wife to Hosea
And bring him children.
Out of a life of distrust,
I have arisen,
He loved me though he was not my first,
In the temples I submitted myself to others,
He came to me and married me,
Oh, I hope to be true to him.

His words become harsh and he drives me away,
The judgment that he passes,
How are these words yours Lord,
We are your people.
He drives me out to other men,
And I take them into my bed
For without them it would be empty,
I am with child
He cries that it is not his
Condemning me for being unfaithful,
Yet he drives me away from him,
He derides me for my trust in Ba’al,
And accuses us of being an unfaithful people,

We are your children Lord, hwhy,
Will you turn your back upon us,
As Hosea says.
To us a son was born,
He named him Jezreel,
As Hosea, your prophet, states you told him.
Why condemn our King Jeroboam II for something of the past?
Must we live in the past?
The massacre is forgone,
Are you so unjust as to punish us for the acts of our fathers?
Hosea, you bring such shame to one of your own,
You deny that he is fully yours.

A daughter is born to us and you shame her with the name Lo-Ruhamah,
“Not loved”,
What shame you put on her head,
All will believe that she is forsaken,
What man will want to take her hand,
You bring dishonor onto us all,
And you say it is a sign of what will become of Israel,
Again you deny that she is your own,
How can I love such a man?
Yet I still do.
You drive me from your arms and pain me with your words,
I fear the name that you will give the next child in my womb.

I have born you another son,
And you shame him with a name of shame,
Lo-Ammi,
“Not my people,”
Why punish our children with such names.
God, hwhy, why do you bring such shame to our household,
The man I love,
The man you blessed me with,
My beloved Hosea,
Pushes me away,
Another’s arms are bringing me comfort,
And offers me the love that is not offered to me,
The man I love tears me apart,
His words,
Spoken,
As though they are your own,
Destroy me,
My Lord,
My God,
hwhy,
Your word makes me look to the promises of Ba’al,
The security offered through the bringing of fresh foods,
The raisin cakes are sweet in my mouth,
And bring me great nourishment.
The arms of one who loves me greatly.
The words that Hosea speaks,
The punishment that he professes will come,
While we stand strong.
Will you let our strength fail?

My man, Hosea, my love,
He comes to me and buys me away
From my lover,
He has reclaimed me as his own.
Joy this day for he has welcomed back to his bed,
I pray that our love will be better,
I will not fall away from him again.
His love is pure,
He has shown me that he desires me in his life,
I will not forsake you again Lord.
You are my protector.
Do not forsake your children,
Israel.
The Assyrians threaten our borders,
The words of my love,
Seem to be coming true,
They encroach upon our borders.
Save us,
We have been unfaithful,
My love, Hosea,
Spoke truth,
I was an unfaithful wife,
But he has redeemed me,
Just as you will redeem Israel.
He redeemed me and brought honor to our family,
Praises to you, Lord,
Protector,
Do not forget your children,
Israel,
They are in turmoil,
Because of greed,
And distrust,
They have fallen away from you.
Do not let us fall once again into slavery,
Restore your people.

Israel has fallen,
We have been scattered,
There is no king for Israel,
Other than you Lord,
Let us not forsake you again,
Restore us and let us remember the promise,
That you gave Jacob,
You are our Lord,
And we are your people.
Redeem us,
Return us to the land that you,
Lord God,
Have given us,
No more will we worship at temples,
No longer will we conduct ourselves as we once did,
Ba’al is not our god,
But you Lord,
hwhy,
You are the only one that can provide,
You are our protector,
All that we have we have received,
We have received from you Lord.
Redeem us Lord,
As Hosea redeemed me and brought me out of my disdainful ways,
Redeem your people,
Israel.