Aleph
“I am the one
Who has seen affliction
Under the rod
Of God’s wrath.
He has driven me.
He has brought me
Into darkness
Without any light.
Against me alone
He turns his hand
Again and again
All day long.”
These three short verses, instead of one verse, start with the Hebrew consonant letter Aleph. Each section after this will use the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet in this personal acrostic poem or psalm. Using the first person singular, this author proclaims that he has seen a lot of suffering. He has seen affliction, due to the rod or stick of God’s wrath. God drove him into darkness, without any light. God has turned his hand against him alone, over and over again, all day long. He was in great pain.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 