zedekiah in shackles

Zedekiah In Shackles

I abandoned Jerusalem

to seek comfort in Egypt.

Babylon drove me to this.

What was I to do?

If I had stayed

they would have taken me.

Fear catches up—

even to kings.

If they had not

put out my eyes

I would have put them out myself

for these shackles

around my ankles

are made of bronze—

looking on them would remind me

of the pillars and the Sea

in the Lord’s temple,

now dissembled

like my face.

I mourn now

because I cannot cry

and will never see

Jerusalem whole again—

she lies torn,

like a slave raped.

Thank you, Lord,

for the mercy of blindness.

Bless my captors.