Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me. I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God. (Psalm 69:1-3)

O God of the earth
Bring calm to the ocean floor
Let creation rest

O God of the sea
Pacify the Pacific
Let the land be dry

O God of the rocks
Buttress the Sanriku coast
With its rocky ports

O God of the plains
Protect the rich rice paddies
With their habitats

O God of mourners
Comfort those who are weeping
Hold them in your arms

O God of rescue
Save Iwate, Miyagi
And Fukushima



Ken Shenk, a Japanese translator in Findlay, Ohio, grew up in Japan. The meter of this prayer is based on the 5-7-5 syllable combination used in Japanese haiku poetry. Ken is a member of First Mennonite Church in Bluffton, OH.