Showing posts with label faith hope and charitiy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label faith hope and charitiy. Show all posts

October 26, 2011

The Fowler's Snare*

On Eagles Wings
by Dan Schutte


You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord
who abide in His shadow for life
say to the Lord
"My refuge, my rock in whom I trust!"

And He will raise you up on eagles' wings
bear you on the breath of dawn
make you to shine like the sun
and hold you in the palm of His hand.

The snare of the fowler will never capture you
and famine will bring you no fear
under His wings your refuge
His faithfulness your shield.

And He will raise you up on eagles' wings
bear you on the breath of dawn
make you to shine like the sun
and hold you in the palm of His hand.

You need not fear the terror of the night
nor the arrow that flies by day
though thousands fall about you
near you it shall not come.

And He will raise you up on eagles' wings
bear you on the breath of dawn
make you to shine like the sun
and hold you in the palm of His hand.

For to His angels He's given a command
to guard you in all of your ways
upon their hands they will bear you up
lest you dash your foot against a stone.

And He will raise you up on eagles' wings
bear you on the breath of dawn
make you to shine like the sun
and hold you in the palm of His hand... 

Inspired by a psalm, the lyric to this song are one of my favorites. The poetry is inspiring, "hold you, bear you on the breath of dawn..." And mostly it is encouraging, "hold you in the palm of his hand." The Psalm(s) it derives from go like this:

 Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
say to the LORD, “My refuge and fortress,
my God in whom I trust.”

Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
No evil shall befall you,
nor shall affliction come near your tent,
For to his angels he has given command about you,
that they guard you in all your ways.

Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
Upon their hands they shall bear you up,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.
You shall tread upon the asp and the viper;
you shall trample down the lion and the dragon.

Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
Because he clings to me, I will deliver him;
I will set him on high because he acknowledges my name.
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in distress;
I will deliver him and glorify him.
Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
Psalms 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15.
 
*This appeared here first August 14, 2010

May 22, 2010

Taking Refuge

One Bread, One Body
by John Foley

Refrain: 
One bread, one body, one Lord of all
One cup of blessing which we bless
And we though many, throughout the earth
We are one body in this one Lord.
 Verses:
Gentile or Jew, servant or free
Woman or man no more.

Many the gifts, many the works
One in the Lord of all.

 Grain for the fields, scattered and grown
Gathered to one, for all.



For some, the words of the song are new; for others it's a favorite. For all, it expresses the idea of taking refuge in the Christ, the one begot by God for all of mankind to share in salvation, or holiness. The three jewels, if you will, for Christians are faith, hope and charity. The greatest of these however is charity, or caritas in Latin. It translates most simply to mean love.

The food upon which the faithful feast is love, divine love. The water they drink ends their thirst for all time. Their growing awareness of reality as expressed in the Psalm is light and clarity. Kindness and compassion guide the believer to paths which are gentle and unperturbed by pride, angst or wickedness. The song they sing is many; it is one. One bread for all, one body existing in this one Lord.