Psalm Devotion
April 15, 2020
Good evening, Everyone.
My plan has been to keep being in touch on Wednesdays until in-person classes start back up. I'm not sure how far off that might be or whether or not many of us will feel comfortable gathering even then. But for now, we can keep being present to one another in this way.
I've been thinking of our practice of gathering our selves, opening both to what is within us individually as well as to what is in each other. No doubt we are full in these times, and maybe also empty as we have never faced anything quite like these days before.
I have extended that practice to my music time here at home and am playing through something of Bach each morning as "a benediction on the house" as the great cellist Casals would say. I find purely instrumental Bach to be so rich that it seems always to resonate with my feelings, whatever they are. So I am gathering and processing myself each morning with a little Bach.
I would imagine most of us have some similar practice near the beginning of the day, some way of clearing and rising and orienting. Perhaps it's a matter of consciousness about breathing, or a ritual of morning coffee. Maybe the first words with a spouse or a friend. Or maybe sacred moments of memory. Whatever the case, I encourage us all to take a little time for our selves while we are alone so much.
And now about psalms.
I looked back over the famous psalm paraphrases we've been considering and was appreciating what cornerstones of the hymn repertoire they are:
"O God Our Help in Ages Past"
"Joy to the World"
"A Mighty Fortress"
Today I'd like to share another that has become so well known in many Christian communities, and I imagine many of us have encountered it although I don't know that I've heard it at All Saints'. But its composer has been to All Saints'! A few years back, Father Michael Joncas presented an Epiphany lessons and carols at our church. Kathy and I hosted him for the day and learned what a lovely, delightful, and kind human he is. So it's a pleasure to share his work.
He wrote "On Eagle's Wings" in response to the death of a friend's father through a sudden heart attack. He wanted to give his friend something prayerful and comforting. It was sung first at the wake and has since become an anthem of hope in times of grief from services following the Oklahoma City bombing to the funeral of Luciano Pavarotti.
If you don't know the song, I'd recommend the video below for a sense of its uplifting blessing.
Father Joncas is deeply concerned to express scripture through his music and has been involved in creating music to follow the Lectionary readings for years. In "On Eagle's Wings" Joncas based his refrain on the famous words of faith at the end of Isaiah 40:
"... those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."
And the verses very closely follow all these words from Psalm 91 which I encourage you to read as you listen to the song. Interestingly, he omits verse 6 of the psalm which references pestilence and plague. But what he includes from verse 7 is the assurance that such fearful things will not come near us. I've crafted a blessing for us using verse 7 and Joncas's refrain which you can find at the very bottom of this message below the video.
1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
3 Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
...
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
...
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
Though pestilence stalks in the darkness,
May we be borne on the breath of dawn.
Though plague destroys at midday,
May we shine like the sun.
Let us make the Most High our dwelling
And be held in the palm of God's hand.
April 15, 2020
Good evening, Everyone.
My plan has been to keep being in touch on Wednesdays until in-person classes start back up. I'm not sure how far off that might be or whether or not many of us will feel comfortable gathering even then. But for now, we can keep being present to one another in this way.
I've been thinking of our practice of gathering our selves, opening both to what is within us individually as well as to what is in each other. No doubt we are full in these times, and maybe also empty as we have never faced anything quite like these days before.
I have extended that practice to my music time here at home and am playing through something of Bach each morning as "a benediction on the house" as the great cellist Casals would say. I find purely instrumental Bach to be so rich that it seems always to resonate with my feelings, whatever they are. So I am gathering and processing myself each morning with a little Bach.
I would imagine most of us have some similar practice near the beginning of the day, some way of clearing and rising and orienting. Perhaps it's a matter of consciousness about breathing, or a ritual of morning coffee. Maybe the first words with a spouse or a friend. Or maybe sacred moments of memory. Whatever the case, I encourage us all to take a little time for our selves while we are alone so much.
And now about psalms.
I looked back over the famous psalm paraphrases we've been considering and was appreciating what cornerstones of the hymn repertoire they are:
"O God Our Help in Ages Past"
"Joy to the World"
"A Mighty Fortress"
Today I'd like to share another that has become so well known in many Christian communities, and I imagine many of us have encountered it although I don't know that I've heard it at All Saints'. But its composer has been to All Saints'! A few years back, Father Michael Joncas presented an Epiphany lessons and carols at our church. Kathy and I hosted him for the day and learned what a lovely, delightful, and kind human he is. So it's a pleasure to share his work.
He wrote "On Eagle's Wings" in response to the death of a friend's father through a sudden heart attack. He wanted to give his friend something prayerful and comforting. It was sung first at the wake and has since become an anthem of hope in times of grief from services following the Oklahoma City bombing to the funeral of Luciano Pavarotti.
If you don't know the song, I'd recommend the video below for a sense of its uplifting blessing.
Father Joncas is deeply concerned to express scripture through his music and has been involved in creating music to follow the Lectionary readings for years. In "On Eagle's Wings" Joncas based his refrain on the famous words of faith at the end of Isaiah 40:
"... those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."
And the verses very closely follow all these words from Psalm 91 which I encourage you to read as you listen to the song. Interestingly, he omits verse 6 of the psalm which references pestilence and plague. But what he includes from verse 7 is the assurance that such fearful things will not come near us. I've crafted a blessing for us using verse 7 and Joncas's refrain which you can find at the very bottom of this message below the video.
1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
3 Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
...
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
...
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
Though pestilence stalks in the darkness,
May we be borne on the breath of dawn.
Though plague destroys at midday,
May we shine like the sun.
Let us make the Most High our dwelling
And be held in the palm of God's hand.
