As Cedars of Lebanon

I am, hopefully not unwarrantedly, somewhat fond of this one among my efforts. It lives and plays around in Psalm 92, which is a great psalm, among other things teaching that it is the stupid man who does not understand that the wicked are raised up only to be destroyed evermore (vv. 6-7). “Why do the wicked prosper?” therefore, to be a legitimate question when it arises, is not so much about the fact that such a situation could be, but about the timing of it: “Why do the wicked still prosper? God, when will You judge on behalf of Your godly ones?”

But I don’t touch on that. Can’t hit everything.

This hymn is about strength, and faithfulness, and the strength of faithfulness, and the joy and hope we have looking expectantly to God to be our supply today and in times to come. We are the work of His Hands; we are His workmanship. He is righteous (full stop). And He does righteously in making us righteous in Him.

As Cedars of Lebanon (pdf)

Our God is a rock, and in Him there is found
unrighteousness nary a speck or a strand –
How great are Your works! Your inventions profound!
So sing we for joy at the work of Your Hand.

One other thing the psalm itself touches on that I, here, don’t, is that the righteous man, being like a tree, even in old age has strong, youthful sap running through him (vv. 12-14). Thus those saints around you who may look the feeblest may in fact be otherwise than they appear.

O God My Maker, God My Life

A thanksgiving hymn from Thanksgiving Day, 2009 (or near to it).

O God My Maker, God My Life (pdf)

Lament I now the drought within;
unthankfulness itself is sin,
and fount of many more besides
where it too long resides.

A Different Springtime

When shoots were springing forth and flowers were flowering…

A Shoot from Jesse’s Severed Stem

Now the sonnet for Isaiah 11, which I put together on March 18.

A Shoot from Jesse’s Severed Stem

[W]ith Yahweh’s Spirit resting on Him fair
to wisdom share, to understanding bring,
to counsel give, and strength well favoring,
and knowledge, and the fear of Yahweh…

This chapter has tons and tons of great stuff, and it isn’t that long. Astounding.

Renew, Thou Spirit of the Lord

This really might be the best one I’ve been able to write so far. It doesn’t get too complex. It is earnest, personal pleading with God the Holy Spirit Himself – directly. It deals with the fight against sin, resisting the temptations of the “Tempter’s brood”, and is hopeful, relying on divine power. The desire for purity, and to be found faithful, underlies it.

I completed it in April, 2011. I hope it may be found useful. Here it is:

Renew, Thou Spirit of the Lord (pdf)

The victory shall at last be Thine,
and Thou in me, so also mine.
Thy power is life and death, that I
the deeds of flesh should mortify.

O Malignant Cross

Now there is a phrase you might not expect a Christian to use – malignant cross! Yet it was a gruesome instrument for bringing about a torturous death. This is simply what it was.

I think we can have it both ways, and the piece itself goes both ways with it…but if all we ever hear is “wondrous cross” this and “wonderful cross” that, even if we know that in these phrases it sort of stands for the Atonement as a whole, we are unbalanced; we have sanitized it; we have lost something.

So here it is. This was the Good Friday (Black Friday) installment from Easter week 2010.

O Malignant Cross (pdf)

O malignant cross
that held my Savior up to die!
Thou wert the brutal instrument
and more – a brutal lie!

Thou Redeemest Me

One more for today. Even though it falls in third place in my index, having been the third one properly shared back in 2009, it was the first hymn effort I made associated with this project, back in January of that year.

I think it holds up OK. Sometimes I wonder about getting rid of the old pronouns and verb endings. But that would just change its character too much. I might as well write a new piece if it comes to that.

Thou Redeemest Me (pdf)

Jesus holy, purest King,
can I any praises bring
when I am wholly vile?
Perfect Savior, blessed One,
dost Thou not in goodness shun
the mouth that speaketh guile?

Psalm 23: Yahweh Is My Shepherd

The timing of this one is for my friends (you know who you are), because we chanted Psalm 23 from the hymnal last night.

Psalm 23: Yahweh Is My Shepherd (pdf)

Even am I treading
the valley of the shadow leering,
I am nay for trouble dreading:
You are with me, yea, and cheering,
with rod and staff before.

I put this together in September of 2011. This psalm has been rendered in meter many, many times before, being perhaps the most popular, and most well-known of all the psalms. I hope this version is a worthy addition to the pantheon, and a relatively unique one. May it bless you, and maybe even help you to see a familiar passage in a new or fresh way.

J.S. Bach: Easter Oratorio

This is good. We’re still in the Easter season!

Bach: Easter Oratorio

I don’t think Bach (German, 1685-1750) needs much of an introduction, but just in case, check it out here. He isn’t my favorite composer of all time, but I can tell why people think he’s the best, and why sharing his music is actually a proven apologetic method. (!) I still like Schutz…for now.

Worthy, God, of All Devotion

This was one of the most ambitious works I have attempted, with internal rhymes in half the lines. I began in August of 2009 but took until the end of September, 2011 to finish. Here it is:

Worthy, God, of All Devotion (pdf)

Worthy, You alone are holy,
we are lowly, base, and bare.
You lack nothing; we are needful,
ever heedful of Your care.

I almost don’t know what to say about it. The scope was so great that it constantly tried to get away from me (perhaps it still did). The magnitude of God’s glory and worthiness in all Creation is established, and worship called for from every corner, and most of all from men, and His own people. Yet His own people must confess their unworthiness, and their failure to exalt God’s. But God has supplied this lack, as all Creation held its breath to see if its Maker would yet be praised by Creation’s crown. And it comes – it bursts forth jubilantly, and hopefully, expectantly looks for the rest of mankind to join, a rising, rousing, raucous chorus to Christ Who makes all things new.