pathway

pathway
Give me my scallop-shell of quiet,
My staff of faith to walk upon,
My script of joy, immortal diet,
M
y bottle of salvation.
My gown of glory, hopes true gauge,
And thus I'll take my pilgrimage.

~Sir Walter Raleigh

A hiker, walking for pleasure, likes to choose between several alluring trails.
The pilgrim desires only the road that leads home.

~Frank W. Boreham


Tuesday, October 5, 2010

A Fresh Breeze From the Overfamiliar



Yesterday was a grand day for our clan, a truly blessed day. A new little lamb arrived, a sweet pink bundle of blessing in human form. Added to that, her arrival was on an auntie's birthday. Is that not a double gift?

As I was counting my blessings, all this made me wonder what Psalms in Common Prayer were within the bounds for the day. One of those is Psalm 23. How appropriate is that?

But, as precious a Psalm as it is, it seems too common, if such a blasphemous word can be applied to the Word. The treasured phrases have become so commonplace in their usage. Its language is inserted in unholy movie scenarios, it is quoted without much feeling in too many instances, even in the church setting.

Here then is what I found. This is the metric version of this beloved Psalm of David from the 1856 edition of the Book of Common Prayer.

The Lord, Himself, the mighty Lord,
Vouchsafes to be my guide;
The shepherd, by whose constant care
My wants are all supplied.

In tender grass He makes me feed,
And gently there repose;
Then leads me to cool shades, and where
Refreshing water flows.

He does my wandering soul reclaim,
And, to His endless praise,
Instruct with humble zeal to walk
In His most righteous ways.

I pass the gloomy vale of death,
From fear and danger free;
For there His aiding rod and staff
Defend and comfort me.

Since God doth thus His wondrous love
Through all my life extend,
That life to Him I will devote,
And in His presence spend.


Yes.

That will do nicely. Quite well indeed, actually. Excellently so.

Amen.

5 comments:

  1. Love that version of Ps 23. It is the Ps I claimed for Grace, Caitlins is Ps 20.

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  2. Very nice! Welcome, to the new lamb.

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  3. hope you dont mind iv pinched this to read to my cell group on wednesday it lovely. thank you for your comments. vicki

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