(AND SEND ME THE MONEY)
This is what the Lord my God says: 'Pasture the flock marked for slaughter. Their buyers slaughter them and go unpunished. Those who sell them say, 'Praise the Lord, I am rich!'"
(ZECHARIAH 11:4-5a)
the Lord and send me the money, I'm happy, you can be happy too if you praise the Lord and send me the money, that's what Jesus wants you to do!"
Late one night while watching Colombo I fell asleep till a quarter past three. When just like a vision and I thought I was dreaming, I heard the voice of a man on TV.
He said, "Praise the Lord and send me the money, I'm happy, you can be happy too if you praise the Lord and send me the money, that's what Jesus wants you to do!"
I sat straight up, reached for my checkbook, scrambling with guilt to put my big pen in my hand, I wrote out the figures of one and four zeroes, went out and mailed it with a note to that man.
I said, "Praise the Lord, I'm sending the money, I surely want to be happy like you, praise the Lord, I'm sending the money, that's what Jesus wants you to do!"
I woke up late for work the next morning, I could not believe what I had done. I wrote a hot check for Jesus for ten thousand dollars, my bank account only had 31.
I got a second job at a gasoline station and I'm saving my money to pay what I owe. I don't get much sleep 'cause I stay up late watching all of the folks on the Lord's TV show, saying,
"Praise the Lord and send me the money, I'm so happy, you can be happy too if you praise the Lord and send me the money, that's what Jesus wants you to do!"
"Praise the Lord, I'm sending the money!"
*Note: Columbo was a popular TV show (about an unkempt detective, starring Peter Falk) at the time this song was written.
Songs Tuesday 17 June 2008
REVELATION
And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter. And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them. And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone. By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths. For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt. And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
Galatians 3:28
1 CORINTHIANS 13:1f.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying of pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
REVELATION 21:4
"Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books."
REVELATION 20:12
"Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders."
REVELATION 5:11
This song, based on verses in the book of Revelation, is by the American Colonial composer, William Billings,
sung in the Sacred Harp tradition.
"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying of pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
REVELATION 21:4
"To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne."
REVELATION 4:21
"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." JOHN 3:17
The Rock group, The Byrds, had a hit with this song.
"You were running a good race. Who but in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?
GALATIANS 5:7
"About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and siging hymns to god. . . ."
ACTS 16:25
"I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven."
LUKE 10:18
Songs Week of 3 June 2008
ACTS 4:18-20
CALVARY MEDLEY
LUKE 5b-7
LORD HOLD MY HAND
"You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?" GALATIANS 5:7
"I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith." 2 TIMOTHY 4:7
and the finest of wines." ISAIAH 25:6
<>WHAT MANNER OF MAN IS THIS?
The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"
Matthew 8:27
<>"As he [Paul] neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly
a light from heaven flashed around him."
ACTS 9:3
"About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me."
ACTS 22:6
What manner of man is this who died upon a tree? What manner of man is this who set the captives free? You know he walked, walked upon the water and he calmed the raging sea! What manner of man is this who gave his life for me. The prophet [Isaiah] called him Immanuel, the prophet [Daniel] called him a stone. The angel [Gabriel] called him Jesus before he was born. With the world on his shoulder He was seen coming from Borzah with his gown dyed in blood [Isaiah 63:1]. You know Ezekiel saw him coming as the wheel in the middle of a wheel and John told about him in the Book of the Seven Seals [REVELATION]. You know Paul [ACTS] gave a description brighter than the sun, if you don't know his name Lord you'd better run. What manner of man is this who died upon a tree? What manner of man is this who set the captives free? You know he walked, walked upon the water and he calmed the raging sea! What manner of man is this who gave his life for me?
EPHESIANS 5:19
YE MEN OF GALILEE
"And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." REVELATION 7:17
"This, then, is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name. . . . '" MATTHEW 6:9
"[I]f he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector." MATTHEW 18:17
"[Y]ou must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat."
1 CORINTHIANS 5:11
"Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him."
TITUS 3:10
If the deacon in the church and he won't do right, tell me what we going to do? (Now what should we do?) Let the church roll on. If the preacher in the church and he won't preach right, tell me what we gonna do? (Here's what we will do.) We won't do that, we just pray for him and let the church roll on!
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire. . . ."
1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-19
that will last forever." 1 CORINTHIANS 9:25
"Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." 2 TIMOTHY 4:8
JAMES 3:8
Do you call that religion? To hear the answer, and to see the song sung by Jessye Norman and Kathleen Battle in concert, go here.
Home Listening
He's so high (so high you can't get over Him) So wide (so wide you can't get around Him) So low (so low you can't get under him) Great God Almighty (you must come in at the door) Oh well, He's high (so high you can't get over Him) He's wide (so wide you can't get around Him) So low (so low you can't get under him) The mighty lamb (you must come in at the door) Well I went down in the valley You know I did over there ever stay My soul got happy in the valley You know I stayed right there all day Well, He's high (so high you can't get over Him) And he's wide (so wide you can't get around Him) I know he's so low (so low you can't get under him) The mighty lamb (you must come in at the door) Well I ain't been to heaven but I’m, I'm told The streets the streets are pearls You know the mighty mighty Mighty gates are gold And He's high (so high you can't get over Him) So wide (so wide you can't get around Him) He's so low (so low you can't get under him) The mighty lamb (you must come in at the door) Well, He's high (so high you can't get over Him) And he's wide (so wide you can't get around Him) I know he's so low (so low you can't get under him) The mighty lamb (you must come in at the door).
"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse."
ROMANS 1:20
In the mountains, in the valley Yes I know my God is there Oh, in time I look above me See the stars that fill the sky How could there be any question Only God can reach that high.
"He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither."
PSALMS 1:3
Well Lordy I shall not be, I shall not be moved I shall not be, I shall not be moved Just like a tree that's growin' in the meadow (down by the water) I shall not be moved I'm on my way to glory land and I shall not be moved On my way to glory land I will not be moved I'm like a tree that's planted by the water I shall not be moved I shall not be, I shall not be moved I shall not be, I shall not be moved Just like a tree that's planted by the water I shall not be moved I shall not be, I shall not be moved I shall not be, I shall not be moved Just like a tree that's planted by the water I shall not be moved Well I'm on my way to glory land and I shall not be moved On my way to glory land I shall not be moved I'm like a tree that's planted by the water I shall not be moved Oh well I shall not be, I shall not be moved I shall not be, I shall not be moved Just like a tree that's planted by the water I shall not be moved On this rock of ages, I shall not be moved On this rock of ages, I shall not be moved Just like a tree that's planted by the water I shall not be moved Glory, glory, glory Hallelujah, I shall not be moved Glory Hallelujah, I shall not be moved Just like a tree that's planted by the water I shall not be moved.
All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
2 Corinthians 4:15-17
The biggest hit from the Broadway and film musical, Godspell
Day by day, day by day, oh dear Lord, three things I pray: to see you more clearly, love you more dearly, follow you more nearly, day by day.
According to Elvis
Elvis Presley claimed to be deeply religious, and some of his finest vocals are in his Gospel recordings. The songs below are all related to New Testament texts we've studied.
REACH OUT TO JESUS
Critic, Harold Bloom has argued that American Christianity is "Gnostic," since American Christians claim to "know" Jesus (not merely have faith in him). Many Christians, as in this song and the next, claim to "know" Jesus to the extent of "walking and talking" with Jesus.
To hear the song, go here.
This is another Gospel song with a Gnostic point-of-view.
To hear it, go here.
Based on a verse from the Gospel of John (14:2). To hear the song, go here.
This Gospel song is based on the first and final chapters of the book of Revelation. To hear this song, go here.
Twelve angels in the north, Twelve angels in the south That's a total of forty-eight angels to the city, four squared wide.
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." JOHN 3:14
This song is associated with Country singer, Emmylou Harris. To hear this song, go here.
To hear this song, go here or here.
In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God. JOHN 1:1
"I am the Alpha and Omega," says the Lord god, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." Revelation 1:8
O ye heights of heaven adore Him; angel hosts, His praises sing;
Powers, dominions, bow before Him, and extol our God and King! Let no tongue on earth be silent, Every voice in concert sing, evermore and evermore!
Class Songs
Week of 27 May 2008
HOLY SPIRIT
JOHN 3:1-21
JAMES 3:8
All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
2 Corinthians 4:15-17
The biggest hit from the Broadway and film musical, Godspell
Based on verses in John and Revelation.
LUKE 16:31
for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.'"
LUKE 24:29
Help of the helpless, O abide with me. Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day; Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away; Change and decay in all around I see; O Thou who changest not, abide with me. I need Thy presence every passing hour. What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power? Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be? Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.
JOHN 19:26-27
This action in John's Gospel seems to be symbolic. As in LUKE, where Mary is the first disciple, in JOHN, Mary is made the symbolic Mother of the disciples.
I studied at the feet of a Master, Gamaliel we called him, the beauty of the Lord. I was born of the tribe of Benjamin, I was a Pharisee and I could quote from memory th Holy Torah. That day that the Nazarene was brought to trial. It was on a Sabbath eve, there was an earthquake when he died. Just another peasant preacher who came up from Galilee, blaspheming troublemaker, we let him be crucified.
And I thought that I would hear no more about him. But his friends found his tomb empty and then claimed that he rose from the dead. Then they say that he walked among them with the nail wounds in his hands, that king upon a donkey with a thorn crown on his head.
His followers kept growing in great numbers and the one that they called mocked the sins of judgment hall. And with a Greek named Stephen we knew the Gentiles had come in. I cast my vote against him, he was stoned, I saw him fall.
Then the friends of the Nazarene became united. And I became enraged and led a slaughter of their leagues. I found their secret places, they were beaten, they were chained. But some of them were scattered, justified in fearing me.
Then the Man in White appeared to me in such a blinding light. It struck me down with his brilliance it took away my sight. Then the Man in White in gentle loving tones spoke to me. And I was blinded so that I might see the Man in White.
But like the winds that blows the scattered sea, from Alexandria to Antioch their congregation grew. I went to the High Priest for letters of permission to go to other cities to see my mission through.
Six days on the hot road to Damascus and just outside the city in the middle of the day, a great unearthly light struck and overpowered me, prostrate on the hot road I was blinded where I lay.
Then I thought I heard the rushing of great waters and a multitude of angels singing sweet and heavenly. And through the sound of wind came a voice so soft and kind, meant for only me to hear, "Saul why did you persecute me."
As I lay there on the ground in my blindness, he asked me once again, and suddenly the voice I knew. So finally I managed a trembling response, "Who are you Lord?" I asked him, but I already knew.
"I am Jesus of Nazareth," the voice answered. "Arise, go to Damascus on the street called Straight. A place where you will wait for my servant, Ananias. He will open your eyes, you'll be a witness unto me."
So now I live to serve my master. As zealous in his service as I once was as his foe. And keeping his commandments given on Damascus Road, I go to all the world and I let the whole world know that the Man in White appeared to me in such a blinding light. It struck me down and with its brilliance it took away my sight. And the Man in White in gentle, loving tones spoke to me and I was blinded so that I might see the Man in White. And I was blinded so that I might see the Man in White, the Man in White.
JOHN 20:29
The words, "God will trouble the water" may refer to the disputed verse (usually footnoted) of Jesus' healing at the pool of Bethesda: "From time to time an angel of the Lord would come down and stir up the water. The first one into the pool after each such disturbance would be cured of whatever disease he had" (John 5:4). To hear this song, go here or here.
(Chorus)
Wade in the water. Wade in the water, children.
Wade in the water. God's gonna trouble the water.
Who's that young girl dressed in white Wade in the Water Must be the Children of Israelites
God's gonna trouble the Water.
Chorus
Well, who are these children all dressed in red? God's a-gonna trouble the water Must be the children that Moses led God's a-gonna trouble the water.
Chorus
{Verse} Brothers and sisters, listen, you non-believers listen. You better start to believe. All you doubters, you Hallelujah shouters, or else you're going to grieve. There's no time to wait, you may be too late. So listen, you don't know what you're missing until you start to believe:
{Chorus} If you believe that there's a Heaven, you'll get to Heaven if you believe. If you believe there are angels, you'll soon see angels if you believe.
{Bridge} I'm not making promises to the Doubting Thomases.
{Chorus} But if you believe the Lord can help you, the Lord will help you, if you believe. Do you believe (we do)! Do you believe (we do).
Well Jonah went out one night in a gale, do you believe that? soon he was swallowed up by a whale, do you believe that? Daniel lay down with lions that roared, Noah was on his ark when it poured. Moses looked up and spoke to the Lord. Do you believe that, do you believe that? (We do!)
{Bridge} Now I'm not making promises to the Doubting Thomases.
{Chorus} But if you believe the Lord can help you, the Lord will help you, if you believe!
Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst." JOHN 4:13
One of many songs on the theme of The Prodigal Son in LUKE.
Rich man Dives he lived so well (x) and when he died he went straight to Hell (x) I'm tormented in the flame (x).
I love to shout, I love to sing (x) I love to praise my Heavenly King (x). I'm tormented in the flame (x) (x).
This is one of the "newest" Spirituals (relatively speaking!), discovered early in the 20th century, with only the main chorus known (verses were added later). It's a Christmas Spiritual, but we'll see below how Spirituals are recycled to fit current events.
During the Civil Rights era, an old Christmas Spiritual (above) was reworked to fit the circumstances of the time. This is how all Spirituals were composed over time, though the record of such changes have been lost to time. Here we can see those changes because the original Spiritual has been preserved. But it's the same "liberation theology" that has been part of the Spirituals from the beginning: a use of the Bible to preach human dignity, equality, justice, and freedom, and as a protest against human suffering of any kind. "Paul and Silas" appear in Luke's Book of Acts. Note how this version of the Spiritual combines the Christmas Spiritual with the "Go Down, Moses" Spiritual, turning a Christmas proclamation about the birth of Jesus into a proclamation of social justice and freedom. This does not eliminate Jesus (or God), because the birth of Jesus is, theologically, the birth of a new social order of equality, justice, human dignity, and freedom ("the Truth has made you free," the Gospel of John says).
Paul and Silas bound in jail (let my people go) had nobody for to go their bail (let my people go). Go tell it, etc.
Paul and Silas began to shout (let my people go), jail broke open and they walked out (let my people go). Go tell it, etc.
Who's that yonder dressed in red (let my people go), must be the children that Moses led (let my people go). Go tell it, etc.
Who's that yonder, dressed in black (let my people go), must be the hypocrites turning back (let my people go). Go tell it, etc.
I had a little book he gave to me (let my people go), and every page spells Victory (let my people go). Go tell it, etc.
This sermonette preaches Jesus' Golden Rule:
They hung him on the cross (x) they hung him on the cross for me. One day when I was lost, they hung him on the cross. They speared him on the side for me. And the blood comes streaming down (x) for me, one day when I was lost and the blood comes streaming down for me. He hung his head and died (x) he hung his head and died for me. One day when I was lost. He never said a mumbling word (x) he never said a mumbling word for me. One day when I was lost, He's coming back again (x) he's coming back again for me, one day when I was lost they hung him on the cross and he's coming back again for me.
Jesus' Crucifixion was a "scandal": because the Messiah should have been crowned as King instead of condemned as a common criminal. Crucifixion was the worst penalty. The theological question was (and is) how can the Son of God die and still be God? Christians therefore do not deny the Cross but glory in the Cross: it is because the Son of God died and God showed his concern for humans. So the "scandal" has been turned upside down and is now not proof that Jesus was not God, but proof that, as the Gospel of John puts it, God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son to save the world. Clearly Jesus' death and resurrection are key elements of what is called by modern scholars the "kerygma" (or basic preaching of the Early Church). Modern scholars believe that the Kerygma ("Jesus died and came back to life, thus conquering Death") was the core message around which the Gospels were built:
"When he had received the drink, Jesus said, 'It is finished.'"
Hallelujah, 'tis done, I believe on the Son, I've been saved on the blood of the Crucified One.
Crossing ("over") the Red Sea became a type of crossing from this world of slavery in sin to a world of freedom in God:
This Gospel song is based on Isaiah's proof text of the Messiah, which Jesus fulfilled:
This is a sample of Pentecostal worship, based on John 14:16 (also v. 26; 16:7): "And I will ask the Father and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever."
Another reference to the Holy Spirit, also called the Paraclete, Comforter, Counselor:
"In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you." (JOHN 14:2)
"In the beginning was the Word" (JOHN 1:1).
The two most famous musical settings are those by the French composer Gounod (with Bach's C-major prelude as a counter-melody) and another adapted to a tune by the Austrian composer, Schubert. To hear the Schubert setting, sung by Luciano Pavarotti, go here. To hear the Gounod version, sung by Kathleen Battle, go here.
Another version of the Ave Maria, called "The Miracle of the Rosary," was recorded by Elvis Presley. To hear the studio release, go here. To hear an alternate take by Elvis, go here. The lyrics to the classical settings are usually in Latin (English version below); the lyrics to the Elvis version are below. Direct quotes from the Gospel of Luke are highlighted.
Oh blessed mother we pray to thee Thanks for the miracle of your rosary Only you can hold back Your holy son's hand Long enough for the whole world to understand Hail, Mary full of grace The Lord is with thee Blessed are thou among women And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus Oh holy Mary dear mother of God Please pray for us sinners Now and at the hour of our death And give thanks once again For the miracle of your rosary.
SOMEWHERE OUT IN empty space, long before the human race, Something stirred, A vast and timeless source began, Intelligence was born and then, there was the world, Powers filled the universe, matter formed and broke the curse, Of nothingness, Love became an ageless soul, Nature reached her highest goal, And breathed the breath of life, Everlasting Life. Well creatures come from out of sight, Daylight came from in the night, and all was good, Life became a Master Plan, Love produced the Perfect Man, that understood, The image of the Maker's Word, worshipped Him with all He had, But then one day, >From in the depths an evil Seed, grew and manufactured greed, That changed the way of Life, Everlasting Life, Oh the loving Power looked and saw, Inside the heart of man a flaw, began to grow, Well, the fires of Hell began to burn, and so He sent His Chosen Son, To let us know, That Love had surely made us all, and hate would surely make us fall, So from the Cross, Well He showed the world that dreadful day, That Love could be the only way, or all is lost of life, Everlasting Life, For life is Love, And Love is life.
Blow Gabriel, train's done gone (x). People keep on coming but the train's done gone! (x). I heard a lot of rumbling in the ground, it must be the devil turning around. I heard a lot of rumbling up in the sky it must be Jehovah passing by! Blow Gabriel, etc. Tell that man he can't hide, if he hasn't got the Holy Ghost he can't ride. For good old Elijah did declare that none but the righteous shall go there. Blow Gabriel, etc.
I'm going up to Heaven and sit down (x) oh sit down (x) child, sit down, rest a little while. I'll see my Lord he'll say sit down (x) oh sit down, sister, sit down, child, sit down, rest a little while. Your back is bent from burdens borne, there are furrows under your brow, oh come my child you're welcome home, your troubles are over now. Oh sit down, sit down, oh sit down sister, sit down oh sit down sit down, child, sit down rest a little while.
It's me oh Lord standing in the need of prayer (x), not my mother not my father but it's me oh lord standing in the need of prayer. (X).
Slavery, like Luke, gave social meaning to the "good news":
Jesus' parable of the sheep and goats ( 25) warns that not everyone will be accepted into the kingdom:
I'm going down to the river, yes I'm going down to the river, I'm going to pray down by the river (x). Bury my body under the wave, just like they'll bury me in the grave. Then I'll rise up the water with the spirit in my soul.
Oh see that sun, she how she runs, don't you ever let her catch you with your work undone (x) O see that sun, etc. Ain't gonna grieve my Lord no more. If you want to go to Heaven like anybody else, just treat your neighbor like yourself (x).
Then they came to Jericho. A blind man, Bartimaeus was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Many told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more. "Son of David, have mercy on me!" Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see." "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
MARK 10:46-52
The point of the Gospel text and song (Spiritual) is faith (the man "cried" for God).
"In my Father's house are many rooms. . . . I am going there to prepare a place for you." JOHN 14:2
Well a poor boy took his father's bread and started down the road Started down the road Took all he had and started down the road Going out in this world, where God only knows And that'll be the way to get along Well poor boy spent all he had, famine come in the land Famine come in the land Spent all he had and famine come in the land Said, "I believe I'll go and hire me to some man" And that'll be the way I'll get along Well, man said, "I'll give you a job for to feed my swine For to feed my swine I'll give you a job for to feed my swine" Boy stood there and hung his head and cried `Cause that is no way to get along Said, "I believe I'll ride, believe I'll go back home Believe I'll go back home Believe I'll ride, believe I'll go back home Or down the road as far as I can go" And that'll be the way to get along Well, father said, "See my son coming home to me Coming home to me" Father ran and fell down on his knees Said, "Sing and praise, Lord have mercy on me" Mercy Oh poor boy stood there, hung his head and cried Hung his head and cried Poor boy stood and hung his head and cried Said, "Father will you look on me as a child?" Yeah Well father said, "Eldest son, kill the fatted calf, Call the family round Kill that calf and call the family round My son was lost but now he is found 'Cause that's the way for us to get along."
A "fire and brimstone" sermon, such as frightened the faithful for centuries. Such sermons were also a good source of revenue for the churches. Whether Jesus' comments on hell are authentic or intended literally, is disputed.
This train is known as the Black Diamond Express train to Hell. Sin is the engineer, pleasure is the headlight, and the devil is the conductor.
I see the Black Diamond as she starts off for Hell. The bell is ringing, Hellbound, Hellbound. The Devil cries out, "All aboard for Hell!"
First station is Drunkardville. Stop there and all the drunkards get on board. I have a big crowd down there drinking some steady, some drinking shinney, some drinking moonshine. Some drinking white mule and Red Horse. All you drunkards, you got to go to Hell on the Black Diamond train. The Black Diamond starts off for Hell now.
Next station is Liar's Avenue. Wait there and let all the liars get on board. I have a big crowd of liars down there. I have some smooth liars, some unreasonable liars. some professional liars, some barefaced liars, some ungodly liars, some big liars, some little liars, some go to bed lying, get up lying. Lie all day, lie on you and lie on me. A big crowd of liars. You got to go to Hell on the Black Diamond train.
Next station is Deceiversville. Wait there and all deceivers get on board. Some of you have been deceiving one another ever since you been in the world. friends deceiving friends, husbands deceiving wives, wives deceiving husbands. But they got to go to Hell on the Black Diamond train.
Next station is Conjuration Station. Wait there and let all the conjurers get on board. I have a big crowd of conjurers down there. They got to go to Hell on the Black Diamond train. They're always taking, making little hand signals to one another, but to you got to Hell on the Black Diamond train.
Next station is Confusion Junction. Wait there and all the confusion makers get on, some of you raise confusion in your homes, confusion in the seats, confusion everywhere you go, but you got to Hell on the Black Diamond train.
Next station is Fight Town. Wait there and let all the church fighters get on board. I have a big crowd of church fighters down there. They never go to the prayer meetings, they never go to the Sunday School, they never go to the morning service. . . . But all you church fighters, you got to go to Hell on the Black Diamond train.
And now the Black Diamond will stop just a minute to pick up some brimstone for Hell. Black Diamond is taking on a fresh supply of brimstone and now she's ready to pull out for Hell. Sin is the engineer, pleasure is the headlight, and the Devil is the conductor.
Next station is Dancing Hall Depot. Wait there. I have a large crowd of church members that get on down there. Some of you think you can sing in the choir on Sunday and Charleston on the ballroom till Monday but you got to go to Hell on the Black Diamond train. The Black Diamond pulled off now for Hell.
Next station is Gambler's Tower. Wait there and let all the gamblers get on board. I have a big crowd of gamblers and crapshooters and card players and bootleggers got to ride the Black Diamond train to Hell. They all get on the Black Diamond train, she starts out for Hell now, she's almost in Hell.
Next station is Stealing Town. Wait there and let all the church thieves get on board. I have a big crowd of members in the church always been stealing ever since they've been in the church. Some always begging money for the church and never turn it in. Always giving church suppers and then steal half the money. All you church thieves you got to go to Hell on the Black Diamond train.
Next station is Plotters Vale. Stop there and all the church plotters get on. Always plotting against the church, always plotting against the preachers, always plotting against the deacon, plotting against the church program. Always hid against closed doors, plotting against me. All you church plotters you got to go to Hell on the Black Diamond train.
Next station is . . . I've got a big crowd all the way down at the park parking all the time. They never can come to church on Sunday, always parking all the time.
And now the Devil says to the engineer and make a fast run for Hell.
Oh, gambler, get on the Black Diamond train. Oh, midnight rambler, get on the Black Diamond train. Oh back slider get on the Black Diamond train.
Children aren't you glad you got off the Black Diamond train a long time ago. I'm so glad I got off a long time ago. All my sins been taken away. Well all my sins been taken away (x). well glory Hallelujah all my sins been taken away.
Children aren't you glad you got off a long time ago? (Amen). I'm glad I got off a long time ago. Amen.
Luke has the only story of Jesus as a young adult in the canonic Gospels (2:46-47).
A famous Spiritual based on Luke's Temple story.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. "
Matthew 11:28
"I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." JOHN 3:3
JOHN 18:15-26
Alleluia is Greek for Hallelujah, which is Hebrew for Praise the Lord.
JOHN 4:1-15
Charles Wesley's Easter hymn.
Bach used this tune by Hans Hassler about a half dozen times in his St. Matthew Passion, and also in his St. John Passion. He must have liked it. Paul Simon must have liked it too, since he used it for his song, "American Tune" (below).
Jesus sat with sinners, since, like the sick, they needed a physician.
The stormy sea, which Jesus calmed, becomes a metaphor for our stormy lives.
Jesus is the fulfillment of the type of the Cities of Refuge in the Jewish Torah. Nicodemus is in the Gospel of John 3:1ff.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. "
Matthew 11:28
The promise of the Resurrection was the heart of the Gospel message (the "kerygma," or preaching): "And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty." 1 Corinthians 15:14.
"Certainly" is an English equivalent of "Amen."
According to the contemporary French philosopher, Rene Girard, the Bible, for the first time in history, tells stories of people who are scapegoats (victims), though innocent. This can be traced in the Bible from the stories of Abel (slain by Cain), to Joseph (victimized by his brothers), to King David (whose psalms protest his innocence before his fellow man, though his guilt before God), to Jesus, innocent from birth to death, yet made a victim for the faults ("sins") of others. Girard carefully argues, across many books, how these biblical stories, especially that of Jesus (completely innocent and completely victimized) attempts to end this victim (scapegoat) cycle by exposing it for what it is: an attempt to establish harmony in society by destroying innocent people and projecting social problems on them, as in this song.
(The Good Samaritan)
This is part of a jazz Mass by Mary Lou Williams.
"Lazarus, Lazarus, Lazarus, cool my parched tongue cause I didn't mean all the misery I've caused and all the bad things I have done. Father, Father, Father, send Lazarus to my house that he may warn them about the flame and what it's all about."
Then Abraham said, "They have Moses, let them hear his cry. For if they don't repent their evil ways they will surely die." "Lazarus, Lazarus, Lazarus, cool my parched tongue cause I didn't mean all the misery I've caused and all the bad things I have done."
As it fell out upon a day, Rich Dives he made a feast, And he invited all his friends, And gentry of the best. Then Lazarus laid him down and down, And down at Dives’ door: ‘Some meat, some drink, brother Dives, Bestow upon the poor.’ ‘Thou art none of my brother, Lazarus,That lies begging at my door; No meat nor drink I'll give thee, Nor bestow upon the poor.’ Then Lazarus laid him down and down, And down at Dive’s wall: ‘Some meat, some drink, brother Dives, Or with hunger starve I shall.’ ‘Thou art none of my brother, Lazarus, That lies begging at my wall; No meat nor drink will I give thee, But with hunger starve you shall.’ Then Lazarus laid him down and down, And down at Dive’s gate: ‘Some meat, some drink, brother Dives, For Jesus Christ's sake.’‘Thou art none of my brother, Lazarus, That lies begging at my gate; No meat nor drink I'll give to thee, For Jesus Christ his sake.’ Then Dives sent out his merry men, To whip poor Lazarus away; They had no power to strike a stroke, And threw their whips away. Then Dives sent out his hungry dogs,To bite him as he lay; But they had no power to bite at all, So they licked his sores away. As it fell out upon a day, Poor Lazarus sickened and died; Then came two angels out of heaven His soul therein to guide. ‘Rise up, rise up, brother Lazarus, And come along with me; For you’ve earned a place prepared in heaven, To sit on an angel’s knee.’ As it fell out upon a day,
Rich Dives sickened and died; Then came two serpents out of hell, His soul therein to guide. ‘Rise up, rise up, brother Dives, And come with us to see A dismal place, prepared in Hell, From which thou canst not flee.’ Then Dives lifted up his eyes, And he saw poor Lazarus blest: ‘Give me one drop of water, brother Lazarus, For to quench my flaming thirst.
‘If I had as many years to abide As there are blades of grass, Then there would be an end, but now Hell’s pains will ne’er be past. ‘Oh was I now but alive again, The space of one half hour! Oh that I had my peace secure! And the devil should have no power.’ Oh Hell is dark, oh Hell is deep, oh Hell is full of mice 'tis a pity that a sinful soul should be part from our Savior Christ and now my carol is ended, no longer can I stay here, God bless you all, both brave and small and God send you a happy year.
An Afro-American Spiritual on the same parable in LUKE.
Jesus Christ Superstar, Do you think you're what they say you are?
For I don't want to taste its poison. Feel it burn me, I have changed.
I'm not as sure, as when we started. Then, I was inspired. Now, I'm sad and tired.
A spiritual about the Passion of Jesus:
When you there when they crucified my Lord (x), oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble? Were you there when they crucified my Lord.
A Country and Western song on the same theme:
In the upper room with Jesus, sitting right near his blessed feet. Daily there my sins confessing Begging for his mercy sweet.
Awake Jerusalem awake! Midnight's passed, the hour is nearing, when in the East the dawn is nearing, a new and brigther dawn we'll face.
It's me, it's me oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer. (2) Not my father, not my mother, but it's me oh Lord standing in the need of prayer; not my sister not my brother but it's me oh Lord standing in the need of prayer. It's me, it's me oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer. (x)
"Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.'"
MATTHEW 9:37
Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." Matthew 8:20
"Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me" Matthew 24:9
"Love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22:39; Leviticus 19:18
Matthew 7:12
{verse} Never treat others with scorn, we're only here cause we're born, although you're way up you may not stay up, stop tooting your horn. Why boast of the wealth you possess, high on the hill of success, on friendship you never should frown, you'll need the same friends on the weary way down. {chorus} So love thy neighbor, walk up and say, "How be you? Gee but I'm glad to see you, pal. How's life? What's new?" Love thy neighbor, offer to share his burden, ask him to say the word and you will see him through. Especially if there should be a beautiful girl next door, say to that girl next door, "Now don't think I'm bold, but my mother told me to love thy neighbor and you will find your labor a great deal easier, life would be breezier if you love thy neighbor."
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit. . . ." MATTHEW 28:19
(known as "The Great Commision")
"For what shall it profit a man to gain the world but lose his soul?" MATTHEW 16:26
Gospel means "good news." Mark may have coined the word, since there is no record of this word before Mark's Gospel: "The beginning of the Gospel about Jesus" (MARK 1:1).
"[A]nyone who does not pick up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me." MATTHEW 10:38
Images of Elijah fused with those of Jesus, typical of African American spirituals. But this is also common in the Gospels, which borrowed ideas in the Hebrew Scriptures and used them for Jesus, especially prominent in the Gospel of Matthew.
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body." Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. Matthew 26:26-27
The Afro-American spirituals often had their own point of view about Jesus. Jesus' Seven Last Words on the Cross are well known, but in this spiritual Jesus is silent.
Matthew 26:26-27
The preaching about the Resurrection was probably the core of the Gospel message and other stories were added to this first preaching ("kerygma") as the tradition continued. Note that women saw Jesus first. This is one of the arguments for granting "historicity" (historical truth) to the Gospel story. Because if the story were false, the Gospel writers would not have credited women with being the first witnesses of Jesus! In fact, the role of women as witnesses is later marginalized by St. Paul, who gives priority to Peter and the other apostles! Scholars argue, if this part of the story was fiction, why make up a story that would discredit the male leaders of the group (the apostles), especially in such a patriarchal society in which Jesus lived?
For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I with them." Matthew 18:20
These two songs, like the verse from Matthew (18:20) suggests that a church is a community or person in prayer.
Also known as Kumbyah, apparently Creole dialect for "come by here," this is one of the most famous sing-along Gospel songs.
Every time I look at you I don't understand
Why you let the things you did get so out of hand.
You'd have managed better if you'd had it planned.
Why'd you choose such a backward time in such a strange land?
If you'd come today you could have reached a whole nation.
Israel in 4 BC had no mass communication.
Don't you get me wrong.
I only want to know.
Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ,
Who are you? What have you sacrificed?
Jesus Christ Superstar,
Do you think you're what they say you are?
Tell me what you think about your friends at the top.
Who'd you think besides yourself's the pick of the crop?
Buddha, was he where it's at? Is he where you are?
Could Mohammed move a mountain, or was that just PR?
Did you mean to die like that? Was that a mistake, or
Did you know your messy death would be a record breaker?
Don't you get me wrong.
I only want to know.
Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ,
Who are you? What have you sacrificed?
Jesus Christ Superstar,
Do you think you're what they say you are?
(Repeat many times)
I don't know how to love him.
What to do, how to move him.
I've been changed, yes really changed.
In these past few days, when I've seen myself,
I seem like someone else.
I don't know how to take this.
I don't see why he moves me.
He's a man. He's just a man.
And I've had so many men before,
In very many ways,
He's just one more.
Should I bring him down?
Should I scream and shout?
Should I speak of love,
Let my feelings out?
I never thought I'd come to this.
What's it all about?
Don't you think it's rather funny,
I should be in this position.
I'm the one who's always been
So calm, so cool, no lover's fool,
Running every show.
He scares me so.
I never thought I'd come to this.
What's it all about?
Yet, if he said he loved me,
I'd be lost. I'd be frightened.
I couldn't cope, just couldn't cope.
I'd turn my head. I'd back away.
I wouldn't want to know.
He scares me so.
I want him so.
I love him so.
Hosanna
Hey Sanna Sanna Sanna Hosanna
Hey Sanna Hosanna
Hey JC, JC won't you smile at me?
Sanna Hosanna
Hey Superstar
Tell the rabble to be quiet, we anticipate a riot.
This common crowd, is much too loud.
Tell the mob who sing your song that they are fools and they are wrong.
They are a curse. They should disperse.
Hosanna
Hey Sanna Sanna Sanna Hosanna
Hey Sanna Hosanna
Hey JC, JC you're alright by me
Sanna Hosanna
Hey Superstar
Why waste your breath moaning at the crowd?
Nothing can be done to stop the shouting.
If every tongue were stilled
The noise would still continue.
The rocks and stone themselves would start to sing:
Hosanna
Hey Sanna Sanna Sanna Hosanna
Hey Sanna Hosanna
Hey JC, JC won't you fight for me?
Sanna Hosanna Hey Superstar
Sing me your songs,
But not for me alone.
Sing out for yourselves,
For you are bless-ed.
There is not one of you
Who can not win the kingdom.
The slow, the suffering,
The quick, the dead.
Hosanna
Hey Sanna Sanna Sanna Hosanna
Hey Sanna Hosanna
Hey JC, JC won't you die for me?
Sanna Hosanna Hey Superstar
I only want to say,
If there is a way,
Take this cup away from me
For I don't want to taste its poison.
Feel it burn me,
I have changed.
I'm not as sure, as when we started.
Then, I was inspired.
Now, I'm sad and tired.
Listen, surely I've exceeded expectations,
Tried for three years, seems like thirty.
Could you ask as much from any other man?
But if I die,
See the saga through and do the things you ask of me,
Let them hate me, hit me, hurt me, nail me to their tree.
I'd want to know, I'd want to know, My God,
I'd want to know, I'd want to know, My God,
Want to see, I'd want to see, My God,
Want to see, I'd want to see, My God,
Why I should die.
Would I be more noticed than I ever was before?
Would the things I've said and done matter any more?
I'd have to know, I'd have to know, my Lord,
Have to know, I'd have to know, my Lord,
Have to see, I'd have to see, my Lord,
Have to see, I'd have to see, my Lord,
If I die what will be my reward?
If I die what will be my reward?
Have to know, I'd have to know, my Lord,
I'd have to know, I'd have to know, my Lord,
Why should I die? Oh why should I die?
Can you show me now that I would not be killed in vain?
Show me just a little of your omnipresent brain.
Show me there's a reason for your wanting me to die.
You're far to keen and where and how, but not so hot on why.
Alright, I'll die!
Just watch me die!
See how I die!
Then I was inspired.
Now, I'm sad and tired.
After all, I've tried for three years, seems like ninety.
Why then am I scared to finish what I started,
What you started - I didn't start it.
God, thy will is hard,
But you hold every card.
I will drink your cup of poison.
Nail me to your cross and break me,
Bleed me, beat me,
Kill me.
Take me, now!
Before I change my mind.
Notice the motif of light and the literal translation of the name Joshua in the first verse: "The Lord is my light and my salvation." Joshua means "the Lord saves"; in Greek, Joshua is Jesus.
In view of the Gospel use of the light motif, Psalm 27 can be read as a Messianic psalm, not only in its first verse but also v. 13: "I am confident I will see the Lord in the land of the living."
The first setting of this psalm is by popular Gospel artist, Andrae Couch. A second setting can be found here. Lyrics are below.
GO TELL IT on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere, go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born. behold in the heavens there shone a holy light. While shepherds kept their watching for silent flocks by night behold throughout the heavens there shone a holy light. Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere, go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born. The shepherds feared and trembled when love above the earth rang out the ancient chorus that hailed our Saviour's birth. Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere, go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.
Songs Week of 29 April 2008
was a man: a man who was born in a small village: the son of a peasant woman. He grew up in another small village. Until he reached the age of 30, he worked as a carpenter. Then for 3 years, he was a traveling minister. But he never traveled more than 200 miles from where he was born and where he did go, he usually walked. He never held political office, he never wrote a book, never bought a home, never had a family, he never went to college and he never set foot inside a big city. Yes, here was a man though he never did one of the things usually associated with greatness. He had no credentials but himself. He had nothing to do with this world except through the divine purpose that brought him to this world. While he was still a young man the tide of popular opinion turned against him. Most of his friends ran away; one of them denied him, one of them betrayed him and turned him over to his enemies. Then he went through the mockery of a trial and was nailed to a cross between two thieves. And even while he was dying his executioners gambled for the only piece of property that he had in this world and that was his robe, his purple robe. When he was dead, he was taken down from the cross and laid in a borrowed grave provided by compassionate friends. More than 19 centuries have come and gone and today he’s the centerpiece of the human race, our leader in the column to human destiny. I think I am well within the mark when I say that all of the armies that ever marched, all of the navies that ever sailed the seas, all of the legislative bodies that ever sat, and all of the kings that ever reigned, all of them put together have not affected the life of man on this earth so powerfully as that one solitary life. Here was a man!
A famous Gregorian chant on the birth of Jesus, performed here in authentic and New Age styles.
GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN
This famous Afro-American Christmas spiritual allows the student to compare two musical styles of equal beauty:
Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere, go tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born!
WOULD THEY LOVE HIM DOWN IN SHREVEPORT?
The same message as the above, by the legendary folksinger and songwriter, Woody Guthrie ("This Land Is Your Land"), making Jesus into a communist at a time (1930s) when people feared communists!
"Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil." Matthew 4:1
"Jesus said to him, 'Away from me, Satan! For it is written, "Worship the Lord your God and serve him only."' Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him." Matthew 4:10-11
The careful reader of the Bible will realize that faith must come before God's help, not after God's help, as in the verses above. In fact, Jesus never heals anyone unless they have faith first: "Go, your faith has made you whole." The angels protect Jesus only after Jesus shows faith in the commandment of Deuteronomy 6:13. This is understood in the Oscar-wining song from Prince of Egypt too:
"There can be miracles when you believe."
Isaian influence here. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16
The light, like the Word (God's commandments) must be made flesh to be seen and heard. The light motif begins in Genesis where God separates the light from the darkness and continues to the end of the Bible in the book of Revelation, where there is no night. Isaiah's command to "arise and shine" is echoed in the Gospels, where Jesus is now the light of the world. (See Isaiah 60:1: "Arise, shine, for your light has come. . . ."; and Malachi 4:2: "sun of righteousness.") The light motif shines especially clear in the opening verses of the Gospel of John and in one of the seven I AM sayings in that Gospel: "I am the light of the world." There are many Gospel songs and spirituals based on this motif. The following is a Gregorian hymn. Aine Minogue recorded a New Age version of this chant. Beginning with R&B singer Ray Charles, some Gospel songs became secular (non-religious) songs, as can be heard in Chuck Berry's Rock 'n' Roll version of "This Little Light of Mine" as "My Little Love Light."
Surpassing all joys and all desires.
A Catholic chant sung at compline (evening prayer).
"These twelve Jesus sent out, charging them, 'Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.'"
Matthew 10:5-6
Images of Jesus based on the traditional religious reading of the Song of Songs:
They said to him, "We have only five loaves here and two fish." And he said, "Bring them here to me." Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass; and taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.
Matthew 14:17-19
The famous story of the feeding of the multitudes, which occurs in all the gospels and twice in Matthew. Again Jesus surpasses Moses:
"Pray then like this: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name" (Matthew 6:9).
Also known, by its opening words, as the "Our Father" (or, in Latin, the Pater Noster) this is the most famous prayer among Christians and appears in Matthew and Luke, though it is misnamed because it's really the prayer Jesus gives for his disciples to say. There are numerous song settings of this prayer, including Gospel versions, a West Indian version that became popular during the 1960s, a Rock 'n' Roll version that became a big hit fo an Australian num in the 1970s, and many jazz settings, including those by Duke Ellington, Mary Lou Williams, and Vince Guaraldi, famous for his jazz scores for the Peanuts television specials and for his Christmas standard, "Christmastime Is Here." The most standard setting is by Malotte, recorded by hundreds of artists, from Mahalia Jackson to Pat Boone and Mario Lanza.
"And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, 'Truly you are the Son of God.'"
The verses above are used as a foundation for perfect faith.
He calmed the ocean, my Lord, oh he said he would, he said he would calm the raging sea, said he would, said he would.
TOUCH THE HEM OF HIS GARMENT
And a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment; for she said to herself, "If I only touch his garment, I shall be made well." Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well." And instantly the woman was made well."
Matthew 9:20-22
(These verses refer to the fringes or tassels commanded by NUMBERS 15:38f. Jesus, as a Jew, observed that commandment.)
Oh, she spent her money here and there, until she had no, had no more to spare. The doctors they done all they could, but their medicine would do no good. When she touched him, the Savior didn't see, but still he turned around and cried, "Somebody touched me." She said, "It was I who just want to touch the hem of your garment. I know I'll be made whole right now." She stood there, cryng "Oh, oh, I know, Lord, oh Lord, oh Lord." [She] said, "If I could just touch the hem of your garment, I know I'll be made whole right now."
Minor Prophets, 1
BRINGING IN THE SHEAVES
{Refrain} Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves, Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves, We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
the Bible we're told of a prophet who was called to a city that was steeped in an awful sin. All the people in that place were devoid of saving grace and the prophet was afraid to enter in. Oh some people don't believe that a whale could him receive but that does not make my song at all untrue. Why there are whales on every side with their big mouths open wide, just take care my friend or one will swallow you. Then this prophet full with sin that old Ninevah might begin, but instead of that to Tarshish he set sail. All the winds began to blow on the did Jonah and he found a mercy seat inside the whale. In the cold and deep, tears of grief did Jonah weep and the big fish threw him out upon the shore. preached to Ninevah, Ninevah night and day and he did not anymore and he did not care to backslide anymore. Oh some people don't believe that a whale could him receive but that does not make my song that all untrue. There are whales on every side with their big mouths open wide, just take care my friends or one will swallow you.
And He shall purify the sons of Levi, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness (3:3).
Who is it that is supposed to articulate the longings and aspirations of the people more than the preacher? Somehow the preacher must have a kind of fire shut up in his bones. And whenever injustice is around, he must tell it. Somehow the preacher must be an Amos, who said, "When God speaks, who can but prophesy?" Again, with Amos, "Let Justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream." Somehow the preacher must say with Jesus, "The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me. And he's anointed to deal with the problems of the poor."
"No, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream."
King's speeches are filled with biblical quotes and references, as in his final "Mountaintop" speech, where he compares himself to Moses, who has led the people to the Promised Land but will not see it himself; he also refers to the Battle Hymn, based on Isaiah's Battle God. King also refers to Psalm 27:1f.: "The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?"
How many roads must a man walk down before you call him a man? How many seas must the white dove sail, before she sleeps in the sand? Yes and how many times must the cannonballs fly before they're forever banned? The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind. The answer is blowing in the wind!
Songs Week of 22 April 2008
THE DAY OF THE LORD
The Day of the Lord is one of the key motifs in the Bible, which later blends into the Last Judgment. At first the "Day of the Lord" encouraged Jews to think about judgment on their enemies; but reformist prophets such as Amos turned that idea around and used it to warn Israel that they themselves would be punished for their social injustices. Several prophets (Amos, Joel) use the Day of the Lord, but the text used by the Church Mass is based on Zephaniah 1:15 ("That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish"), the basis of the Gregorian chant, "Dies Irae" ("Day of Anger"), commonly used in musical quotation since it immediately invokes the idea of death. The Gregorian version can be heard here; for an example of its common use in movies, listen to the credit sequence from The Shining (click here).
Our text today is from Malachi, chapter 4: "For behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven when all the proud, yeah, and all the wicked. . . . "
BLOW YOUR TRUMPET OF ZION
Oh what a weeping, never failing from on high the central throne. Men are dying, nations crying, for the Day of the Lord is at hand.
It's a day of distress and trouble (I know it is), such as never was known in the land. You know men shall be crying for mercy, oh, who shall be able to stand?
Then the judgment of the Lord is against the wicked. Everywhere, every, everywhere, I can plainly see (you know this) that God's strong arm of deliverance is going peace to the blood washed redeemed.
It's a weeping and a weeping and a wailing, that comes from above the central throne, oh yeah. Men are crying for mercy (oh yes they are), crying who shall be able to stand?
Oh, repent! I know it's an Amen, from up above the central throne! Men are dying, nations falling, for the Day, Day of the Lord is at hand!
As Jonah preached to the Assyrians to save them, another minor prophet, Nahum, warns of God's coming judgment against them. Note the mocking reference to Isaiah 5:27 regarding the Assyrians: "Not one of them grows tired or stumbles, not one slumbers or sleeps." Nahum instead writes, "O king of Assyria, your shepherds slumber, your nobles lie down to rest" (3:18). Compare this with Psalm 121:4 where God "who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep." This Gospel song reminds the faithful that God is also a battle God:
Oh Nebuchadnezzar, so I am told, he bound Shadrach, Mesach, and Abednego. Well he bound those boys and he put them in but Jesus Christ was the Savior of them. When God reached down in an angry frown, the king decide he done wrong. The king peeped over and he looked in the door, he said, "I tossed in three, but now I see four." He peeped on down, He looked very hard, he said, "The fourth man looked like the son of God," and old Nebuchadnezzar, so I am told, he called Shadrach, Mesach, and Abednego. The ?? crying "God is a battle axe sure as you're born." My God is a battle axe (x) well in the time of war.
Based on Third Isaiah's war God. The verses sound violent, but the idea is that it is violence against the oppressor, of those who inflict social injustice against those unable to defend themselves: "I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no-one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments and I stained all my clothing. For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year of my redemption has come. I looked but there was no-one to help, I was appalled that no-one gave support; so my own arm worked salvation for me, and my own wrath sustained me. I trampled the nations in my anger; in my wrath I made them drunk and poured their blood on the ground." (Isaiah 63:3-6).
O 'rise! shine! for thy light is a-coming. (3) my Lord says he's coming bye and bye. This is the year of Jubilee. My Lord says he's coming bye and bye. My Lord has set his people free, my Lord says he's coming bye and bye. I intend to shout and never stop, my Lord says he's coming bye and bye. Until I reach the mountain top, my Lord says he coming bye and bye.
Week of 8 April 2008
The Minor Prophets-1
AMOS
He can turn the tides and calm the angry sea. He alone decides who writes a symphony. He lights every star that makes our darkness bright, He keeps watch all through each long and lonely night. He still finds the time to hear a child's first prayer, saint or sinner calls and always find him there. Though it makes him sad to see the way we live, He'll always say, "I forgive."
He can grant a wish or make a dream come true, He can paint the clouds and turn the grey to blue. He alone knows where to find the rainbow's end, He alone can see what lies beyond the bend. He can touch a tree and turn the leaves to gold, He knows every lie that you and I have told. Though it makes him sad to see the way we live, He'll always say, "I forgive." (I forgive, I forgive) He'll always say, "I forgive!"
To hear this song click on Elvis.
This pop song based on Bible stories is from Elvis' movie, Easy Come, Easy Go. To see Elvis sing the song in the movie, click here.
How many roads must a man walk down before you call him a man? How many seas must the white dove sail, before she sleeps in the sand? Yes and how many times must the cannonballs fly before they're forever banned? The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind. The answer is blowing in the wind! How many years must the mountain exist before it is washed to the sea? Yes and how many times must people exist before they're allowed to be free? Yes and how many times must a man turn his head and pretend that he just doesn't see? The answer my friend is blowing in the wind, the answer is blowing in the wind. How many times must a man look up before he can really see the sky? Yes and how many ears must a man have before he can hear people cry? Yes and how many deaths must it take before he knows that too many people have died.
Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness, Sowing in the noontide and the dewy eve; Waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping, We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
{Refrain} Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves, Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves, We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
"The saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever. Yes! Forever and ever!"
DANIEL 7:18
"I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red. . . ."
Revelation 6:12
This is one of the most famous of all Gospel songs. But oddly it's rarely sung as a Gospel song since jazz trumpeter Louis Armstrong recorded it as a jazz number in the 1930s. Few listeners think of it as an apocalyptic ("end of the world") song, which it is. In fact, the song stays fairly closely to the apocalyptic images of Daniel (the "saints") and Revelation, though these images also appear elsewhere in the Bible. The "number" refers to the "great multitude" who have endured suffering ("the great tribulation") for God's sake and so stand before the throne of God (REVELATION 7). There have been numerous recordings of the song. Elvis sang it in his movie, Frankie and Johnny, and there's also a home recording here.
Well when the saints go marchin in
Oh Lord I want to be in that number
When the saints go marchin' in
Well I had a loving mother
To walk and talk with me
Now I have no mother
What pleasure do I see?
Well when the saints go marchin' in
Well when the saints go marchin in
Oh Lord I want to be in that number
When the saints go marchin' in
When the sun refuse to shine
Well when the sun refuse to shine
Oh Lord I want to be in that number
When the sun refuse to shine
Well when the saints go marchin' in
Well when the saints go marchin in
Oh Lord I want to be in that number
When the saints go marchin' in.
Songs Week of 24 March 2008
SHADRACK
This famous Gospel song is based on the Fiery Furnace text from DANIEL (chapter 3). There are countless versions of this song. To hear The Larks sing it, go here . For a version by Soul singer, Brook Benton, go here. Note how concisely the entire Bible story is retold as song.
Well he told everybody when they hear the music of the cornet. Well they told everybody when they hear the music of the flute. And they told everybody when they hear the music of the horn. Great God says, You must bow down and worship the idol. Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego.
But the children of Israel would not bow down. Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego. You couldn't fool them with a golden idol. Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego. I said, you couldn't fool them with a golden idol. Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego.
So the king put the children in a fiery furnace. Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego. He heaped on coals and red-hot brimstone. Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego. Made it seven times hotter: hotter than it ought to be. Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego. It even burned up the soldiers that the king had put there. Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego. Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego. Then the Lord God sent them an angel. And he gave them a couple of wings. So they moved them on down to the fiery furnace and began to cool the flames. Those children they got so happy, they were strutting right through the fire, just laughing and singing about the power of the gospel. Shadrack, Meshach, Abednego. Well, Shadrack, Meshach, Abednego. Little old Nebuchadezzer said, "Hey, now!" when he saw the power of the Lord. "Have a good time in the land of Babylon." Shadrack, Meshach, Abednego. Oh, Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego.
This famous hymn is based on Daniel 2:44-45. For Christians, the "Rock" is Jesus.To hear the hymn, go here.
can fulfill thy law's commands; could my zeal no respite know, could my tears forever flow, all for sin could not atone; thou must save, and thou alone. Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling; naked, come to thee for dress; helpless, look to thee for grace; foul, I to the fountain fly; wash me, Savior, or I die. While I draw this fleeting breath, when mine eyes shall close in death, when I soar to worlds unknown, see thee on thy judgment throne, Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee.
O Rock of Ages I bow to thee. There is no other refuge can save one but thee. Through this old world I wander so far far from thee and I cry to Rock of Ages, I cry to hide thou, hide thou me.
The story of Belshazzar and his banquet (the book of Daniel, chapter 5) gives English the phrase, "handwriting on the wall." To hear the song, click here.
Now the world's getting closer to destruction, as we walk the streets we hear the word Doomsday. Now we all know that something's soon to happen if we refuse to stop and pray. Soon the laughter will one day turn to mourning and the crowds will be far away and like the king we'll finally got the message who didn't realize he had feet of clay.
The handwriting's on the wall, can't you see it? Don't be weighed in the balance and found wanting don't turn down the truth for today. I send you warning now I send you judgemnt on a nation that's forgotten how to pray and there's no way to erase it, the handwriting's on the wall here today. And there's no way to erase it, the handwriting's on the wall here today.
With a narrative economy typical of the finest Gospel songs, Country singer, Johnny Cash, wrote this song about the "handwriting on the wall" scene in DANIEL. To hear an amateur version of this song, go here. A bluegrass version is here.
Songs Week of 25 March 2008
A Christian reading of Daniel in the Lion's Den,
with Jesus appearing to save Daniel:
OH WHAT A TIME
In Afro-American Gospel, Bible characters are commonplaces to advance theological ideas, as here.
This field shout touches on the abstract. As usual in Afro-Amercian traditions, Bible characters are treated as commonplaces for themes such as faith, hope, endurance:
"Reel and rock" later became a Rock 'n' Roll phrase for dancing but here it means the Last Judgment. The song tells of the sameness of God through the ages:
One of the reasons the book of Daniel is so popular is its confidence in God and prayer. Jewish and Christian ideas are blended here (the reference to "the Father and the Son [Jesus]"):
THEY CAME OUT SHOUTING
The story of the three Hebrews in the fiery furnace is blended with the idea of Jesus, though Jesus came hundreds of years later. The faith in final victory has sustained Jews and Christians through ages of persecution:
Oh, they came, they came out shouting (they came), the fire don't bother me. (2) Let me tell you, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, into the fire burning they did surely go! They went in hand in hand came out in Jesus' hands. They came out shouting. I say, they came out shouting, the fire don't bother me. Let me tell you Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, into the fire burning they did surely go, they went hand in hand, came out in Jesus' name, they came out shouting, the fire don't bother me. They came out shouting! (3).
DANIEL SAW THE STONE
Well old Daniel saw the stone that was hewed out the mountain. Daniel saw the stone stone that was rolling down to Babylon, Daniel saw the stone that was hewed out the mountain coming down to redeem a mighty world. (2) Won't you meet me, Jesus, meet me, won't you meet me in the middle of the air? Cause now if these wings should fail me, Lord I want to hitch on another pair. King Jesus was the stone that was hewed out the mountain. King Jesus was the stone that come a-rolling in Babylon. King Jesus was the stone that was hewed out the mountain, coming down to redeem a mighty world. (2) Well the tree ends were bending, way up in the heavenly land. Well my God spoke to the Holy Ghost, he said, "Come on, and let's make plans." I'm looking for the stone that was hewed out the mountain, I'm looking for the stone that came a-rolling in Babylon, I'm looking for the stone that was hewed out the mountain coming down to redeem a mighty world. (2) Well now early in the morning the trumpet's going to sound, the dead in Christ is going to rise. Well if you ain't got good religion, Lord in hell you'll open up your eyes. I found that stone that was hewed out of the mountain, I found that stone that was rolling in Babylon, I found that stone that was hewed out of the mountain, coming down to redeem a mighty world. (2)
Gospel song based on the lion's den text from DANIEL:
Daniel became a symbol for those who wished to keep God's laws regardless where they lived, as this gospel song shows:
*Dreadlock=A Rastafarian (Rasta) wearing dreadlocks. Rastafarianism is a Jamaican version of Bible themes, a main focus of Reggae music, most famously, that of Bob Marley. "Jah" is the Rasta word for "Lord." "Jah" by itself is used once in the KJV (King James Version) of the Bible but is commonly used as part of the word, "HalleluJAH," meaning "Praise the Lord" and in contemporary worship songs.
The story of Belshazzar and his banquet (the book of Daniel) gives English the phrase, "handwriting on the wall":
Country singer, Johnny Cash, wrote this song about the "handwriting on the wall" scene in DANIEL:
The most famous Gospel song based on the Fiery Furnace text from DANIEL:
Well he told everybody when they heard the music of the cornet. Well they told everybody when they heard the music of the flute. And they told everybody when they heard the music of the horn. Great God says, You must bow down and worship the idol. Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego.
But the children of Israel would not bow down. Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego. You couldn't fool them with a golden idol. Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego. I said, you couldn't fool them with a golden idol. Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego.
So the king put the children in a fiery furnace. Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego. He heaped on coals and red-hot brimstone. Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego. Made it seven times hotter: hotter than it ought to be. Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego. It even burned up the soldiers that the king had put there. Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego. Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego. Then the Lord God sent them an angel. And he gave them a couple of wings. So they moved them on down to the fiery furnace and began to cool the flames. Those children they got so happy, they were strutting right through the fire, just laughing and singing about the power of the gospel. Shadrack, Meshach, Abednego. Well, Shadrack, Meshach, Abednego. Little old Nebuchadezzer said, "Hey, now!" when he saw the power of the Lord. "Have a good time in the land of Babylon." Shadrack, Meshach, Abednego. Oh, Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego.
(1a) De lamentatione Jeremiae prophetae.
The Lamentations of the prophet Jeremiah.
(1b) Jerusalem convertere ad Dominum Deum tuum.
Jerusalem, turn to the Lord your God.
(1c) Same as (1b)
Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto His sorrow.
Great is Thy faithfulness O Thou my Father. There is no shadow of turning with Thee. Thou changest not Thy compassions, they fail not. As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be. Great is They faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness, morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed, Thy hand hath provided, great is Thy faithfulness Lord unto me.
Afro-American Sermon
ah, by the cherubims, one wheel by one cherub and another wheel by another cherub and the appearance of the wheels was as the color of a beryl stone and as for their appearances the four had one likeness as if a wheel had been in the midst of a wheel. I'm going to talk about wheels in the middle of wheels. I want you to hurry up and get with me because I remember when I was growing up as a young preacher, people used to say to the Preacher come up now, I'm up here waiting on you. Now I want to say to you don't you come up the road to wait for me
because I may turn off before I get to where you are. Wheels in the middle of wheels. Let me by way of introduction say to you that contemporary with this writing Babylonia was in world ascendancy. She had become the leading existing power in that part of the world. Egypt had failed, and Assyria had gone down. Babylonia was on the ascendancy. Nebuchadnezzar, ah, threw fear in the hearts of world leaders contemporary with himself. Now there was fear in the hearts, in the hearts of the Israelites that Babylon eventually would besiege the nation and they felt that the threat of doom hung over the holy city Jerusalem. God had always had in a crisis some prophet or some preacher to engender hope in the hearts of hopeless people. He always has [always] some preacher or some prophet [yes] who walks along the lofty walls of vision while the people grope down in the darkness calling out to him, "Watchman, what of the night?" And the prophet or the preacher doesn't answer. The morning comes and so does the night. At this time there was a threat of military overthrow for the people of Israel. At this time the people were fearful and they were even more fearful because they thought that not only would Jerusalem be destroyed but the temple would be destroyed and the vision points out that Yahweh or God would withdraw not only from, ah, Jerusalem but also from the temple and the people have had great traditions, great backgrounds. It is difficult for them to turn those fractious days loose without wrecking themselves, emotionally, spiritually and otherwise. So Ezekiel appeared on the scene to speak to Israel from Yahweh. And he tells them the story of a prophet's vision. He said he looked into the firmament, which was another way of saying I looked into the future, I looked into the firmament, I looked into history that had not taken place. I looked into the firmament. ah, as those of you reckon who read the Bible with some diligence, realize how graphic and how symbolic the book of Ezekiel is. Many are the imagery or images ah are are graphic but to the people of Israel at least they were constructive. [Yes.] And because when he said he looked into the firmament (are you praying with me?), ah, I said, and I repeat that he was talking about looking into history. And he was looking upon the temple [yes], he was looking in a way that was transcendent to the temple [yeah] and he sat as he looked he saw the outlines of a throne that was made like a chariot. And then the vague outline [yeah] of somebody sitting on that chariot throne. That was in the future, that was above Israel. It was above Babylon as well as the rest of history. For I don't care anything about the Hitlers, and the Mussolinis, it doesn't mean anything to me about the despots and about the men of power. Well Hitler is not here and Mussolini is dead. I will say the great rulers that we've been talking about are all gone. But God is still in the middle of the sky, sitting above history, above power, still on his chariot throne. But the symbolism of the throne looking like a chariot with the vague outlines of Yahweh sitting on it, suggests that Yahweh was ready to fight. You're not going to ah get on a chariot for any reason other than fighting. This is the thing that astonished the prophet as well as the nation. That the prophet was in the temple at the time that is as far as the vision was concerned, at the time of the vision and because he saw not only God above him but God was on the move and the glory of God was blinding as he moved out of the temple toward the east gate. I wish I had somebody to pray with tonight. And ah he tells the story not only of the chariot throne but he saw around the throne cherubs and cherubims, ah, words that are used interchangeably ah with angels. Cherub is singular and cherubim is plural so there was movement between one aggregation of cherubs on the other hand and another aggregation of cherubims on the other hand. Then he heard a voice there in the temple calling out to a man in white. What is meant by this? A scribe or a priest. And the voice said, "Come in. Reach your hand in the midst of the church. Get some live coals from around the altar. Then I want you to go on a mission for me out into the city throwing and scattering these live coals. I don't believe you hear what I'm saying. And has been preached for the scribes to scatter these coals, these parcels of fire symbolizing God's words. For usually fire as you read it in the Bible is associated with God. It was in connection with God that Moses saw God in the burning bush. It was fire that ah was used with the sacrifices. It was fire that God answered Elijah on Mount Carmel. Now God is a fire flame. You don't believe what I'm saying, yes he is, let me tell you, Jesus Christ. It is said that when the priest or the scribe went out to scatter the fiery words of God into a hopeless city, well that priest or scribe did his job. Now what was Ezekiel talking about? What he was saying was, well, God, you know showed me angels and beside the angels were wheels, oh Lord, and those wheels were full of fire, yeah, they had eyes on their hands, they had eyes in their heads, they had eyes on their wings, and then the wheels had eyes around them, Oh Lord, would you tell them what you're talking about Ezekiel. I'm telling you that you are part of God's plan. You know God is the first wheel, oh Lord! Babylon is a wheel that was bigger than Israel. Yes. But in his vision, the prophet was saying don't lose hope. You may be a small wheel, but you are a wheel. Although you may feel that you are doomed. Oh, Lord, They just mean that you are in God's plans and in God's purposes, oh Lord. And God's plans, they're not blind, they're full of eyes. God is on a mission anyways. He has angels standing by, his plan. Oh, Lord. And then those angels are full of eyes. They're looking to the north. Those eyes are looking to the east, into the south, and then to the west. Pray God. And then remember the wheels were rolling, sit down here, I've never seen a vision like this, I've been sick all day. God's plan are ever on the move. I don't believe you hear me. Oh, don't worry tonight, don't get afraid, don't lose your faith, don't lose your hope, don't lose that burning fire down in your heart. God's plan are on the move. And no power, well you may be frustrated . . . but you cannot stop God's plan, always, always God is gonna make a way.
I say good news, the chariot's coming, so glad the chariot's coming, getting ready cause the chariot's coming. There's a better day a-coming fare thee well, fare thee well (2).
The Valley of Dry Bones
"And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd. . . ."
Listen to the lambs, all a-crying (3) all a-crying. (3) He shall feed his flock like a shepherd and carry the young lambs in his bosom and carry the young lambs in his bosom.
Afro-American dialect for "Hear the lambs a-crying." From Ezekiel 34 and the last chapter of the Gospel of John (21). Jesus wisely asks Peter three times if Peter loves him, because Peter denied Jesus three times. And Jesus links Peter's love of him to actual works ("feed my lambs"), as if Jesus knew that love and works would soon be split. Soon many loved Jesus but had no sense of social justice; they forgot to feed the lambs: "Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, 'Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?" (JAMES 3:15-16)
Well I tell you! Ezekiel saw the wheel way up in the middle of the air. (4) And the big wheel runs by faith and the little wheel runs by the grace of God: a wheel in a wheel way up in the middle of the air.
Why don't you swing down sweet chariot, stop and let me ride. Swing down chariot, stop and let me ride. Rock me Lord, rock me Lord, calm and easy. Well I've got a home on the other side. (2) Well, well, well, well, well, well. . . . Ezekiel went down in the middle of a field. He saw an angel working on a chariot wheel. Wasn't so particular 'bout the chariot wheel. Just wanted to see how a chariot feel. Why don't you swing down sweet chariot, stop and let me ride. Swing down chariot, stop and let me ride. Rock me Lord, rock me Lord, calm and easy. Well I've got a home on the other side. Well, well, well. . . . Ezekiel went down and he got on board. Chariot went a-bumping on down the road. Zeke [Ezekiel] wasn't so particular 'bout the bumping of the road. Just wanted to lay down his heavy load. Why don't you swing down sweet chariot, stop and let me ride. Swing down chariot, stop and let me ride. Rock me Lord, rock me Lord, calm and easy. Well I've got a home on the other side. Well I got a father in the Promised Land. Ain't no more stopping till I shake his hand. Rock me Lord, rock me Lord, calm and easy. I've got a home on the other side. Why don't you swing down sweet chariot, stop and let me ride. Swing down chariot, stop and let me ride. Rock me Lord, rock me Lord, calm and easy. Well I've got a home on the other side.
There shall be showers of blessing: This is the promise of love; There shall be seasons refreshing, Sent from the Savior above. Showers of blessing, Showers of blessing we need: Mercy drops round us are falling, But for the showers we plead. There shall be showers of blessing, Precious reviving again; Over the hills and the valleys, Sound of abundance of rain.
Lord, I hear of showers of blessing, Thou art scattering (you're scattering them) full and free. Showers the thirsty land/soul refreshing; Lord let some drops now fall (oh Lord let them fall) on me; Even me, even me, Let some drops now fall on me.
Ezekiel, Chapter 1
To hear this song, click here.
Though the book is considered odd by many readers, the book's images are commonly quoted in Gospel songs. It has also had obvious influence on the book of Revelation. In popular culture, Ezekiel's Heavenly Chariot has been the source of UFO (Flying Saucer) speculation; while there is a cult in Jewish mysticism that focuses on Chariot symbolism. Gospel songs interpret the wheel in the middle of the wheel as God's grace and man's faith, as this song shows:
To hear this song, click here. A slower version is here. Another version is here.
don't you swing down sweet chariot, stop and let me ride. Swing down chariot, stop and let me ride. Rock me Lord, rock me Lord, calm and easy. Well I've got a home on the other side. (2) Well, well, well, well, well, well. . . . Ezekiel went down in the middle of a field. He saw an angel working on a chariot wheel. Wasn't so particular 'bout the chariot wheel. Just wanted to see how a chariot feel. Why don't you swing down sweet chariot, stop and let me ride. Swing down chariot, stop and let me ride. Rock me Lord, rock me Lord, calm and easy. Well I've got a home on the other side. Well, well, well. . . . Ezekiel went down and he got on board. Chariot went a-bumping on down the road. Zeke [Ezekiel] wasn't so particular 'bout the bumping of the road. Just wanted to lay down his heavy load. Why don't you swing down sweet chariot, stop and let me ride. Swing down chariot, stop and let me ride. Rock me Lord, rock me Lord, calm and easy. Well I've got a home on the other side. Well I got a father in the Promised Land. Ain't no more stopping till I shake his hand. Rock me Lord, rock me Lord, calm and easy. I've got a home on the other side. Why don't you swing down sweet chariot, stop and let me ride. Swing down chariot, stop and let me ride. Rock me Lord, rock me Lord, calm and easy. Well I've got a home on the other side.
There shall be showers of blessing: This is the promise of love; There shall be seasons refreshing, Sent from the Savior above. Showers of blessing, Showers of blessing we need: Mercy drops round us are falling, But for the showers we plead. There shall be showers of blessing, Precious reviving again; Over the hills and the valleys, Sound of abundance of rain.
Also based on Ezekiel 34:26. Listen here.
Lord, I hear of showers of blessing, Thou art scattering full and free; Showers the thirsty land refreshing; Let some drops now fall on me; Even me, even me, Let some drops now fall on me.
Week of 11 March 2008
JEREMIAH
The book of Jeremiah contains some of the greatest poetry in the Bible. Hebrew poetry is built mainly on parallel structure (repeating ideas in different words) and concrete images, making us see things vividly. Poetry must be heard to be appreciated.
1
2: Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men. 3: And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD. 4: Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders. 5: And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity.
6: Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the LORD. 7: Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how shall I do for the daughter of my people? 8: Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait. 9: Shall I not visit them for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? 10: For the mountains will I take up a weeping and wailing, and for the habitations of the wilderness a lamentation, because they are burned up, so that none can pass through them; neither can men hear the voice of the cattle; both the fowl of the heavens and the beasts are fled; they are gone. 11: And I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant.
4: Because the ground is chapped, for there was no rain in the earth, the plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads.
5: Yea, the hind also calved in the field, and forsook it, because there was no grass. 6: And the wild asses did stand in the high places, they snuffed up the wind like dragons; their eyes did fail, because there was no grass. 7: O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy name's sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee. 8: O the hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night? 9: Why shouldest thou be as a man astonied [astonished], as a mighty man that cannot save? yet thou, O LORD, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not.
From Moses on, the commisioning (calling) of the reluctant or fearful prophet is a key moment in the life of prophecy. Here too Jesus fulfills the "old" Testament; he is ready and eager when his time comes. In the words of the Gospel song, he "has confidence."
"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'" Isaiah 6:8
"'Ah, Sovereign Lord,' I said. "I do not know how to speak. I am only a child.' But the Lord said to me, 'Do not say, I am only a child. You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,' declares the Lord." JEREMIAH 1:6-8
Here I am, oh, Lord, send me. Yes, Master, if you need me. I'll stop what I'm doing, go out for your cause. I knew you would call me if you did need me. Yes Lord If you want somebody you can count on them, rest my bones, I'll go. Won't somebody, O Lord, won't somebody, O Lord, send me. If I've polio I'll go, I'm cripple I'll go, I want you to know if I'm blind I'll go,if I'm paralyzed I'll go. Though paralyzed, I'll go just the same. I'll go, won't somebody here go. Send me!
The Bible, among its many other distinctions, is the first truly intertextual book; verses constantly refer to other verses. This becomes increasingly so by the time of the early Jewish-Christians who seem to have written every verse with an eye to another verse in their Scriptures (at that time, only the Jewish Bible). For example, John, in the famous incipit (beginning) of his Gospel obviously has his own take on the incipit of Genesis; almost every verse in the Gospels seems to refer to a verse in the Hebrew scriptures (the Sermon on the Mount refers to Moses' law-giving on the mountain; Luke's Sermon the Plain refers to Matthew's Sermon on the Mount, etc.). In these verses of Jeremiah, he parodies the creation of the world with its destruction, using similar language as in the opening verses of Genesis to make his point stronger:
Gospel songs too keep both Testaments in mind. Christianity depends on showing that all verses in the Old Testament refer to the life of Jesus. This, as we know, is called a typological reading (Jesus is the fulfillment of the old law). Here a verse from Isaiah is made to refer to Jesus:
The Blackwood Brothers, who recorded this song, was one of the most popular white Gospel groups of the 20th century and the favorite of Elvis Presley's mother, at whose funeral they performed at Elvis' request. Elvis shared his mother's love for the Blackwood Brothers and also had a deep love of bass voices. J. D. Sumner, who sang bass for the Blackwood Brothers, later sang on several of Elvis pop hits, including his last, "Way Down" (1977).
Peace like a river so gently is flowing, how sweet to my soul is this marvelous peace, sweeter and sweeter each day it is growing like billows of glory it never shall cease. Spirit, the Spirit, I am so glad (I am so happy), happy and glad, Jesus has given, Jesus has given wonderful peace, wonderful peace.
(Edgar Allan Poe)
"Go up to Gilead and get balm, O Virgin Daughter ofEgypt, but you multiply remedies in vain; there is no healing for you." Jeremiah 46:11
Is there -- is there balm in Gilead? -- tell me -- tell me, I implore!"
Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."
Two diffiferent vocal styles in Afro-American performance of spirituals: one from the concert tradition, the other from Gospel:
This song, from a Christian perspective, has the same message as Jeremiah's verse:
Although an embarrassment to some biblical scholars, hence read allegorically, God pictured with human emotions has been justified by scholars such as Abraham Heschel, who argues that God's "divine pathos" (including anger and love) is a model for how humans must behave to insure justice on earth. In other words, by showing concern, God becomes a model of concern. This song is typical of the "divine pathos" (that is, feeling), common throughout the Hebrew Bible (the Christian Old Testament). In many ways, Jesus is a development of this theme, since God not only behaves like man, but actually becomes man, thus realizing to the full the "divine pathos." Jesus then becomes an even more visible model to follow in one's daily conduct. This would include (righteous) anger as well as love:
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord; He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored; He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword; His truth is marching on. Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His truth is marching on.
Come, we that love the Lord, And let our joys be known; Join in a song with sweet accord, Join in a song with sweet accord And thus surround the throne, And thus surround the throne.
Refrain: We’re marching to Zion, Beautiful, beautiful Zion; We’re marching upward to Zion, The beautiful city of God. The hill of Zion yields A thousand sacred sweets Before we reach the heav’nly fields, Before we reach the heav’nly fields, Or walk the golden streets, Or walk the golden streets. Then let our songs abound, And every tear be dry; We’re marching through Immanuel’s ground, We’re marching through Immanuel’s ground, To fairer worlds on high, To fairer worlds on high. (Refrain)
What a beautiful thought I am thinking, Concerning a great speckled bird. And to know that my name is recorded on the pages of God's Holy Word. Desiring to lower her standard, They watch every move that she makes They long to find fault with her teachings, But really she makes no mistakes. I am glad I have learned of her meekness.I am proud that my name is on her book, For I want to be one never fearing the face of my Savior to look. When He cometh descending from heaven, On a cloud like He writes in His Word, I'll be joyfully carried to meet Him On the wings of that great speckled bird.
(Home Listening)
Pulling down window shades is no use at all The kids and the neighbor can peep right through the wall Well there's a leak in this old building
Well there's a leak in this old building Well there's a leak in this old building We're gonna move to a better, move to a better Move to a better home.
By Stuart Hamblin, this song, a 1954 #1 hit for pop singer Rosemary Clooney (George Clooney's aunt) echoes Ecclesiastes ("he trembles in the darkness"). (Click here to hear). As in "We're Gonna Move," the song is based on the Christian hope of an etenal home. (The "saints" refer to observant Christians.)
This old house was home and comfort As they fought the storms of life This old house once rang with laughter This old house heard many shouts Now he trembles in the darkness When the lightnin' walks about
CHORUS: Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer Ain't a-gonna need this house no more Ain't got time to fix the shingles Ain't got time to fix the floor Ain't got time to oil the hinges Nor to mend the windowpane
Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer He's a-gettin' ready to meet the saints
This old house is a-gettin' shaky This ole house is a-gettin' old This old house lets in the rain This old house lets in the cold Oh his knees are gettin' chilly But he feels no fear nor pain 'Cause he sees an angel peekin' Through a broken windowpane CHORUS
This old house is afraid of thunder This ole house is afraid of storms This old house just groans and trembles When the night wind flings its arms This old house is gettin' feeble This old house is needin' paint Just like him it's tuckered out But he's a-gettin' ready to meet the saints CHORUS
Jeremiah compares God's Chosen People to a speckled bird, a metaphor now used for the Christian church (the "new Israel"), persecuted by enemies (that is, secularists and non-believers). As a country Gospel song, it reached #1 on the Country charts. To hear the song, click here.
A Black choir sings this song here. Part of this song can be heard in Cantonese here.
Refrain: We’re marching to Zion, Beautiful, beautiful Zion; We’re marching upward to Zion, The beautiful city of God. The hill of Zion yields A thousand sacred sweets Before we reach the heav’nly fields, Before we reach the heav’nly fields, Or walk the golden streets, Or walk the golden streets. Then let our songs abound, And every tear be dry; We’re marching through Immanuel’s ground, We’re marching through Immanuel’s ground, To fairer worlds on high, To fairer worlds on high. (Refrain)
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow." (JAMES 1:17)
Aaliyah sings the first verse of this famous hymn (click here). A Black choir sings the hymn here.
from Handel's MESSIAH
As can be seen in the verses below, the book of Lamentations is read by Christians as an allegory of Jesus' suffering. That is, the personification of Israel as a woman is read literally, now to refer to the man Jesus. Hence the importance of the book of Lamentations during Christian Holy Week (the week before Easter).
The Suffering Servant texts from Isaiah are also used for this purpose. Jews read the Suffering Servant texts in Isaiah to refer either to Isaiah himself (Isaiah 20:3) or to Israel (Isaiah 41:8-9: "But thou, Israel, art my servant"; compare 42:1).
A verse from Psalm 16, one of the greatest Trust Psalms, is read to refer to Jesus' Resurrection.
NOTE: Rene Girard, a major figure in 20th century critical theory, has observed that Jewish biblical texts introduced, for the first time in history, the idea of the "scapegoat," or sacrificed victim, not as guilty, but as innocent (see especially the Psalms, Job, the Suffering Servant verses in Isaiah, and the Passion of Jesus). Hence the importance of these texts from an anthropological perspective (that is, from the point of view of understanding cultural history). Girard converted to Christiantiy.
(Recitative) Thy rebuke hath broken his heart. He is full of heaviness, he is full of heaviness. Thy rebuke hath broken his heart. He looked for a man to have pity on him but there was no man to comfort. He looketh for some to have pity on him but there was no man, neither found He any to comfort him. (Psalm 69:20)
(Air) Behold and see, behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto his sorrow. (Lamentations 1:12)
(Recitative) He was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of Thy people was He sticken. (Isaiah 53:8)
(Air) But Thou didst not leave His soul in hell; nor didst thou suffer Thy Holy One to see corruption. (Psalm 16:10)
THERE IS A BALM IN GILEAD
"Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people?" Jeremiah 8:22
"Go up to Gilead and get balm, O Virgin Daughter of Egypt, but you multiply remedies in vain; there is no healing for you." Jeremiah 46:11
I know one who cares, found with him peace of mind. I know a man who's there, found a Prince so loving and kind. (2) There is a balm in Gilead (4). There is a youth in the Bible days to heal the sick and take the pain away. (2) There is a balm in Gilead (4). Well, well. There is a balm in Gilead (4). He healed the sick and he raised the dead, a thousand hungered soon he fed (2). Jesus is the balm in Gilead, he found victory in the grave. There is a balm in Gilead, yet there is, it will cure the sin-sick soul and make the wounded whole.
"If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the seea" (48:18).
Later we read,
"I will extend peace like a river and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream" (66:12b).
What's interesting is that these are, if we believe scholars, from two different Isaiahs: Second Isaiah (40-55) and Third Isaiah (56-66).
Of course scholars have recognized this problem: despite strong evidence that Isaiah is by three different authors, there is a unity of style and images. But this is true throughout the Bible: Matthew insures Jesus gives his sermon (the "New Law") on the mount, to echo Moses giving the old law on the mount(ain). And when Luke has his Jesus give his sermon on the plain, that too is a deliberate reference to Matthew (probably Luke wanted to make Jesus more human than Moses by having Jesus on the same level as his disciples).
One of the joys of the Bible is in the vast quantities of music it has inspired, from spirituals to hymns to concert music to Broadway shows (Godspell, Jesus Christ Superstar, etc.).
This is another song based on the two Isaiah verses quoted above. There are many versions on the Net available. One version is with a chorus, here. A wordless jazz version is here. A singing pantomime version (with a pun on soul/sole) is here. A little girl named Kayla sings the song here (or click on picture, right).
The cosmic image of "peace like a river" was taken up by a later Jewish prophet, who said: "Peace I leave you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid" (John 14:27).
I've got peace (joy, love) like a river (3) in my soul, I've got peace like a river (3) in my soul. I've got joy like a river (3) in my soul. I've got joy like a river (3) in my soul. I've got love like a river (3) in my soul. I've got love like a river (3) in my soul.
The book of Isaiah has been the source of countless Gospel songs as well as the main text source for Handel's Messiah. Here are three of the most famous of the Gospel songs and spirituals inspired by Isaiah. Click on the links to hear the songs (but there are many other versions available). The lyrics are below.
"No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah*, and your land Beulah*."
Isaiah 62:4
*Note: In Hebrew "Hephzibah" means "My delight is in her" and "Beulah" means "married." Though Bible readers are lucky since most of the great poetry in the Bible (parallelism and concrete images) is easily translated from one language to another, there's also a lot of wordplay based on sounds that is not easily translated.
I'm kind of homesick for a country To which I've never been before.
No sad goodbyes will there be spoken for time won't matter anymore.
Chorus: Beulah Land, I'm longing for you and some day on thee I'll stand. There my home shall be eternal. Beulah Land -- Sweet Beulah Land.
I'm looking now across the river where my faith will end in sight. There's just a few more days to labor. Then I will take my heavenly flight.
"Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore." Isaiah 2:4
"The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the claf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them." Isaiah 11:6
Based on Isaiah 11:6, this is is probably the most famous of all Gospel songs.
Week of 4 March 2008
And the redeemed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with a joyful shout and everlasting joy upon their heads. Joy and gladness will be theirs! Sorrow and sighing shall flee away! (Isaiah 51:11)
How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him, are the feet of him who brings good news. He announces peace, he brings good news, he announces salvation, he says to Zion, Your God reigns!" (Isaiah 52:7-8)
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation. Neither shall they learn war anymore. A cry of peace shall be heard throughout the land of Israel. There will be an end to all suffering.
And they shall beat their swords into plowshares and t heir spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation and they shall not learn war again. (Isaiah 2:4)
Look upon Zion, look upon Zion, your eyes shall see Jerusalem. Look upon Zion, look upon Zion, the city of our feasts. Its stakes shall never be pulled up nor any of its cords be released. (Isaiah 33:20, 24)
Jerusalem, Jerusalem let's all rejoice, Jerusalem, Jerusalem come share your voice together. The walls of David's city are guarding us, guarding us both day and night. (Isaiah 62:6)
Cry out and shout, O inhabitant of Zion! Great is the Holy One of Israel! Cry out and shout, O inhabitant of Zion! Great is He in the midst of thee! And that day shall ye say, praise ye the Lord! Call upon his Name! Declare his doings throughout the world! Lo! This is our God! We have waited for Him! He will come and save us! Rejoice! Be lad in him! (Isaiah 12:6, 4; 30:19)
We have overcome by the name and the blood of the lamb of God. Every wall must fall every knee must bow to the Lord of all. (Isaiah 45:23; Philippians 2:10)
The phrase, "every knee must bow" is from Isaiah and refers to God; but St. Paul, in the Letter to the Philippians, used the phrase for Jesus, obviously to make the point that Jesus was God.
Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity and sin as it were with a cart rope! Woe unto them that call evil good and good evil, that put darkness for light and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight. Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine and men of strength to mingle strong drink. Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning that they may follow strong drink; that continue till night till wine inflame them. (Isaiah 5:8, 11, 12, 18)
Howl ye, for the day of the Lord is at hand, Howl O gate, cry O city: thou are dissolved. (Isaiah 13:6, 14:31)
The Day of the Lord is a key concept (idea) in the later book prophets and this is one of the first times it appears. The point was that the day of the Lord was believed by traditional Jews to be the day that God would punish Israel's enemies; but the prophets turned it around to be the day God would punish Israel. Zephaniah is the classic text for the Day of the Lord (but also Joel and Amos). This "Day of the Lord" (that is, Day of Judgment, of God's anger) became the basis of the part of the Christian Mass known as Dies Irae (Day of Anger/Wrath; as in the English word, irate, meaning angry). The Dies Irae, in Gregorian chant, has become so famous that it's used in countless movies to signify death; many classical composers also use the melody in brief quotes to signify death or doom..
The Sanctus (Holy) comes from Isaiah, chapter 6 and has since become a main part of the Christian Mass, and therefore a main part of music based on the Mass. The Italian opera composer wrote a strong setting, Faure wrote a gentle setting. American composer Leonard Bernstein's setting has been criticized for sounding too much like his Broadway music for West Side Story. London composer, Andrew Lloyd-Webber wrote a setting for his popular Requiem.
Who is this, who is this that cometh from Edom, it's my God from Bozrah, who is he and what is his name? His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty, Mighty, Mighty God.
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd and carry the young lambs in his bosom and carry the young lambs in his bosom.
Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people.
Dance with me O lover of my soul. To the song of all songs. Romance me O lover of my soul to the song of all songs. Behold you have come over the hills unpin the mountains, to me you have run my beloved. You've captured my heart, with you I will go. You are my love, you are my fair one, winter is past and the springtime has comes.
You can hear two versions of this song. One here is by the legendary American pop tenor, Mario Lanza, though the sound is a bit scratchy and the picture used is terrible. The second, here, is by Elvis Presley, which won a Grammy (oddly, Elvis never won a Grammy for his Rock songs, only for his Gospel recordings!).
And don't be afraid of the dark
At the end of a storm is a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of a lark
Walk on through the wind
Walk on through the rain
Though your dreams be tossed and blown
Walk on, walk on
With hope in your heart
And you'll never walk alone
You'll never walk alone
Walk on through the wind,
Walk on through the rain
Though your dreams be tossed and blown
Walk on, walk on
With hope in your heart
And you'll never walk alone
You'll never walk alone!
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