PRAISE THE LORD
(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)
"Praise(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)
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 Week of 17 April 2007
(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)
GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS
"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." LAMENTATIONS 3:22
Isaiah 40:31, Psalm 130:5-6
"The Lord is my portion, therefore I will wait for him." LAMENTATIONS 3:24
coming to the edge, running on the water, coming through the fog, your sons and daughters. Let the river run, let all the dreamers wake the nation.Come, the New Jerusalem. Silver cities rise, the morning lights the streets that meet them, and sirens call them on with a song. It's asking for the taking. Trembling, shaking. Oh, my heart is aching. We're coming to the edge, running on the water, coming through the fog, your sons and daughters. We the great and small stand on a star and blaze a trail of desire through the darkening dawn. It's asking for the taking. Come run with me now, the sky is the color of blue you've never even seen in the eyes of your lover. Oh, my heart is aching. We're coming to the edge, running on the water, coming through the fog,your sons and daughters. [guitar] It's asking for the taking. Trembling, shaking. Oh, my heart is aching. We're coming to the edge, running on the water, coming through the fog, your sons and daughters. Let the river run, let all the dreamers wake the nation. Come, the New Jerusalem
A famous gospel song, now rarely performed. It is based on Ezekiel 37: LAMENTATIONS
The Lamentations are a main part of Passion ritual in Christianity, sung the week before Easter. (For this reason, though ranked with the Writings in Jewish Bibles, the book is grouped as one of Five Major Prophets in Christian Bibles.) As usual with Renaissance music, a little text goes a long way, since most of the singing is melismatic rather than syllabic; that is, one syllable is set to many notes, rather than one syllable to one note. This style is still common in Gospel music and pop vocal stylings influenced by Gospel music, such as that of Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, etc.(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
Handel set one verse from the Lamentations (1:12) in his oratorio, The Messiah, since Lamentations is traditionally read by Christians as an allegory of Jesus' suffering:
Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto His sorrow.Handel set one verse from the Lamentations (1:12) in his oratorio, The Messiah, since Lamentations is traditionally read by Christians as an allegory of Jesus' suffering:
GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS
"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." LAMENTATIONS 3:22
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.
WAIT ON THE LORDIsaiah 40:31, Psalm 130:5-6
"The Lord is my portion, therefore I will wait for him." LAMENTATIONS 3:24
Oh, He's my Rock, He's my sword and shield. He's my wheel in the middle of the wheel, He's my Lily of the Valley. He's my bride and all that shines. It doesn't matter what you say, I've got a Rock to go down to my knees and pray. I'll wait for the Lord until He comes. You know that the beggar says she saw him as she lay on down to pray. He came riding through the elements, you know His glory filled the air. He had a rainbow, oh, a rainbow around his shoulders. You know he had a ??? in His hand. You know I'll wait on the Lord. I've got a Rock to wait on. I'm going to be like old man Job, I'm going to wait until my change has come. You may knock me down, oh but I'll rise upon ????, my friends may forsaken me, oh but I got to wait on the Lord until He comes!
E Z E K I E L
The book of Ezekiel is one of the strangest books in the Bible and Ezekiel the strangest prophet. Yet the book's influence is obvious especially in the later apocalyptic literature. Apocalpyse (revelation) replaced prophecy as "the Chosen People" lost hope that God would save them in this world. Therefore visions of an end-of-the-world battle became popular, ending with the Christian book of Revelation more than 500 years later. Ezekiel may or may not have been the first prophet to prophesy outside of Jerusalem (Israel), since it's not clear if he was actually in Babylon or this was a later addition. Regardless, Ezekiel sees the Spirit of God leave the Temple, because it has been defiled. The Spirit of God is now in Babylon. This is a fine theodicy; because it explains how Jerusalem/Judah could be defeated by the Babylonians (God is no longer in the city!). Also it puts the blame on the Israelites for apostasy or turning against God (the Babylonians are just God's tool). Finally it justifies, to his audience, how Ezekiel could hear the word of God in Babylon. Many symbolic actions and allegories occur in the book. Ezekiel is forced to lie on each side for a set number of days, to symbolize the fall of Assyria first and then the fall of Babylon (the numbers though are not clear). He is shaven bald, to show the destruction of the Southern Kingdom. His hair is scattered to show the Diaspora (dispersion) of the Jews. Some hair is saved to show the Remnant (Holy Remainder). His wife dies but he cannot mourn, to show the fate of the Jews in defeat. He draws a picture of Jerusalem on a brick and then, like a child at play, pretends to lay siege against it to show that God himself is allowing the city to be destroyed. His tongue is tied for a while, though it's not clear if this is literal or just a way to show that every word he speaks comes from God. He tells a story of two whores, who represent the Northern and Southern kingdoms and how they prostituted themselves to their male lovers (namely, how they formed political alliances). They even paid tribute (money). So Exekiel mocks their whoring: because usually the whore receives money, rather than pays money! He boils flesh in a pot, showing how the citizens of Israel (the rusty pot) will be killed in the Babylonian seige. Yet finally Ezekiel imagines a restoration: Israel's enemies will be killed and the Israelites revived in the famous Valley of Dry Bones prophesy (also read as an allegory of Resurection). Apparently the Jews from all over the world will return to Israel. But first there will be a cosmic battle between God and a ruler named Gog of Magog (it's not clear who this king and kingdom are). Once this battle is finished, there will be a Great Banquet, where Jews will eat the flesh of all Israel's enemies (the point really is that the powerful fatten themselves for the slaughter, as in the Letter of James). Finally, the Temple is restored and Ezekiel sees God return to the Temple just like he saw him leave earlier in the book. Ezekiel's blueprint plan of the Temple was imitated in the Christian book of Revelation, but the Second Temple built after the end of the Babylonian Exile (515 BCE) was not built on that model. It's believed Ezekiel's Temple was an apocalyptic vision of a Temple to be built at the end of time, as shown in the book of Revelation.
Shall we gather at the river where bright angel feet have trod, with its crystal tide forever, flowing by the throne of God. Yes, we'll gather at the river, the beautiful, the beautiful river, gather with the saints at the river that flows by the throne of God.
I, JOHN
The book of Ezekiel ends like the book of Revelation, with a description of a heavenly temple, called the "New Jerusalem" in Revelation. Both temples are described as having 12 gates, 3 on each side (north, east, west, south).
Oh well, I, John, he saw a mighty number! Where? In the middle of the air. I, John, he saw a mighty number. Where? In the middle of the air. Well I John he saw a mighty number! Where? In the middle of the air. Well there were three gates in the east And there were three gates in the west (Let me tell you about) Three gates in the north Three gates in the south (makes a total of) twelve gates to the city all square wide Hallelujah. The book of Ezekiel ends like the book of Revelation, with a description of a heavenly temple, called the "New Jerusalem" in Revelation. Both temples are described as having 12 gates, 3 on each side (north, east, west, south).
SHALL WE GATHER AT THE RIVER
Both Ezekiel and Revelation end with a description of a heavenly river, as a sea of life, making a new Eden (Paradise). The river flows from the Temple in Ezekiel and from the Heavenly Throne in Revelation. This Gospel song is one of the most famous and has been featured in numerous Westerns (cowboy movies).Shall we gather at the river where bright angel feet have trod, with its crystal tide forever, flowing by the throne of God. Yes, we'll gather at the river, the beautiful, the beautiful river, gather with the saints at the river that flows by the throne of God.
Let The River Run
Carly Simon won the Grammy, Golden Globe, and Oscar for this song based on the River motif in Ezekiel and Revelation. The song is from the movie, Working Girl (1988). As in Revelation, Simon mentions the New Jerusalem:
We're Carly Simon won the Grammy, Golden Globe, and Oscar for this song based on the River motif in Ezekiel and Revelation. The song is from the movie, Working Girl (1988). As in Revelation, Simon mentions the New Jerusalem:
The Valley of Dry Bones
"And he said unto me, 'Son of man, can these bones live?' And I answered, 'O Lord God, thou knowest.' Again he said unto me, 'Prophesy upon these bones. . . .' So I prophesied, as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a noise. And, behold, a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone." (Ezekiel 37:3-7).
DRY BONES
Ezekiel cried them dry bones (3), "Now hear the word of the Lord." Ezekiel connected them dry bones (3), now hear the word of the lord. Well the toe bones connected to your foot bone, your foot bone's connected to your heel bone connected to the ankle (knee, thigh, hip, back, shoulder, neck, head) now hear the word of the Lord. Them bones gonna walk around (3) now hear the word of the Lord. Just connect them bones, them dry bones, now hear the word of the Lord (3). Well your head bone's connected from your neck bone (neck, shoulder, back, hip, thigh, knee, leg, ankle, heel, foot, toe bone), now hear the word of the Lord. Them bones, them dry bones (3), now hear the word of the Lord. (Repeat). Now hear the word of the Lord.
Breathe On Us Again
This hymn was sung at the Christian Revival in Washington, D.C. in October, 1997. It was named, "Stand in the Gap," after Ezekiel 22:30: "I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap [hole] for the land's sake, so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none."
The title refers to another Ezekiel text, the "Valley of Dry Bones": "I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live" (37:5). This refers to Genesis: "and the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul" (2:7). The revival of the dead bones in the Ezekiel text is the source of the religious terms, "revivalism" and "revival movements," common throughout Christian history, in reaction against routine worship. Ezekiel's revival of the dry bones is open to two a "Zionist" reading (the return of the Jews to Jerusalem) or a Christian reading of Resurrection, as promised by Jesus:
The title refers to another Ezekiel text, the "Valley of Dry Bones": "I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live" (37:5). This refers to Genesis: "and the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul" (2:7). The revival of the dead bones in the Ezekiel text is the source of the religious terms, "revivalism" and "revival movements," common throughout Christian history, in reaction against routine worship. Ezekiel's revival of the dry bones is open to two a "Zionist" reading (the return of the Jews to Jerusalem) or a Christian reading of Resurrection, as promised by Jesus:
O Lord, hear. O Lord forgive us. We have lost the hour of you. Have mercy, have mercy. O Lord, cleanse our hearts, which are divided. Stir the faith that we once knew. We're thirsty, we're thirsty. O Lord, restore the Church that bears your name. O Spirit, send a revival to this nation. Breathe on us again. Breathe on us again. O Lord, restore the Church that bears your name. O Spirit, send a revival to this nation. Breathe on us again. Breathe on us again.
1And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2Son 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? 3Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. 4The 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. 5And 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.
Listen to the lambs, all a-crying all a-crying. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd and carry the young lambs in his bosom and carry the young lambs in his bosom.
Swing Down, Sweet ChariotEzekiel 34
(Listening Text)
This chapter influenced ideas in the New Testament, and Jesus refers to it (John 10). He also refers to it in his famous remark about sheep disguised as wolves: "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves" (Matthew 7:15). The Ezekiel text has echoes of the famous Psalm 23 ("The Lord Is My Shepherd").(Listening Text)
1And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2Son 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? 3Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. 4The 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. 5And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd. . . .
Listen to the Lambs
Based on Ezekiel 34 (itself based on Jeremiah 23:1), with its messianic image of a Good Shepherd, later used by Jesus: "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. . . . I am the good shepherd: I know my sheep and my sheep know me (John: 10:11-14). 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.
Listen to the lambs, all a-crying all a-crying. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd and carry the young lambs in his bosom and carry the young lambs in his bosom.
EZEKIEL SAW THE WHEEL
Though the book itself is considered odd by many readers, the book's images are some of the most commonly quoted from the Bible, especially 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 whole cult in Jewish mysticism that focuses on the 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:
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. Though the book itself is considered odd by many readers, the book's images are some of the most commonly quoted from the Bible, especially 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 whole cult in Jewish mysticism that focuses on the 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:
The influence of Gospel music on Elvis' rock 'n' roll style is shown in this 1955 interview:
Interviewer: "Say, something about your unique style. Where did you get the idea for this?"
Elvis: "I just landed upon it accidentally. I, ah, I'm a pretty close follower of religious quartets. And they do a lot of rock and rhythm screechings. And so that's where I got the idea from: religious quartets."
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. Elvis: "I just landed upon it accidentally. I, ah, I'm a pretty close follower of religious quartets. And they do a lot of rock and rhythm screechings. And so that's where I got the idea from: religious quartets."
SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS
"I will bless them and the places surroundig my hill. I will send down showers in season: there will be showers of blessing." Ezekiel 34:26. The theme of Revival again.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.
JEREMIAH SONGS WEEK OF 10 APRIL 2007
The Book of Jeremiah
(Edited In-Class Listening Version)
(Edited In-Class Listening Version)
1
Commisioning (calling) and empowering are two common motifs in the prophetic literature. This is to insure his listeners that the prophet is actually speaking words of God:
1: The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah in the land of Benjamin: 4: Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 5: Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. 6: Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. 7: But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.Commisioning (calling) and empowering are two common motifs in the prophetic literature. This is to insure his listeners that the prophet is actually speaking words of God:
8: Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. 9: Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put words in thy mouth. 10: See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant. 17: Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them. 18: For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land. 19: And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.
7
Jesus will later use the Temple Sermon as a model for his own Cleansing of the Temple. Note the stress on social justice rather than ritual, the same message of Jesus in Matthew 25.
2: Stand in the gate of the LORD's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the LORD. 3: Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. 4: Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these. 5: For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour; 6: If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: 7: Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever.Jesus will later use the Temple Sermon as a model for his own Cleansing of the Temple. Note the stress on social justice rather than ritual, the same message of Jesus in Matthew 25.
9
The words of the prophet and God seem to blend and it's often difficult to tell who is speaking, except for quotation marks. This is right since the prophet is God while he speaks:
1: Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!The words of the prophet and God seem to blend and it's often difficult to tell who is speaking, except for quotation marks. This is right since the prophet is God while he speaks:
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.
13
A typical symbolic action: Israel is to God like (as close to God as) a linen girdle; but like the girdle, it has become soiled and not fit to wear:
1: Thus saith the LORD unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it on thy loins, and put it not in water. 2: So I got a girdle according to the word of the LORD, and put it on my loins.A typical symbolic action: Israel is to God like (as close to God as) a linen girdle; but like the girdle, it has become soiled and not fit to wear:
3: And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying, 4: Take the girdle that thou hast got, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock. 5: So I went, and hid it by Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me. 6: And it came to pass after many days, that the LORD said to me, Arise, go to Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded thee to hide there. 7: Then I went to Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it: and, behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing. 8: Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 9: Thus saith the LORD, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.
10: This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing. 11: For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the LORD; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.
14
1: The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth. 2: Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish; they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up. 3: And their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters: they came to the pits, and found no water; they returned with their vessels empty; they were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads.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.
18
Another symbolic action:
1: The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2: Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. 3: Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. 4: And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so that he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. 5: Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,Another symbolic action:
6: O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
31
One of the most important chapers for Christians, source of the phrase, "New Testament" (New Covenant).
31: Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:One of the most important chapers for Christians, source of the phrase, "New Testament" (New Covenant).
33: But this shall be a covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
34: And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY
"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." Isaiah 6:3:Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, early in the morning my song shall rise to Thee. Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty, God in His Glory, blessed Deity.
HERE AM I
The commisioning of the prophet is a key scene in the prophet's scroll. This insures the prophet has actually been called by God to speak:
"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 The commisioning of the prophet is a key scene in the prophet's scroll. This insures the prophet has actually been called by God to speak:
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 em, 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!
PEACE LIKE A RIVER
"For this is what the Lord says: 'I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream.'" Isaiah 66:12Peace like a river so gently it's flowing, how sweet to my soul is this marvellous 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.
I'VE GOT PEACE LIKE A RIVER
I’ve got peace like a river in my soul. I’ve got love like an ocean in my soul. I’ve got joy like a fountain in my soul.THE RAVEN
(Edgar Allan Poe)
"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(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
"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil! -- prophet still, if bird or devil! --
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted --
On this home by Horror haunted -- tell me truly, I implore --
Is there -- is there balm in Gilead? -- tell me -- tell me, I implore!"
Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."
THERE IS A BALM IN GILEAD
Two diffiferent vocal styles in Afro-American performance of spirituals: one from the concert tradition, the other from Gospel:
There is a balm to make the wounded whole, there is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul. Sometimes I feel discouraged and I feel like I can't go on, but then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again. There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole, there is a balm in Gilead to heal the sinsick soul. If you can preach like Peter, if you can pray like Paul, go home and tell your neighbor he died to save us all. There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole, there is a balm in Gilead to heal the sinsick soul, to heal the sinsick soul.Two diffiferent vocal styles in Afro-American performance of spirituals: one from the concert tradition, the other from Gospel:
I SHALL NOT BE MOVED
Recorded by many artists, including Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley's backup group, The Jordanaires (a Gospel group named, of course, after the River Jordan). RCA released a jam session of Elvis and other country artists singing this song:
"But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." Recorded by many artists, including Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley's backup group, The Jordanaires (a Gospel group named, of course, after the River Jordan). RCA released a jam session of Elvis and other country artists singing this song:
Jeremiah 17:7f.
"He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."PSALMS 1:3ff.
I shall not be, I shall not be moved, just like a tree that's planted by the waters, I shall not be moved. Jesus is my Savior, I shall not be moved, in his loving favor I shall not be moved. Just like a tree that's been planted by the water, I shall not be moved. I'm on my way to Glory Land, I shall not be moved.BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC
"He will shout like those who tread the grapes, shout against all who live on the earth." Jeremiah 25:30Although an embarrassment to some biblical scholars, hence read allegorically, God pictured with human emotions has been justified by scholars such as Abraham Heschel, who argue 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 acting concerned, God becomes a model of concern, rather than passivity or indifference. 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.
MARCHING TO ZION
"There will be a day when watchmen cry out on the hills of Ephraim, 'Come, let us go up to Zion, to the Lord our God.'" Jeremiah 31.6Come, 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)
MARCHING TO ZION
We’re marching, marching on to Zion, That beautiful, beautiful city of Zion; We’re marching upward to Zion, That beautiful (wonderful, glorious, victorious) city of God. (2)THE GREAT SPECKLED BIRD
"Has not my inheritance become to me like a speckled bird of prey that other bids of prey surround and attack? Jeremiah 12:9What 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.
LAMENTATIONS
These are three settings of the Lamentations of Jeremiah by the Italian Renaissance composer, Giacomo Antonion Perti (1661-1756) intended for Good Friday Matins (morning, or midnight) church prayer. As usual with choral, especially Renaissance music, a little text goes a long way, since most of the singing is melismatic rather than syllabic; that is, one syllable may be set to many notes, rather than one note to each syllable. This style of course is famiiar to pop music lovers in the music music vocal stylings influenced by Gospel music, such as Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, etc.(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
Handel set one verse from the Lamentations (1:12) in his oratorio, The Messiah, since Lamentations is traditionally read by Christians as an allegory of Jesus' suffering:
Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto His sorrow. Handel set one verse from the Lamentations (1:12) in his oratorio, The Messiah, since Lamentations is traditionally read by Christians as an allegory of Jesus' suffering:
Isaiah: Songs Week of 27 March 2007
(1) Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God; speak ye comforably to Jerusalem; and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned. the voice of him that crieth in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. (Isaiah 40:1ff.)Isaiah 
is one of the three major prophets for Jews and one of the key OT texts for Christians, who have sometimes called it the "Fifth Gospel," because of its Messianic prophecies linked to Jesus and the image of the Suffering Servant, also linked to Jesus, though Jews identify that servant with either the Jewish people or Isaiah himself.
Because of its importance for Christians, the German composer, now in England, set mostly verses from Isaiah for his masterpiece, The Messiah. Below are these settings. We'll hear them in Black adaptions and also the original:
These chapters cover about 200 years, too many for one man to live through. Nonetheless, even though not written by one man named Isaiah, they almost certainly belong to an "Isaian" school of prophets; and motifs, for example, from First Isaiah appear in Third Isaiah, etc. (The motif of "comfort," for example, appears as early as First Isaiah, though this motif is not developed until Third Isaiah.)
Every student should immediately recognize the motif of "comfort" in Third Isaiah, beginning with chapter 40. Imagine how a mother would speak to a child who has been scolded for failing all her exams, but after a serious automobile accident, and you can get an idea of what's going on here, in the first days of the Babylonian Exile.
The second part of these verses is later used in the New Testament to refer to John the Baptist, who also spoke of "the way of t he Lord." Keep in mind the Exodus imagery here (the Exodus is always the foundational event of Jewish history); since the return from the Babylonian Captivity was viewed as a Second Exodus: just as God made a straight path for the Israelites through the Red Sea, so now Isaiah promises a straight path back to Jerusalem:
is one of the three major prophets for Jews and one of the key OT texts for Christians, who have sometimes called it the "Fifth Gospel," because of its Messianic prophecies linked to Jesus and the image of the Suffering Servant, also linked to Jesus, though Jews identify that servant with either the Jewish people or Isaiah himself.Because of its importance for Christians, the German composer, now in England, set mostly verses from Isaiah for his masterpiece, The Messiah. Below are these settings. We'll hear them in Black adaptions and also the original:
COMFORT YE
Handel begins his oratorio with the first words of Second Isaiah, words of comfort, during the Exile. Isaiah is often divided into three parts, roughly timed to the days before the Exile (First Isaiah, 1-39); during the Exile (Second Isaiah, 40-55), and after the Exile or near the end of the Exile (Third Isaiah, 56-66).These chapters cover about 200 years, too many for one man to live through. Nonetheless, even though not written by one man named Isaiah, they almost certainly belong to an "Isaian" school of prophets; and motifs, for example, from First Isaiah appear in Third Isaiah, etc. (The motif of "comfort," for example, appears as early as First Isaiah, though this motif is not developed until Third Isaiah.)
Every student should immediately recognize the motif of "comfort" in Third Isaiah, beginning with chapter 40. Imagine how a mother would speak to a child who has been scolded for failing all her exams, but after a serious automobile accident, and you can get an idea of what's going on here, in the first days of the Babylonian Exile.
The second part of these verses is later used in the New Testament to refer to John the Baptist, who also spoke of "the way of t he Lord." Keep in mind the Exodus imagery here (the Exodus is always the foundational event of Jewish history); since the return from the Babylonian Captivity was viewed as a Second Exodus: just as God made a straight path for the Israelites through the Red Sea, so now Isaiah promises a straight path back to Jerusalem:
(2) Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill made low, the crooked straight and the rough places plain. (Isaiah 40:4)
(3) And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. (Isaiah 40:5)
(4) Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Emmanuel, God with us. (Isaiah 7:14)
(5) O thou that tellest good tiding to Zion, get thee up into the high mountain. O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voie with strength; lift it up, be not afraid, say unto the cities of Judah: Behold your God! Arise shine, for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. (Isaiah 40:9, 60:1)
(6) For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the goverment shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
DOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE
(7) I'm going to lay my burden down by the river and study war no more. Well I ain't gonna study war no more. Well I'm going to put on my long white robe down by the riverside, I ain't gonna study war no more.This is one of the more famous Afro-American spirituals, taken from Isaiah's prophecy of peace. These verses are repeated in the minor prophet, Micah, and it's not clear who borrowed from whom or whether they both borrowed from the same source. There have been countless recordings of this song, with its two simple refrains. In one of the glorious accidents of 20th century music, a tape recorder was running while four country singers casually sang their favorite songs. They were not any singers: their names were Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Presley. This was one of the songs they sang during that taped session.
THE BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC
This hymn, with lyrics by Julia Ward Howe, is very famous and borrows from the bloody God of Battle in Isaiah 63:2: "Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress?"(8) Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord, He has loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword, his truth is marching on. Glory, glory hallelujah, his truth is marching on.
PEACE IN THE VALLEY
A very famous gospel song by Thomas Dorsey, recorded by almost every country and gospel singer, the lyrics are partly based on Isaiah 11:6ff. Elvis' recording, released on an EP (extended play record, with three other songs) was the first Gospel EP to sell a million copies:(9) Oh well,
I’m tired and so weary But I must go alone Till the lord comes and calls, calls me away, oh yes Well the morning's so bright And the lamb is a light And the night, night is as black as the sea, oh yes There will be peace in the valley for me, some day There will be peace in the valley for me, oh Lord I pray There'll be no sadness, no sorrow No trouble, trouble I see There will be peace in the valley for me, for me Well the bear will be gentle And the wolves will be tame And the lion shall lay down by the lamb, oh yes And the beasts from the wild Shall be led by a child And I'll be changed, changed from this creature that I am, oh yes There will be peace in the valley for me, some day There will be peace in the valley for me, oh Lord I pray There'll be no sadness, no sorrow No trouble, trouble I see There will be peace in the valley for me, for me.LAND OF BEULAH
"No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah ; for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be married." (Isaiah 62:4) Haphzibah="my delight is in her" Beulah="married"A nineteenth century hymn performed in Bluegrass style. "Beulah" is God's new name for Israel, now "married" to God and no longer divorced, as in the Exile:
(10) I am dwelling on a mountain where the golden sunlight gleams, over a land whose wondrous beauty far exceeds my fondest dreams. Where the air is pure ethereal, laden with the breath of flowers, they are blooming by the fountain, 'neath the amaranthine bowers. I can see far down the mountain where I wandered weary years, often hindered on my journey by the ghosts of doubts and fears. Broken vows and disappointments thicklly sprinkled over the way, but the spirit led unerring to the land I hold today. It's the distant land of Beulah, blessed blessed land of light, where the flowers bloom forever and the sun is always bright.
BEULAH LAND
Another song on the same theme:(11) I'm kind of homesick for a country to where I've never been before. No sad goodbye will there be spoken, time won't matter anymore. Beulah Land, I'm longing for you and some day on thee I'll stand and there my home shall be eternal, Beulah Land, sweet Beulah Land.
WHO IS THIS THAT COMETH FROM EDOM?
(12) 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, Counsellor, the Mighty, Mighty, Mighty God. The eighteenth century American composer, William Billings, is generally considered the first professional American composer. His music was very popular in Colonial America but was unsophisticated and suffered a deline until its rediscovery by important 20th century composers. The lyric fuses Old and New Testament ideas, linking the Battle God of the Old Testament with the Suffering God of the New Testament. This is only part of the song, which features lines from Isaiah 63. "Edom" is the national name for Jacob's brother, Esau. God has just punished Edom, a chronic rival to Israel. "Bozrah" was the capital of Edom. Verses from Isaiah 9:6b follow.
Songs Week of 13 March 2007
THE BOOK OF PSALMS
PSALM 20
Psalms were meant to be sung. Psalm 66 says, "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord!" Many hymns set psalms to rhymed verse. This is a musical setting of Psalm 20:
(1) May he answer you in the day of your trouble and may he set you safely on high. May he send help from his sanctuary and may he grant you your heart's desire. Oh Lord, we praise your name and praise it for all to see. This is our prayer. you give us victory. Some folks use weapons, some people use armies, but we will boast in the name of the Lord. Oh, Lord we sing for joy for you is all the victory. Oh Lord we praise your name and raise it high for all to see. Oh Lord my God this is our prayer. Oh Lord up high in Heaven you give us victory. May he answer you in the day of your trouble and may he set you safely on high. May he send help from his sanctuary and may he grant you your heart's desire. Oh Lord, we sing for joy for yours alone is the victory. Oh Lord above, this is our prayer. Oh Lord from highest heaven you give us victory.Psalms were meant to be sung. Psalm 66 says, "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord!" Many hymns set psalms to rhymed verse. This is a musical setting of Psalm 20:
PSALM 22
The Psalms have comforted people for thousands of years because nowhere else in literature is there such a plain cry of pain and distress. This is especially true of the Lament psalms, which cry for help, usually showing people completely cut off from all help except God. The Lament psalms make up the largest number in the Psalter (book of Psalms). Number 22 is one of the most famous Lament psalms, also an important Messianic psalm. On the cross, Jesus quotes the first verse in the gospels of Mark and Matthew. There are other references to the crucifixion in the psalm and the end has Messianic meaning for Christians, who believe that Jesus, the Messiah, will unite all nations. In fact, taken out of context (the ending of the Psalm), Jesus' words may sound like a cry of despair. But in view of the final lines, Jesus' words have more triumphal meaning. Here is part of an Anglican chant setting of this psalm:
(2) My God, my God, look upon me, why hast thou forsaken me and are so far from my help and from the words of my complaint?
Here is a recitation (spoken version) of this Psalm, complete:
(3) 1: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? 2: O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. 3: But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. 4: Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. 5: They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. 6: But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. 7: All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head saying, 8: He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. 9: But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts. 10: I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly. 11: Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help. 12: Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. 13: They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. 14: I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. 15: My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. 16: For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. 17: I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. 18: They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. 19: But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me. 20: Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog. 21: Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns. 22: I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. 23: Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel. 24: For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard. 25: My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him. 26: The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever. 27: All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. 28: For the kingdom is the LORD's: and he is the governor among the nations. 29: All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul. 30: A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. 31: They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.The Psalms have comforted people for thousands of years because nowhere else in literature is there such a plain cry of pain and distress. This is especially true of the Lament psalms, which cry for help, usually showing people completely cut off from all help except God. The Lament psalms make up the largest number in the Psalter (book of Psalms). Number 22 is one of the most famous Lament psalms, also an important Messianic psalm. On the cross, Jesus quotes the first verse in the gospels of Mark and Matthew. There are other references to the crucifixion in the psalm and the end has Messianic meaning for Christians, who believe that Jesus, the Messiah, will unite all nations. In fact, taken out of context (the ending of the Psalm), Jesus' words may sound like a cry of despair. But in view of the final lines, Jesus' words have more triumphal meaning. Here is part of an Anglican chant setting of this psalm:
(2) My God, my God, look upon me, why hast thou forsaken me and are so far from my help and from the words of my complaint?
Here is a recitation (spoken version) of this Psalm, complete:
Psalm 23
(4) 1: The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2: He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3: He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5: Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.PSALM 23: HYMN
A hymn is a church song in rhymed stanzas, sometimes adapting the psalms in rhymed form, as here. In order to rhyme of keep the meter (rhythm) sometimes transposed phrases are necessary. Thus, "He makes me down to lie" instead of "He makes me lie down" or "pastures green" instead of "green pastures."
(5) The Lord’s my Shepherd, I’ll not want. He makes me down to lie In pastures green; He leadeth me The quiet waters by. My soul He doth restore again; And me to walk doth make Within the paths of righteousness, Even for His own Name’s sake. Yea, though I walk in death’s dark vale, Yet will I fear no ill; For Thou art with me; and Thy rod And staff my comfort still. My table Thou hast furnishèd In presence of my foes; My head Thou dost with oil anoint, And my cup overflows. Goodness and mercy all my life Shall surely follow me; And in God’s house forevermore My dwelling place shall be.A hymn is a church song in rhymed stanzas, sometimes adapting the psalms in rhymed form, as here. In order to rhyme of keep the meter (rhythm) sometimes transposed phrases are necessary. Thus, "He makes me down to lie" instead of "He makes me lie down" or "pastures green" instead of "green pastures."
PSALM 103
A gospel setting of Psalm 103:
(6) Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. He has done great things. He has done great things. He has done great things, bless his holy name. He has done great things (so many great things). He has done great things (so many great things). He has done great things, bless his holy name. I will bless the Lord, oh my soul and everything that is within me, bless his holy name. I will bless the Lord, oh my soul and everything that is within me, bless his holy name.A gospel setting of Psalm 103:
PSALM 103
This adaptation of one of the "ascent" psalms is from the Broadway and film musical, Godspell. An "ascent" psalm (120-34) was a psalm composed for the journey to the temple in Jerusalem.(7) Oh bless the Lord my soul! His praise to thee proclaim! And all that is within me join, To bless His holy name! Oh yeah! Oh bless the Lord my soul! His mercies bear in mind! Forget not all His benefits, The Lord, to thee, is kind. He will not always chide He will with patience wait His wrath is ever slow to rise Oh bless the Lord And ready to abate And ready to abate Oh yeah! Oh bless the lord Bless the lord my soul Oh bless the lord my soul! He pardons all thy sins Prolongs thy feeble breath He healeths thine infirmities And ransoms thee from death He clothes thee with his love Upholds thee with his truth And like an eagle he renews The vigor of thy youth Then bless His holy name Whose grace hath made thee whole Whose love and kindness crowns Thy days
Oh bless the lord Bless the lord my soul Oh bless the lord my soul! Bless the lord my soul Oh bless the lord my soul! Bless the lord my soul Oh bless the lord my soul! Bless the lord, bless the lord My soul! Bless the lord my soul!
Psalm 122
A gospel setting of Psalm 122:
(8) I was glad, I was glad, I was glad, I was glad when they said unto me (I was glad), I was glad when they said unto me, I was glad when they said unto me, "Let us go into the house of the Lord." I rejoiced, I rejoiced, I rejoiced, I rejoiced when they said unto me (I rejoiced), I rejoiced when they said unto me, I rejoiced when they said unto me, "Let us go into the house of the Lord." Amen.A gospel setting of Psalm 122:
Psalm 137
One of the most famous "imprecatory" (curse) psalms, though of course it's also a lament psalm.
(9) By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.One of the most famous "imprecatory" (curse) psalms, though of course it's also a lament psalm.
On the Willows
This is a setting of Psalm 137 from the Broadway/film musical, Godspell.(10) On the willows, there we hung up our lives. For our captors there required of us songs and our tormentors' mirth. On the willows, there we hung up our lives. For our captors there required of us songs and our tormentor's mirth, saying, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion. Sing us one of the songs of Zion." But how can we sing--sing the Lord's songs in a foreign land?
PSALM 137
Rastafarianism is an Afro-centered movement that "recovers" or re-uses the Bible to protest social power and injustice. It is famous because of Jamaican Reggae music. Rasta salvation history is traced (through Solomon and Sheba) to the tribe of Judah. In the song, "Rivers of Babylon," by the Melodians, the "strange land" is Jamaica. Psalm 137 is followed closely, but famous lines from Psalm 19 are also used: "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight" (v. 14). "Alpha" refers to Ras Tafari (Prince Tafari, later Emperor of Ethiopia), believed to be Jesus Christ, and from whom Rastafarianism gets its name. (In Revelation, Jesus is the "Alpha and Omega" or "beginning and end" [1:8, 22:13]. "Alpha" and "Omega" are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, thus the beginning and the end.) "Far-I" is wordplay on Ras Tafari's name and "I," linking "God" and "I" (Rastas use "I" instead of "me"):RIVERS OF BABYLON
(11) By the rivers of Babylon, where we sat down, and there we wept, when we remembered Zion. When the wicked carried us away in captivity--required from us a song. How can we sing King Alpha's song in a strange land? When the wicked carried us away in captivity--required from us a song. How can we sing King Alpha's song in a strange land? Sing it aloud! Sing the song of freedom, brothers! Sing the song of freedom, brothers! We gonna talk about it! We gonna jump and shout it! So, let the words of our mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in Thy sight. Oh, Far-I.So, let the words of our mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in Thy sight. Oh, Far-I. Sing it aloud! We got to sing it together, Everyone of us!
By the rivers of Babylon, where we sat down and there we wept, when we remembered Zion. When the wicked carried us away in captivity--required from us a song. How can we sing King Alpha's song in a strange land? When the wicked carried us away in captivity--required from us a song. How can we sing King Alpha's song in a strange land?
CHORUS OF THE HEBREW SLAVES
(12) This is part of Italian opera composer, Guiseppe Verdi's setting of the same Psalm, from his opera, Nabucco. Somehow the melody sounds too sweet for the text. No lyrics are given.PSALM 100
(13) All people that on earth do dwell, Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice. Him serve with love, His praise forth tell; Come ye before Him and rejoice. Know that Lord is God indeed; Without our aid He did us make; We are His folk, He doth us feed, And for His sheep He doth us take. O enter then His gates with praise; Approach with joy His courts unto; Praise, laud, and bless His Name always, For it is seemly so to do.This is a traditional hymn setting of Psalm 100, with usual transposed phrases. Thus, "Him serve with love" instead of "Serve him with love."
CHANT A PSALM
The Reggae group, Steel Pulse, advises to chant a psalm a day:(14) Rejoice rejoice Good tidings I bring you Hear ye a message to you my friend Voices cry invoke your angels When pressure drop it cannot conquer dread no So blow away your bluesy feeling Spirits say take the world off your shoulder One foot in the grave is a foolish step to take (dancer) Who sow in tears shall reap in joy Wise man doctrines assure your safety No more stumbling block back stabbers get down To the righteous revealed The secret of the scriptures The wicked dem portion is vanity Disciples of Lucifer In your hands lie your destination The book of true life you hold the key Mystical powers to you unfold Seek ye the half that has never been told Get behind me Satan (in dis ya Armageddon) I've got chant CHORUS: Chant a psalm a day
Reach you in a vision yeh come on Come walkies down easy street
Attract the angels in dreams and your prayers Remember the three holy children Remember the visions of Daniel Remember the magic of Moses so Dash away your bluesy feeling Spirits say take the world off your shoulder One foot in the grave my friend A foolish step to take
When pressure drop it cannot conquer dread (2) Got to be wise yes yes in dis ya Iwa Woe betide for the wicked Disciples of Lucifer Get behind me Satan I got to chant CHORUS: Chant a psalm a day Moses he did chant chant Samson he did chant chant Elijah he did chant chant I want the whole a we fe chant chant Solomon he did chant chant His father King David chant chant John the Baptist chant chant. . . .
SONGS WEEK OF 27 MARCH 2007
PSALMS
Psalm 42
This is the famous incipit (beginning) of Psalm 42 (first psalm of Book II), set to music by William Billings, the eighteenth century American composer whom some call the Father of American music. We'll hear his complete setting of a text from Song of Songs.(1) As the Hart panteth after the waterbrooks, so panteth my soul after thee O God.
PROVERBS
The following are various musical settings of texts from the book of Proverbs:
(2) Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wind when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup. PROVERBS 23:29f.The following are various musical settings of texts from the book of Proverbs:
(3) My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent; if they say, come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause, We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil, my son, walk not in the way with them." PROVERBS
(4) Who crieth "Woe"? Who? "Alas!" Who hath contention? Who hath raving? Who hath wounds without cause? Who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to try mixed wine." (PROVERBS 23:29f.)
(5) The woman folly is riotous: She is thoughtlessnes and knowing nothing. And she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city to call to them that pass by, who go right on their ways. "Whoso is thoughtless, let him turn in hither; And as for him that lacketh understanding, she saith to him, Stolen waters are sweet and bread eaten in secret is pleasant." (PROVERBS 9:13f.)
(6) When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid; Yea, thou shalt lie down and they sleep shall be sweet. PROVERBS 3:24
(7) The path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more with the perfect day. PROVERBS 4:18
(8) As in water in water, face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man. PROVERBS 27:19
There are no accidents in the Bible; redactions (edits) were carefully planned for coherence and scope. It seems very likely that the role of woman was carefully revised in order to balance the negative image of Eve in Genesis (though even she can be seen in a positive light of inquiry rather than disobedience). Regardless, Wisdom was personified as a woman in Proverbs; indeed, with God at the beginning of Creation. Moreover, women as mothers teach the Torah or Law (not just fathers): "Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching" (1:8). Lemuel's chapter (31) was taught by his mother and includes a famous encomium (praise) to a good wife, thus restoring women to dignity she perhaps lost in Genesis. (The evil woman is now called Folly, lacking not the good sense of Man but the good sense of Lady Wisdom.) Jesus will advance woman's role in the New Testament. At the same time Jesus, as the Son, replaces Lady Wisdom, as Paul calls Jesus "the power of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Corinthians 1:24); while the famous incipit (beginning) of John's Gospel leaves no doubt, where Jesus, as the Word (Wisdom) sits with God "in the beginning," thus forever changing how Christians read the Jewish Genesis.
(9) A woman of valour, who can find? For her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, And he hath no lack of gain. PROVERBS 31:10:31f.
ECCLESIASTES
The famous
verses that begin Chapter 3 of Ecclesiastes were set to music by folksinger, Pete Seeger and charted in the Top Ten in a recording by the Folk-Rock band, The Byrds. Seeger added a peace message at the end of the song. The meaning of the verses fits in with the so-called "Preacher's" message in his book, that nobody can see the whole picture of life like God can, so the best thing in life is to know what to do when the season is right. For example, there's a time to woo your lover and a time to break up. Wisdom means adapting to circumstances as they change. "Nothing can be added" or "taken" from "everything God does" (3:14b). Yet God "has made everything beautiful in its time" (v.11), which is all we can know. Thus we must understand each "season" and act appropriate to it; like knowing when to wear heavy clothes in winter and remove them in spring.
The famous
TURN, TURN, TURN
(9) To everything, turn, turn, turn There is a season, turn, turn, turn And a time for every purpose under heaven A time to be born, a time to die A time to plant, a time to reap A time to kill, a time to heal A time to laugh, a time to weep A time to build up, a time to break down A time to dance, a time to mourn A time to cast away stones A time to gather stones together A time of love, a time of hate A time of war, a time of peace A time you may embrace A time to refrain from embracing A time to gain, a time to lose A time to rend, a time to sew A time of love, a time of hate A time of peace, I swear it’s not too late
SONG OF SONGSThe genitive form is used as a superlative in biblical language. Thus King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and Song of Songs ("best song"). This is the American composer, William Billings' setting of verses from the Song of Songs.
I AM THE ROSE OF SHARON
(10) I am SONG OF SONGS
This is part of a large orchestral setting of the Song of Songs in a late Romantic idiom (familiar today in Hollywood movie scores):
(11) Arise my love my fair one, and come away. Sweet is thy voice and they countenance is comely. Take us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines; for our vines have tender grapes.This is part of a large orchestral setting of the Song of Songs in a late Romantic idiom (familiar today in Hollywood movie scores):
Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm, for love is strong as death. Jealousy is cruel as the grave; the coals there are oals of foire, which hath a most vehement flame.
Many waters cannot qunech love, neither can the floods drown it; if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned. For love is strong as death, if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned. Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upn thine arm, for love is strong as death.
HEAR MY PRAYER
This is a slightly edited version of a popular concert aria by the German composer Felix Mendelssohn (famous for his Wedding March). It is based on the first verses of Psalm 55 (vv. 1-6), also set by the Hungarian composer, Zoltan Koday.Hear my prayer, O God, incline Thine ear! Thyself from my petition do not hide. Hear my prayer, O God, incline Thine ear! Thyself from my petition do not hide, Thyself from my petition do not hide!
Take heed to me! Hear how in prayer I mourn to Thee, hear how in prayer I mourn to Thee, hear how in prayer I mourn to Thee! Take heed to me, take heed to me!
Without Thee all is dark, I have no guide, I have no guide, no guide, without Thee all is dark, I have no guide, I have no guide.
Hear my prayer, O God, incline Thine ear! Thyself from my petition do not hide, Thyself from my petition do not hide! Hear my prayer, O God, incline Thine ear! Hear my prayer, O God incline Thine ear. The enemy shouteth, The godless come fast! Iniquity, hatred, up on me they cast! The wicked oppress me, Ah where shall I fly? Perplexed and bewildered, O God, hear my cry, O God hear my cry! O God hear my cry, perplexed and bewildered, O God hear my cry! O God, O God, hear my cry!
The enemy shouteth, the godless come fast, perplexed and bewildered O God, hear my cry! O God hear my cry, perplexed and bewildered, O God, hear my cry. O God, hear my cry, O God hear my cry, O God, hear my cry! O God hear my cry!
My heart is sorely pained within my breast. My soul with deathly terror is oppressed. Trembling and fearfulness upon me fall, with horror overwhelmed, Lord, hear me call, Lord, hear me call! With horror overwhelmed, Lord, hear me call!
O for the wings, for the wings of a dove! Far away, far away would I rove! O for the wings, for the wings of a dove! Far away, far away, far away, far away would I rove!
Some Words on the Beautiful and the Sublime in Relation to Job
I shall soon email your Class Edit with commentary. In the meantime, a few words on the beautiful and the sublime regarding the book of Job, the better to enjoy the poetry of that book: Simply, the beautiful is an aesthetic experience based on order and charm. It addresses the understanding; it can be enjoyed in human terms.
["Aesthetic" means "feeling." So the dentist gives us an "an-asethetic" in order to take feeling away while work is done on our teeth.]
A comedy about marriage would be called beautiful; a murder mystery is also beautiful, even if scary.
But the sublime is an experience based on disorder, terror, and awe. It does not seem to address man in his routine life, based on order and limits.Yet it is a feeling, so an "aesthetic" response. It is our response to a violent thunderstorm; or when we look up at mountain peaks; or when we think of the large universe and how small we are in it or the billions of years that have come before us.
All these experiences are sublime. We feel awe, littleness, terror.
Art can be sublime if it imitates Nature when she is sublime, as in the romantic paintings that show mountain peaks or power storms.
Greek tragedy is sublime because the effect is one of terror in the face of how little and weak man is. In these plays we see noble and decent people crushed to nothing. For some reason, we feel better facing this.
The most famous tragedy in the Western world is the Jesus Passion. In fact the Gospel of Mark originally ends on just this feeling of the sublime, with fear and terror. Mark's final words (in the original text) are: "They were afraid."
Shakespeare's King Lear is the most sublime tragedy in English literature. Its climax is a power storm when Lear, a former king betrayed by his family, stands naked and almost alone, mad with rage at what has happened to him.
American writer neatly summed up the tragic theme in his novel, Islands in the Stream: "Man is persecuted. Man has his robe of dignity plucked at and destroyed."
Beethoven's Ninth Symphony is an example of the sublime in music. Job is an example of the sublime in the Bible: gone is the comfortable assurance of a good God, though Job never loses belief in God.
Yet the sublime in Job is not just about undeserved suffering. It's also in the powerful images of a Nature beyond human understanding, that can only be wondered at, especially shown in the images of powerful beasts in the final chapters of the book and elsewhere.
The greatness of the book of Job is in refusing easy answers to the terror one may feel in the face of a universe that seems beyond human values as well as human measure. It's a tribute to the Bible redactors (editors) that it (like Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs) was kept in the final edit of the book, insuring that such an experience would not be silenced or denied.
To demonstrate the difference between the beautiful and the sublime we'll hear two pieces based on part of the Latin mass, to the words: "Dona nobis pacem" ("Give us peace"). (Note the related English words: donation, pacific, Pacific Ocean, pacify, pact, peace, etc.)
The first version, a popular Church hymn, shows the beautiful. The text as sung is complete here: "Dona nobis pacem," repeated continuously. The musical setting is confident of the peace it asks for, as Job was when he prayed before his suffering.
The next example is the final section of the Agnus Dei ("Lamb of God") from Beethoven's Missa Solemnis (Solemn Mass). It uses the same text, repeated continuously: "Dona nobis pacem" ("Give us peace").
But
For his sublime effect, Beethoven uses a powerful timpani pattern to interrupt the hope of peace promised by the text. The timpani speaks of war and suffering, not peace.
The chorus returns, with a repeated but frantic cry of "pacem" (peace), almost a demand rather than a plea. There is a moment of quiet.
The timpani pattern returns, more softly now. The chorus repeats the text again. The timpani pattern returns again, softly, like a painful memory or a warning of future strife.
Finally, the choir returns again, now louder, with more confidence. But Beethoven's mass ends on a doubtful note, asking for a peace it does not expect may ever come.
HE'S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN HIS HANDS
This is a famous Afro-American spiritual probably based on Job 12:10: "In his hand is the life of every crature and the breath of all mankind."He's got the whole world in his hands, He's got the big round water in his hands. He's got the wide water in his hands, he's got the whole world in his hands. He's got the wind and the rain in his hands, he's got the moon and the stars in his hands, he's got the wind and the rain his hands, he's got the whole world in his hands. He's got the gambling man right in his hands, he's got the lying man right in his hands, he's got the crapshoot man in his hands, he's got the whole world in his hands. He's got the little bitsy baby in his hands, he's got the little bitsy baby in his hands, he's got the little bitsy baby in his hands, he's got the whole world in his hands. He's got you and me, brother, in his hands, he's got you and me, sister, his hands, he's got you and me, brother, in his hands, he's got the whole world in his hands. He's got everybody in his hands, he's got everybody in his hands, he's got everybody here right in his hands, he's got the whole world in his hands.
Job's Songs
Sire of Sorrow (Job's Sad Song)
Let me speak, let me spit out my bitterness-- Born of grief and nights without sleep and festering flesh Do you have eyes? Can you see like mankind sees?
Why have you soured and curdled me? Oh you tireless watcher! What have I done to you?
That you make everything I dread and everything I fear come true? Once I was blessed; I was awaited like the rain Like eyes for the blind, like feet for the lame
Kings heard my words, and they sought out my company But now the janitors of Shadowland flick their brooms at me Oh you tireless watcher! What have I done to you? that you make everything I dread and everything I fear come true?
(Antagonists: Man is the sire of sorrow) I've lost all taste for life
I'm all complaints Tell me why do you starve the faithful?
Why do you crucify the saints? And you let the wicked prosper
You let their children frisk like deer And my loves are dead or dying, or they don't come near (Antagonists: We don't despise your chastening God is correcting you) Oh and look who comes to counsel my deep distress Oh, these pompous physicians
What carelessness!
(Antagonists: Oh all this ranting all this wind Filling our ears with trash) Breathtaking ignorance adding insult to injury!
They come blaming and shaming
(Antagonists: Evil doer) And shattering me
(Antagonists: This vain man wishes to seem wise A man born of asses)
Oh you tireless watcher! What have I done to you? That you make everything I dread and everything I fear come true?
(Antagonists: We don't despise your chastening) Already on a bed of sighs and screams,
And still you torture me with visions You give me terrifying dreams! Better I was carried from the womb straight to the grave. I see the diggers waiting, they're leaning on their spades.
(Antagonists: Man is the sire of sorrow
Sure as the sparks ascend) Where is hope while you're wondering what went wrong? Why give me light and then this dark without a dawn?
(Antagonists: Evil is sweet in your mouth Hiding under your tongue) Show your face!
(Antagonists: What a long fall from grace) Help me understand!
What is the reason for your heavy hand?
(Antagonists: You're stumbling in shadows
You have no name now) Was it the sins of my youth? What have I done to you? That you make everything I dread and everything I fear come true?
(Antagonists: Oh your guilt must weigh so greatly) Everything I dread and everything I fear come true
(Antagonists: Man is the sire of sorrow) Oh you make everything I dread and everything I fear come true .
JOB AND SATAN
"Well
Well, Job was the richest man, my brothr, that lived in the land of Nod. He was the only man in the mile around that kept the Comamndments of God. Well the Devil he got jealous of Job. So he came to my God one day, said, "Move your hand from around the man and I'll make him curse you to your face!"
He said there's nothing you can to turn me around. There's nothing you can do to turn me around. Because I'm done signed up, made up my mind. I'm on my way, Great God Almighty I'm on my way to Good Lord!
Then Devil laid his fingers on Job. Brother Job fell down and right weak. So he got in bed, afflicted, children. So above his head to his feet, poor Job's afraid, began to leaving Him. The number went one to five, Job is sick and won't get well. We believe that he's gonna die.
He said, "Well I'm on my way to Canaan Land! Well I'm on my way to Canaan Land. If you don't go, my journey' o'er. I'm on my way, I'm on my way to Good Lord."
Well, Job's wife, she came running to him. Devil was right in her eyes. She said, "Oh, you're sick and you won't get well. Why don't you curse your God and die? Oh, Job looked straight at the woman and looked up in the sky. He said, "Woman, you sound like a foolish one, but you sure don't sound like wise!"
He said, "Well I'm on my way to Canaan Land! Well I'm on my way to Canaan Land. If you don't go, my journey' o'er. I'm on my way, I'm on my way to Good Lord."
Terrible Lie
This song is from Nine Inch Nails, one of the more famous bands in the style of Industrial music. The subject of Job is clear, but in a modern idiom. I have kept the typography of the original.
hey god, why are you doing this to me? am i not living up to w
hat i'm supposed to be? why am i seething with this animosity? i think you owe me a great big apology terrible lie...terrible lie...terrible lie...terrible lie i really don't know what you mean seems like salvation comes only in my dreams i feel my hatred grow all the more extreme. can this world really be as sad as it seems? terrible lie...terrible lie...terrible lie...terrible lie don't take it away from me; i need you to hold on to don't take it away from me; i need you to hold on to don't take it away from me; i need you to hold on to don't take it away from me; i need someone to hold on to don't tear it away from me; i need you to hold on to don't tear it away from me; i need someone to hold on to don't tear it away from me; i need you to hold on to don't tear it...don't tear it...don't take it, don't take it, don't... there's nothing left for me to hide i lost my ignorance, security, and pride i'm all alone in a world you must despise i believed your promises, your promises and lies terrible lie...terrible lie...terrible lie...terrible lie terrible lie you make me throw it all away my morals left to decay (terrible lie) how many you betray you've taken everything (terrible lie) my head is filled with disease my skin is begging you, please (terrible lie) i'm on my hands and knees i want so much to believe i need someone to hold on to.
Your life is bad, your prospects are worse
Your wife is sighing, crying,
And your olive tree is dying,
Temples are graying, and teeth are decaying
And creditors weighing your purse.
Your mood and your robe
Are both a deep blue
You'd bet that Job
Had nothing on you.
Don't forget that when you get to
Heaven you'll be blessed..
Yes, it's all for the best!
Richer than the bees are in honey
Never growing old, never feeling cold
Pulling pots of gold from thin air
The best in every town, best at shaking down
Best at making mountains of money
They can't take it with them, but what do they care?
They get the center of the meat, cushions on the seat
Houses on the street where it's sunny.
Summers at the sea, winters warm and free
All of this and we get the rest.
But who is the land for? the sun and the sand for?
You guessed! It's all for the best!
You must never feel distressed. All your wrongs will be redressed. Someone's got to be oppressed!
BLESSED BE THE NAME
You know Job was the richest man that ever lived in the land of Nod. So true! Job's servants came running. They said, "all your cattle are dead." Job's servants came running. They said, "all your cattle are dead." He said, "The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh," You should say, "Blessed be the name of the Lord." Job's wife came to him, she had the Devil in her eye. Something I want to tell you, Job. She said, "Job, let me tell you, Job." She said "Job," she said "Job, why don't you curse your God and die." Then Job looked at her, and then he looked up in the sky ("Go away woman, now"). Woman, woman, you don't sound like my wife. Yeah, he said, "The Lord giveth (woman), the Lord taketh, well now, I want to say, blessed be the name of the Lord." Job said, "I'll wait, I'm going to wait here on the Lord." Job said, "I'll wait (sure enough now), I'm going to wait till my change does come." He said, "The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh. Blessed be the name of the Lord."ALL FOR THE BEST
Job on Broadway
This song i
s from the Broadway musical and film Godspell, based on the Gospel of St Matthew, composed by Stephen Schwarz, who later won an Oscar for Prince of Egypt ("When You Believe"). "Day by Day" was the musical's biggest hit; but "All for the Best" fits in with the JOB theme. The song begins with a man feeling sad as if under a "curse."
It's sung in a comic "soft-shoe" dance style. As in JOB, the man's wife is affected by his misery ("sighing, crying"). He suffers more than Job ("Job had nothing on you"). The next section of the song is a patter song (a fast string of words set to a tune). This makes fun of Job's "comforters" who "explain" the reason for suffering. "When you get to Heaven you'll be blessed," and "it's all for the best." Then we hear "Job" complaining how evil people live good lives: "born to live at ease, doing what they please," etc. (see JOB, Chapter 21). He refers to God's Creation: "But who is the land for, the sun and the sand for?" concluding (like Job's "comforters") "it's all for the best." Then the two melodies are sung together (as "counter-melodies"), making the song sound like babble!
Job on Broadway
This song i
It's sung in a comic "soft-shoe" dance style. As in JOB, the man's wife is affected by his misery ("sighing, crying"). He suffers more than Job ("Job had nothing on you"). The next section of the song is a patter song (a fast string of words set to a tune). This makes fun of Job's "comforters" who "explain" the reason for suffering. "When you get to Heaven you'll be blessed," and "it's all for the best." Then we hear "Job" complaining how evil people live good lives: "born to live at ease, doing what they please," etc. (see JOB, Chapter 21). He refers to God's Creation: "But who is the land for, the sun and the sand for?" concluding (like Job's "comforters") "it's all for the best." Then the two melodies are sung together (as "counter-melodies"), making the song sound like babble!
First Melody (in soft-shoe style)
When you feel sad, or under a curseYour life is bad, your prospects are worse
Your wife is sighing, crying,
And your olive tree is dying,
Temples are graying, and teeth are decaying
And creditors weighing your purse.
Your mood and your robe
Are both a deep blue
You'd bet that Job
Had nothing on you.
Don't forget that when you get to
Heaven you'll be blessed..
Yes, it's all for the best!
Second Melody (in patter style)
Some men are born to live at ease, doing what they please,Richer than the bees are in honey
Never growing old, never feeling cold
Pulling pots of gold from thin air
The best in every town, best at shaking down
Best at making mountains of money
They can't take it with them, but what do they care?
They get the center of the meat, cushions on the seat
Houses on the street where it's sunny.
Summers at the sea, winters warm and free
All of this and we get the rest.
But who is the land for? the sun and the sand for?
You guessed! It's all for the best!
| Some men are born to live at ease, doing what they please, Richer than the bees are in honey Never growing old, never feeling cold Pulling pots of gold from thin air The best in every town, best at shaking down Best at making mountains of money They can't take it with them, but what do they care? They get the center of the meat, cushions on the seat Houses on the street where it's sunny.. Summers at the sea, winters warm and free All of this and we get the rest. But who is the land for? the sun and the sand for? You guessed! It's all for the best! | When you feel sad, or under a curse Your life is bad, your prospects are worse Your wife is sighing, crying, And your olive tree is dying, Temples are graying, and teeth are decaying And creditors weighing your purse. Your mood and your robe Are both a deep blue You'd bet that Job Had nothing on you. Don't forget that when you get to Heaven you'll be blessed! Yes, it's all for the best! |
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