Monday, October 17, 2011

Psalm 144


The Bible is the greatest piece of literature and the ultimate story, because it is a living Word.  It applies to every aspect of our complicated lives.  Psalm 144 is one of my favorite passages of Scripture, and so I thought that I would share it with you.  Lately, I have been looking up Scripture in Strong's Concordance and reading the Word in different translations so as to get the full meaning of the words.  One thing that I have been doing with this is writing down my own version of the verses in my journal.  Through this, I have really begun to be able to understand the deeper meanings behind the words and it has been very interesting to me.  I am posting Psalm 144 in the Amplified Version, but I would encourage you to look it up in several different editions and also on Strong's Concordance, here is the link 

http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Psa&c=144&v=1&t=KJV#1
[A Psalm] of David.
 1BLESSED BE the Lord, my Rock and my keen and firm Strength, Who teaches my hands to war and my fingers to fight--
    2My Steadfast Love and my Fortress, my High Tower and my Deliverer, my Shield and He in Whom I trust and take refuge, Who subdues my people under me.
    3Lord, what is man that You take notice of him? Or [the] son of man that You take account of him?(A)
    4Man is like vanity and a breath; his days are as a shadow that passes away.
    5Bow Your heavens, O Lord, and come down; touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
    6Cast forth lightning and scatter [my enemies]; send out Your arrows and embarrass and frustrate them.
    7Stretch forth Your hand from above; rescue me and deliver me out of great waters, from the hands of hostile aliens (tribes around us)
    8Whose mouths speak deceit and whose right hands are right hands [raised in taking] fraudulent oaths.
    9I will sing a new song to You, O God; upon a harp, an instrument of ten strings, will I offer praises to You.
    10You are He Who gives salvation to kings, Who rescues David His servant from the hurtful sword [of evil].
    11Rescue me and deliver me out of the power of [hostile] alien [tribes] whose mouths speak deceit and whose right hands are right hands [raised in taking] fraudulent oaths.
    12When our sons shall be as plants grown large in their youth and our daughters as sculptured corner pillars hewn like those of a palace;
    13When our garners are full, affording all manner of store, and our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our pastures;
    14When our oxen are well loaded; when there is no invasion [of hostile armies] and no going forth [against besiegers--when there is no murder or manslaughter] and no outcry in our streets;
    15Happy and blessed are the people who are in such a case; yes, happy (blessed, fortunate, prosperous, to be envied) are the people whose God is the Lord!

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: A Psalm of Life


It has been such a long time since I have posted anything!
I was flipping through my Longfellow book and came across this poem that I really enjoyed.

A Psalm of Life

TELL me not, in mournful numbers,
        Life is but an empty dream ! —
    For the soul is dead that slumbers,
        And things are not what they seem.
    Life is real !   Life is earnest!
        And the grave is not its goal ;
    Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
        Was not spoken of the soul.
    Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
        Is our destined end or way ;
    But to act, that each to-morrow
        Find us farther than to-day.
    Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
        And our hearts, though stout and brave,
    Still, like muffled drums, are beating
        Funeral marches to the grave.
    In the world's broad field of battle,
        In the bivouac of Life,
    Be not like dumb, driven cattle !
        Be a hero in the strife !
    Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant !
        Let the dead Past bury its dead !
    Act,— act in the living Present !
        Heart within, and God o'erhead !
    Lives of great men all remind us
        We can make our lives sublime,
    And, departing, leave behind us
        Footprints on the sands of time ;
    Footprints, that perhaps another,
        Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
    A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
        Seeing, shall take heart again.
    Let us, then, be up and doing,
        With a heart for any fate ;
    Still achieving, still pursuing,
        Learn to labor and to wait.