For the Verse of the Day for October 31, 2015, we turn to 1 Peter 5:8-9 which offer this stern reminder in the Amplified Bible:
Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour. But resist him, be firm in your faith [against his attack—rooted, established, immovable], knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being experienced by your brothers and sisters throughout the world. [You do not suffer alone.]
The phrase “be sober” occurs eight times in the New Testament. In a previous blog entry dealing one of these usages, I mention that the expression generally conveys the idea this idea: “do not be drunk” or “don’t get intoxicated.” His graceoasis.com points out that “the word does not mean to abstain from the use of alcohol but rather to refrain from the abuse of it which leads to intoxication.”
Translated from the Greek word nepso, the verb means “to be sober-minded, watchful, and circumspect.” Variations of the verb include ananephō, translated to become sober; eknephō, meaning “to return to one’s sense from drunkenness, become sober” and nēphálios: sober.
One translation of the Greek word renders the term: “to be sober, calm and collected, to have good sense, good judgment, wisdom, and level-headed in times of stress.”
This passage gives the reason for being sober: . . . because our adversary, our “opponent in the court of justice” (Zechariah 3:1), the accuser of the brethren, our arch enemy, who only seeks to steal, kill, and destroy, walks about as roaring lion, that attempts to instill fear and startle its prey before pouncing on the petrified victim. As believers, we are to resist, to stand firm in our faith—rooted, established, immovable. We are consoled in knowing that our brothers and sisters throughout the world encounter similar situations and stand strong. We are not alone.
Matt Weeks offers a scripture memory song of 1 Peter 5:8-9 in the NIV:
Not only is October 30, the eve before “All Hollow’s Eve,” better known as “Halloween,” but today is also the day before Reformation Day. In actuality, on October 31, 1517 Martin Luther nailed his “95 Theses” to the door of the Wittenberg Church in Germany, igniting the Protestant Reformation.
The following comments are taken from an Examiner.com article discussing the Reformation Day and its significance in more detail:
The Verse of the Day for October 30, 2015 comes from Ephesians 2:8-9 rendered in the Amplified Bible:
For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God; not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation].
This passage relates to one of the five phrases that summarized the movement. Using the word Sola the Latin word for “alone,” these basic theological beliefs stood boldly in opposition to the prevailing teaching of the Roman Catholic Church at the time.
Sola scriptura (“by Scripture alone”) teaches that the Bible is the only inspired and authoritative Word of God, the only source for Christian doctrine, and is accessible to all and that the Bible requires no interpretation outside of itself.
Sola fide (“by faith alone”) teaches that justification, the act of “being declared right by God”, and assumed to mean exactly “salvation”), is received by faith only, without any mixture of or need for good works, though in classical Protestant theology, saving faith is always evidenced by good works.
Sola gratia (“by grace alone”) teaches that salvation comes by God’s grace or “unmerited favor” only. This means that salvation is an unearned gift from God through faith in Jesus Christ.
Solus Christus or Solo Christo (“Christ alone” or “through Christ alone”) teaches that Christ is the only mediator between God and man, and that there is salvation through no other.
Soli Deo gloria (“glory to God alone”) Teaches that all glory is to be due to God alone, since salvation is accomplished solely through His will and action — not only the gift of the all-sufficient atonement of Jesus on the cross but also the gift of faith in that atonement, created in the heart of the believer by the Holy Spirit.
With Scripture alone as the sure foundation, Luther and the Reformers associated with the movement, affirmed that justification is by grace alone, received through faith alone because of Christ alone — for the glory of God alone. Today Christians around the world give thanks to God for Martin Luther’s bold proclamation which occurred 498 years ago, as God’s design for Church continues to unfold.
The Verse of the Day relates to one of these distinctive phrases connected to the grace of God. Apropos of that grace connection, the Maranatha Praise Band offer “By Grace Alone”
The Verse of the Day for October 29, 2015 is taken from Romans 12:1 in the Amplified Bible:
[ Dedicated Service ] Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship.
Bible scholar E.W. Bullinger points out that the first time that a particular word is used in the Bible marks its significance and importance when studying the word. Such is the case with the word “worship” which is first mention in the account where Abraham prepares to take his son, Isaac, and offer him as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah in Genesis 22:5 (Amplified Bible):
Abraham said to his servants, “Settle down and stay here with the donkey; the young man and I will go over there and worship [God], and we will come back to you.”
We are familiar with what occurs when the voice of the Lord speaks and intervenes, sparing Isaac’s life. This first usage of worship indicates that God does not desire human sacrifices. The Psalmist declares that God does not delight in sacrifice, that He is not pleased with burnt offering, but that He delights in sacrifices of righteousness (Psalm 51)
When we think of worship we recall the words of the Lord Jesus Christ in his encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well. In a discussion about the place of worship, the Lord spoke these words:
John 4:23-25 (NKJV):
God is a spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth:
But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.
One expression of worship involves our offering praise and thanksgiving unto God, that is the “sacrifice of praise . . . the fruit of our lips,” whereby we declare that He is worthy of our worship and adoration. The Alleluia Singers offer an illustration of this kind of worship in “We Bring the Sacrifice of Praise.”
Another expression of worship involves doing or serving, as we follow God’s command and make a sacrifice to do His will, to serve Him alone. We recognize that to obey God is better than to sacrifice our lives in the same way that animals are sacrificed. God desires that each believers offer his or her life as a living sacrifice. In the closing stanza of “Stone upon Stone: A Psalm of Remembrance,” I describe twelve stones, representing milestones or accomplishments from my life over the years. In closing, I symbolically build an altar from these twelve stones and offer myself as an offering, echoing the words Romans 12:1
El–stone upon stone–Bethel–I build this altar.
In the center of this altar burns fire, white-hot
as the cloven tongues appearing at Pentecost,
a flaming fire, refueled by the oil of blessing,
this unction, anointing, ignited by the spark,
tabernacled in me twenty-six years ago;
consuming desire, empowered by the spirit,
seeking to forge with words, this joy unspeakable.
Enflamed with a new name and transformed to offer
all I am and all I ever hope to be
a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable,
a lively stone, known, read by all with eyes to see.
So I return to teach the meaning of these stones.
El–stone upon stone I build this altar–Beth-el
A musical illustration of Romans 12:1 is “Take My Life—A Living Sacrifice” by Chris Christian
The Verse of the Day reminds us of our “reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.” Listen to the Romans 12-1-2 Song “A Living Sacrifice” (Christian Scripture Praise Worship Song with Lyrics:
Revised and re-posted below is the Verse of the Day for October 26:
The Verse(s) of the Day for October 26, 2015 is taken from 2 Timothy 3:16-17. These two verses indicate the source and purpose of Scripture, as expressed in the Amplified Bible:
16 Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose, and action),
17 So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Scripture Release offers this version of 2 Timothy 3:16 as a scripture memory song:
In thinking of the Scriptures as words given by the inspiration of God or as the” God-breathed word,” another related verse also comes to mind:
2 Peter 1:21
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost
So, when you pick up your Bible, you’re not reading the word of men, you’re reading the Word of God that was written down by men who were moved along in the process by the power of the Holy Spirit.
When God breathes, life comes forth. When God breathed into the nostrils of his creation in Genesis, he became a living soul. Likewise, the Word that God breathed is “alive and full of power” or living and powerful” (Hebrews 4:12). In thinking about the power of the breath of God, the hymn “Breathe on Me, Breath of God” came to mind, rendered here a cappella:
Not only is all scripture “God-breathed” but its purpose is that believer, the one who puts his trust in God, might be “complete and proficient,” fully equipped, as a cruise ship is thoroughly prepared and outfitted for its maiden and subsequent voyages.
The New Century Version offers this rendering of 2 Timothy 3:17:
Using the Scriptures, the person who serves God will be capable, having all that is needed to do every good work.
The Verse(s) of the Day are wonderful reminders of the source and the purpose of the God-breathed Word of God.
The Verse of the Day for October 25, 2015 is found in Ephesians 5:19-20 in the Amplified Bible:
Speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, [offering praise by] singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks to God the Father for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Recently I posted a blog entry in which I made reference to Colossians 3:16 which also speaks of “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” When we examine the following verse as well, we find a parallel connection in light of the context of “giving thanks to God.”
Colossians 3:16-17 [Amplified Bible]
16 Let the [spoken] word of Christ have its home within you [dwelling in your heart and mind—permeating every aspect of your being] as you teach [spiritual things] and admonish and train one another with all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus [and in dependence on Him], giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
These two passages remind us that expressing our gratitude to God is to be connected to everything that we do: “Always giving thanks to God the Father for all things” with the exhortation reinforced that no matter what you do in word or deed, it is to be done with gratitude, giving thanks to God the Father through Christ.
The Word of God reveals that the giving of thanks is to be more than an occasional act of gratitude; it is to be an ongoing part of our lives. There is to be a continual overflow of gratitude to God, as we encourage ourselves through psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, as we allow the Word of God to dwell in us richly or to make itself at home in our hearts. Not only are we to edify and reassure ourselves, but we are to become a source of strength and encouragement for one another.
This message is reinforced in the Scripture Memory Song “Speak to One Another,” based on Ephesians 5:19-20, another reminder to be thankful:
Proverbs 9:10 in the Amplified Bible, the Verse of the Day for October 24, 2014, makes a bold statement regarding the origin of wisdom:
The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning (the chief and choice part) of Wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight and understanding.
When I hear the word “beginning,” I recall the first verse of the Bible that transports us to place where life began:
Genesis 1:1
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Proverbs 8:23 in the Amplified Bible brings to our attention that even before the beginning spoken of Genesis 1:2, the wisdom of God was on the scene:
From everlasting I was established and ordained, From the beginning, before the earth existed, [I, godly wisdom, existed].
If wisdom existed before the beginning, what is origin or the beginning of wisdom? Once again, the answer comes from Proverbs, the Book of Wisdom:
Proverbs 4:7 (Amplified Bible)
The beginning of wisdom is: Get [skillful and godly] wisdom [it is preeminent]! And with all your acquiring, get understanding [actively seek spiritual discernment, mature comprehension, and logical interpretation].
The Psalmist adds to the discussion with these enlightening words:
Psalm 111:10 [Amplified Bible]
The [reverent] fear of the Lord is the beginning (the prerequisite, the absolute essential, the alphabet) of wisdom; A good understanding and a teachable heart are possessed by all those who do the will of the Lord; His praise endures forever.
The message regarding the origin of wisdom expressed in the Verse of the Day is reinforced and augmented in Proverbs 1:7[Amplified Bible]:
The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of knowledge [its starting point and its essence]; But arrogant fools despise [skillful and godly] wisdom and instruction and self-discipline.
In order to comprehend more fully the essence of wisdom, we must go back to the beginning.
As we reflect upon wisdom, so brilliantly displayed in the Book of Proverbs and elsewhere, we find that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” poetically expressed in this manner:
The Beginning of Wisdom
The [reverent] fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
Psalm 19:9 (AMP)
The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning (the chief and choice part) of Wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight and understanding.
Proverbs 9:10 (AMP)
We begin and stand in absolute awe of You,
Thoroughly washed in the fountain of holiness.
The old has passed away—Behold, You make all things new:
Redeemed and justified by Christ, our righteousness.
As You search the earth, may we find grace in Your sight.
We seek to be wise but never in our own eyes.
We stand as perfected, ones destined to walk upright,
Beloved ones, whose heart Your Word purifies.
We are filled with knowledge and wisdom from above
And bound by a covenant no one can sever,
For nothing can separate us from God’s love:
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever.
We are renewed in strength and upheld by God’s Word,
As we pursue wisdom, growing in the fear of the Lord.
A perfect musical accompaniment to this blog entry is the song “The Perfect Wisdom of Our God.”
“We Choose the Fear of the Lord” by the Maranatha Music also relates to the beginning of wisdom.
The Verse of the Day is a word of wisdom taken from Proverbs 15:23 in the Amplified Bible:
A man has joy in making an apt answer, and a word spoken at the right moment—how good it is!
The phrase “a word spoken at the right moment” brings to mind another related verse found in Proverbs 25:11 (AMP):
A word fitly spoken and in due season is like apples of gold in settings of silver.
Bishop KC Pillai, a converted Hindu, who dedicated his life to enlightening students of the Bible regarding Orientalisms or customs and practices from the Eastern sectors of the world, indicates that the reference to “apples of gold” is actually referring to a variety of succulent oranges grown in the Middle East. He comments on the often quoted verse from Proverbs:
“Verse 11 ‘Apples of gold’ had nothing to do with apples. These are a kind of orange we grow in Egypt, Syria and India of which there is no English name. . . There is a special orange tree called Kitchilika tree, sweetest of all oranges. This fruit makes a refreshing drink which soothes and comforts. It is gold in color, and does not last long after it is ripe and can’t be exported outside of the country. Very tasty, we make sherbet of it, and it is easily smelled when ripe on the tree. They are very beautiful to look at and quench the thirst quicker than any other juice. It was called apples of gold because there was no other English word.
The verse should read: ‘A word appropriately spoken is like oranges placed in a tray of silver.’
So a word appropriately spoken to a weary or troubled person will refresh, soothe, comfort, revitalize, strengthen. The Word of God is the only “word fitly spoken.” It will lift a person out of trouble and despondency. Words appropriately spoken (to a troubled person) are like golden oranges in trays of silver. They are refreshing, strengthening, pleasing, uplifting.”
Believers today sometimes mention a “rhema word from the Lord spoken in due season.” The website ShareFaith speaks of the Greek word rhema, which means utterance, as a portion of scripture that “speaks” to a believer. “In most cases, a rhema word received while reading the Bible applies to a current situation or need. In essence, the rhema word is timely and extremely valuable in a Christian’s walk with God.” I think of a rhema word as a “right now word in a right now moment.” Indeed, as the New Living Testament renders Proverbs 15:23:
Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time.
The Verse of the Day for October 21, 2015 is found in Psalm 40:8 (NLT):
I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart.”
Two days ago I posted a blog entry entitled “Take Delight in the Lord” and made reference to Psalm 40:8 in the Amplified Bible:
I delight to do Your will, O my God; yes, Your law is within my heart.
In another previous blog entry on today’s Verse of the Day, I offered the following remarks which have been revised and expanded:
The Verse of the Day for October 21, 2015, in the Amplified Bible brings to mind the First Psalm, the first passage of scripture that I ever committed to memory when I was in grade school, more than 60 years ago, back in the day, in what we called “junior high school.” I remember that Mrs. Little, the local undertaker’s wife, gathered kids from the neighborhood and told us to memorize Psalm 1, which I did and still recall by heart to this day. Psalm 40:8 brought to mind Psalm 1:1-2 from the King James, the version that I chose to memorize:
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Here is a reading of Psalm 1 in Hebrew with English subtitles:
Psalm 1 is set to music in this selection from Kim Hill:
Another related scripture from the Book of Psalms is Psalm 119:11, a special verse that I committed to memory by composing a melody to facilitate memorizing the scripture, the first of a long series of scripture memory songs.
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Here is a similar Bible Memory Verse for Kids for Psalm 119:11 by Shannon Linville.
Another related scripture used in the blog “Take delight in the Lord” also comes from Psalm 143:10 in the Amplified Bible:
Teach me to do Your will [so that I may please You],
For You are my God;
Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
Since a child, I have been endeavoring to discover the will of God for my life, as expressed in this poem:
The Will of God
To find the will of God is the greatest discovery.
To know the will of God is the greatest knowledge.
To do the will of God is the greatest achievement.
Albert Schweitzer
My food is to do the will of Him who sent me,
and to finish His work.
John 4:34 [NKJV]
To unearth at last the world’s most priceless treasure
And gaze upon the splendor of God’s sovereignty
Is to savor joy unspeakable beyond measure:
To find the will of God is the greatest discovery.
To know intimacy beyond the highest degree,
A confident assurance when I acknowledge
And embrace the path, the destiny, prepared for me:
To know the will of God is the greatest knowledge.
To live life, knowing I am covered by the Blood
Is to walk with no regret, never to lament,
For all decisions work together for the good:
To do the will of God is the greatest achievement.
Guided and protected by the Shepherd’s staff and rod,
I rejoice to find, to know and do the will of God.
Darius Brooks offers a passionate rendition of “Your Will,” one of my favorite songs focusing on the will of God:
The Verse of the Day comes from Psalm 37:4 (NLT) where the Psalmist tells us to take action, and there will be a corresponding action on God’s part.
4 Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you your heart’s desires
The expression to “take delight” or to “have pleasure in” brings to mind the first poem that I wrote, which turned out to be a rather accidental (providential) occurrence. In 1960 as a pre-pharmacy student at Purdue University , I enrolled in a freshman composition class, and I recall that I was asked to write a response to this prompt:”May I Tell You What Delights Me?” I made a list of things that brought me pleasure, and when I read what I had written to the class, my professor described it as poetry. Years later I realized that I had written a free-verse, catalog poem, in the style of Walt Whitman. Near the top of the list of sources of delight for me was the Book of Psalms. Indeed, Psalm 40:8 in the Amplified Bible expresses my sentiments exactly:
I delight to do Your will, O my God; yes, Your law is within my heart.
Just as we delight or take pleasure in God, our Father delights or takes pleasure in His children, the Scriptures also speak of God’s “good pleasure,” an expression found in Ephesians 1:5 which is the inspiration for the following poem:
The Good Pleasure of His Will
Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself,
according to the good pleasure of His will,
Ephesians 1:5 [NKJV]
“The safest place in the whole wide world
is the perfect will of God.”
Contemporary Christian Song
God makes all things new in yet another new season,
In this place where our divine destinies intersect.
As we finish the work, what we lack, He will perfect,
Far beyond anything our mortal minds can reason.
To abide in God’s perfect will Jesus led the way.
In the garden, he said, not my will but yours be done,
Praying that as he and the Father, so might we be one
To reverse the curse of Adam who chose to disobey.
God’s desire is that we know joy without measure.
In fulfilling God’s will His presence is ever near.
Signs, wonders, and miracles happen when we are here
Where we prove His perfect will and know His good pleasure.
The will of God is a safe haven where we can hide:
In the good pleasure of His will we long to abide.
Esther Mui offers a musical rendering of “Adopted as Sons” based on Ephesians 1:3-6:
After fifty-five years, I still find great pleasure in the Psalms which continue to be one of the delights of my life.
Throughout the Bible, believers are encouraged “to wait on the Lord.” The concluding verse of my favorite Psalm (27:14) offers this reminder in the King James Version which I committed to memory as a teenager:
Wait on the Lord, be of good courage and He shall strengthen thine heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord.
Here is the rendering in the New Living Translation:
Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.
The Psalms are poetic expressions often accompanied by music, rendering praise or adoration to God. Colossians 3:16 (NLT) speaks of three musical forms to express our gratitude to God:
Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.
What follows are examples of these forms:
Psalms
In reflecting on the Verse of the Day, I recall a poem that read on the Facebook page of my friend, Lester Wiley Carver. I viewed the work as a psalm of sorts, a song of praise to God, echoing the sentiments expressed in final verse of Psalm 27:
Wait On God “City of my Soul”
I could give you all you seek and pleased you would be.
You’d have what you want, but you wouldn’t know me.
You’d not know the depths of my love for each saint.
You’d not know the power I give to the faint.
You’d not learn to see through clouds of despair.
You’d not learn to trust just by knowing I’m there.
You’d not know the joy of resting in me.
When darkness and silence are all you can see.
You’d never experience the fullness of love;
When the peace of My Spirit descends like a dove.
You would know that I give, and I save for a start,
But you would not know the depth of the love of my heart.
The glow of my comfort late into the night.
The faith that I give when you walk without sight.
The depth that’s beyond getting just what you ask.
From an infinite God who makes what you have last.
You’d never know should your pain quickly flee;
What it means that my grace is sufficient for thee.
Yes, your dearest dreams overnight would come true;
But, oh, the loss, if I lost what I’m doing in you.
So be silent my child, and in time you will see;
That the greatest gift is to truly know me.
And though if my answers seem terribly late;
My most precious of all is still, “WAIT”!
As I reflected upon poem that Lester posted, one of my own poetic works came to mind:
“Waiting in Gilgal” describes “The City of My Soul”, as I wait at this time in my life.
Waiting in Gilgal
If a man die, shall he live again?
all the days of my appointed time
will I wait, till my change come.
Job 14:14
Waiting in Gilgal. . .
In the midnight harbor, place black as a raven,
Yielded and still in this new place of transition,
Seeking to do God’s will, in ready position,
To be launched from here to my desired haven.
Waiting in Gilgal. . .
Groaning, travailing resounds from this place on earth,
In the birthing room where thoughts rise to the sublime;
Prolonged moments extend toward the fullness of time
Where agony precedes ecstasy in childbirth.
Waiting in Gilgal. . .
To be raised from the tomb, released from the cocoon;
Exhausted, I yearn to escape and touch the sky,
To be freed from these quarters of the butterfly,
Where to be transformed at last can come none too soon.
Waiting in Gilgal. . .
This place demands sacrifice and obedience:
Not like Saul in Gilgal, foolish and immature,
But like Caleb, who with age, had strength to endure,
Fulfilled all God’s will and claimed his inheritance,
Waiting in Gilgal. . .
Hymns
Another musical form to express adoration or prayer to God is the hymn, often sung individually or in a congregation. In commenting on our “waiting on the Lord, I note that we are not in a state of apprehension or anxiety, but we rest in a confident state, as the lyrics to” Blessed Assurance,” by Fanny J. Crosby, one of the most popular hymns of all time remind us:
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
Refrain:
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest;
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.
This most moving rendition of the classic is offered acapella by Matthew West
The lyrics from another hymn “Open My Eyes,” written and composed by Clara H. Scott, reiterate our being quiet as we wait:
Quietly now I wait for Thee,
Ready my God Thy will to see,
Open my eyes illumine me…
The lyrics to the hymn are displayed while Nathanael Provis plays the melody on piano, a perfect musical illustration of Psalm 27:14
Spiritual songs
Songs that teach or reinforce spiritual principles from the Scripture are as known as spiritual songs. A contemporary worship song with the same title as the hymn “Open My Eyes” is offered by Hillsong with these lyrics which serve as a bridge in the song:
And as I wait on You my God
I’ll know the voice of truth
In quietness I am in awe
And as I worship You my Lord
I understand the cross
The sacrifice of God
We conclude with the lyrics to an original song composed in light of Psalm 27:14:
While I wait, I will worship
While I wait, I will worship/I will worship while I wait
Though the enemy overwhelms me and floods my soul with pain,
Like Job in the midst of all his troubles, I will worship while I wait.
That God is good, always good, this I will proclaim
While I wait, I will worship/I will worship while I wait
These examples of psalms, hymns, and spiritual song come to mind while reflecting on Psalm 27:14.
For the Verse of the Day for October 31, 2015, we turn to 1 Peter 5:8-9 which offer this stern reminder in the Amplified Bible:
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