I’ve used some Psalms recently but this one came to mind today!
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV)
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
Getting back into the routine of being up at 4:00 am now that school is back in session has been an adjustment, to say the least! But – and some may find this hard to believe – it is, in so many ways, inspirational! The children with whom I work, adults, as well. And of course, the world around me! The sunrises the last couple of mornings have been absolutely breathtaking! And what should pop into my head today but the opening lines of an old, old hymn.
When morning gilds the skies my heart awaking cries:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Alike at work and prayer, to Jesus I repair:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
How appropriate! The rising sun radiated on the clouds that covered the horizon and my first thoughts – my heart awoke! – and it praised the Creator of all things!
“Repair” here is an Old English word meaning to go back or to go home again. It makes no difference what we are doing, we can “repair” to Jesus – we can go back to or go home to Him!
I found “When Morning Guilds the Skies” in a couple of my hymnals. One had four verses, the other had six. But then I checked it out on http://www.hymntime.com and it showed 15 verses! Wow! Can you imagine singing all of those on a Sunday morning?
When I checked it out in a couple of my hymn “history” books it stated that Edward Caswall actually translated the original text (written in 1744) from German to English (in 1854) and when all was said and done, what he had translated and what he had written himself, he ended up with 28 stanzas!
They are wonderful reminders to praise Jesus Christ throughout every aspect of our lives.
Psalm 113:3 gives us the direction we must go.
From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
the name of the Lord is to be praised. (NIV)
Here are a few of the stanzas of the many.
When you begin the day, O never fail to say,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
And at your work rejoice, to sing with heart and voice,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Does sadness fill my mind? A solace here I find,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Or fades my earthly bliss? My comfort still is this,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Be this at meals your grace, in every time and place;
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Be this, when day is past, of all your thoughts the last
May Jesus Christ be praised!
When sleep her balm denies, my silent spirit sighs,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
When evil thoughts molest, with this I shield my breast,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Amen, amen, and amen!
Sept 10th, 2019, Tues, 10:51 am
