O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
2 O give thanks unto the God of gods:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
4 To him who alone doeth great wonders:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
5 To him that by wisdom made the heavens:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
6 To him that stretched out the earth above the waters:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
7 To him that made great lights:
for his mercy endureth for ever:
8 The sun to rule by day:
for his mercy endureth for ever:
9 The moon and stars to rule by night:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
10 To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn:
for his mercy endureth for ever:
11 And brought out Israel from among them:
for his mercy endureth for ever:
12 With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
13 To him which divided the Red sea into parts:
for his mercy endureth for ever:
14 And made Israel to pass through the midst of it:
for his mercy endureth for ever:
15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
16 To him which led his people through the wilderness:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
17 To him which smote great kings:
for his mercy endureth for ever:
18 And slew famous kings:
for his mercy endureth for ever:
19 Sihon king of the Amorites:
for his mercy endureth for ever:
20 And Og the king of Bashan:
for his mercy endureth for ever:
21 And gave their land for an heritage:
for his mercy endureth for ever:
22 Even an heritage unto Israel his servant:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
23 Who remembered us in our low estate:
for his mercy endureth for ever:
24 And hath redeemed us from our enemies:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
25 Who giveth food to all flesh:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
26 O give thanks unto the God of heaven:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
~ § ~
"The Meaning of Life" was not Monty Python's best work, but there are some wonderful moments. And when I read this Psalm, I was taken back to a really funny scene. John Cleese (Humphrey) and Michael Palin (chaplain) are instructing schoolchildren...
ReplyDeleteHUMPHREY WILLIAMS: ...And spotteth twice they the camels before the third hour, and so, the Midianites went forth to Ram Gilead in Kadesh Bilgemath, by Shor Ethra Regalion, to the house of Gash-Bil-Bethuel-Bazda, he who brought the butter dish to Balshazar and the tent peg to the house of Rashomon, and there slew they the goats, yea, and placed they the bits in little pots. Here endeth the lesson.
CHAPLAIN: Let us praise God. O Lord,...
CONGREGATION: O Lord,...
CHAPLAIN: ...ooh, You are so big,...
CONGREGATION: ...ooh, You are so big,...
CHAPLAIN: ...so absolutely huge.
CONGREGATION: ...so absolutely huge.
CHAPLAIN: Gosh, we're all really impressed down here, I can tell You.
CONGREGATION: Gosh, we're all really impressed down here, I can tell You.
CHAPLAIN: Forgive us, O Lord, for this, our dreadful toadying, and...
CONGREGATION: And barefaced flattery.
CHAPLAIN: But You are so strong and, well, just so super.
CONGREGATION: Fantastic.
HUMPHREY: Amen.
CONGREGATION: Amen.
HUMPHREY: Now, two boys have been found rubbing linseed oil into the school cormorant. Now, some of you may feel that the cormorant does not play an important part in the life of the school, but I would remind you that it was presented to us by the Corporation of the town of Sudbury to commemorate Empire Day, when we try to remember the names of all those from the Sudbury area who so gallantly gave their lives to keep China British. So, from now on, the cormorant is strictly out of bounds! Oh, and Jenkins, apparently your mother died this morning. Chaplain.
[organ music]
CHAPLAIN and CONGREGATION: [singing]
O Lord, please don't burn us.
Don't grill or toast Your flock.
Don't put us on the barbecue
Or simmer us in stock.
Don't braise or bake or boil us
Or stir-fry us in a wok.
Oh, please don't lightly poach us
Or baste us with hot fat.
Don't fricassee or roast us
Or boil us in a vat,
And please don't stick Thy servants, Lord,
In a Rotissomat.
JMJ
So now we have mixed the sacred with the profane. So much for Ecclesiates and a proper "time" for each...
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite responsive readings for a Thanksgiving service.
ReplyDeleteOf course, thanks to the Lord is not supposed to be limited to our Thanksgiving holiday.
A Herald Angel said
ReplyDeleteBlessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful,
For his delight shall be in the law of the Lord, and in that law shall he mediate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth fruit in its season, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
For the ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away, therefore the way of the ungodly shall perish.
i thank You God for most this amazing
ReplyDeletei thank You God for most this amazing
day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes
(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday; this is the birth
day of life and of love and wings: and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)
how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any—lifted from the no
of all nothing—human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?
(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)
~ e.e. cummings