THEY SHALL LAUGH AND SING

Samuel Palmer, "Harvesters by firelight"

I couldn't resist putting up the Psalm for tonight's BCP reading, for sheer beauty and glory. Enjoy.

65 ¶ Te decet hymnus Thou, O God, art praised in Sion; and unto thee shall the vow be performed in Jerusalem.  Thou that hearest the prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.  My misdeeds prevail against me; O be thou merciful unto our sins.  Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and receivest unto thee; he shall dwell in thy court, and shall be satisfied with the pleasures of thy house, even of thy holy temple. Thou shalt show us wonderful things in thy righteousness, O God of our salvation, thou that art the hope of all the ends of the earth, and of them that remain in the broad sea—who in his strength setteth fast the mountains, and is girded about with power, who stilleth the raging of the sea, and the noise of his waves, and the madness of the people.  They also that dwell in the uttermost parts of the earth shall be afraid at thy tokens, thou that makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to praise thee. Thou visitest the earth, and blessest it; thou makest it very plenteous.  The river of God is full of water; thou preparest their corn, for so thou providest for the earth.  Thou waterest her furrows; thou sendest rain into the little valleys thereof.  Thou makest it soft with the drops of rain, and blessest the increase of it.  Thou crownest the year with thy goodness, and thy clouds drop fatness.  They shall drop upon the dwellings of the wilderness; and the little hills shall rejoice on every side. The folds shall be full of sheep; the valleys also shall stand so thick with corn, that they shall laugh and sing.

Looking through Vivyen Bremner's thoughtful little book I Tune the Instrument, I was struck by a passage from Thomas Traherne -- the second of the two below. I made me look again, as I hadn't done for years, at the Centuries of Meditations, and I was enchanted all over again at the wealth of beauty and wisdom in their pages. So I will share some of them in the coming weeks. Here are two to begin with: the first with its allusion to the English Civil War, the second with its almost William Blake-like ecstatic penetrating into the world around us through and in the Spirit.

I.   I will not by the noise of bloody wars and the dethroning of kings advance you to glory: but by the gentle ways of peace and love. As a deep friendship meditates and intends the deepest designs for the advancement of its objects, so doth it shew itself in choosing the sweetest and most delightful methods, whereby not to weary but please the person it desireth to advance. Where Love administers physic, its tenderness is expressed in balms and cordials. It hateth corrosives, and is rich in its administrations. Even so, God designing to show His Love in exalting you hath chosen the ways of ease and repose by which you should ascend. And I after His similitude will lead you into paths plain and familiar, where all envy, rapine, bloodshed, complaint and malice shall be far removed; and nothing appear but contentment and thanksgiving. Yet shall the end be so glorious that angels durst not hope for so great a one till they had seen it.

II. You never enjoy the world aright till the sea itself floweth in your veins. Till you are clothed with the heavens and crowned with the stars: and perceive yourself to be the sole heir of the whole world, and more than so, because men are in it who are every one sole heirs as well as you. Till you can sing and rejoice and delight in God as misers do in gold and kings in sceptres, you never enjoy the world.

Image: Samuel Palmer, "Eventide"

CREATION'S CHORD

Samuel Palmer, Cornfield by Moonlight, ca. 1830

Today, the Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity, the Psalm for Evening Prayer turns out to be one of my all-time favourites, Psalm 104. I can't think of anything more joyful and glorious to post for today than simply its text, in the Coverdale translation used in the Book of Common Prayer. Lift up your hearts, and enjoy.

Psalm 104. Benedic, anima mea

PRAISE the Lord, O my soul : O Lord my God, thou art become exceeding glorious; thou art clothed with majesty and honour.
2. Thou deckest thyself with light as it were with a garment : and spreadest out the heavens like a curtain.
3. Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters : and maketh the clouds his chariot, and walketh upon the wings of the wind.
4. He maketh his angels spirits : and his ministers a flaming fire.
5. He laid the foundations of the earth : that it never should move at any time.
6. Thou coveredst it with the deep like as with a garment : the waters stand in the hills.
7. At thy rebuke they flee : at the voice of thy thunder they are afraid.
8. They go up as high as the hills, and down to the valleys beneath : even unto the place which thou hast appointed for them.
9. Thou hast set them their bounds which they shall not pass : neither turn again to cover the earth.
10. He sendeth the springs into the rivers : which run among the hills.
11. All beasts of the field drink thereof : and the wild asses quench their thirst.
12. Beside them shall the fowls of the air have their habitation : and sing among the branches.
13. He watereth the hills from above : the earth is filled with the fruit of thy works.
14. He bringeth forth grass for the cattle : and green herb for the service of men;
15. That he may bring food out of the earth, and wine that maketh glad the heart of man : and oil to make him a cheerful countenance, and bread to strengthen man's heart.
16. The trees of the Lord also are full of sap : even the cedars of Libanus which he hath planted;
17. Wherein the birds make their nests : and the fir-trees are a dwelling for the stork.
18. The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats : and so are the stony rocks for the conies.
19. He appointed the moon for certain seasons : and the sun knoweth his going down.
20. Thou makest darkness that it may be night : wherein all the beasts of the forest do move.
21. The lions roaring after their prey : do seek their meat from God.
22. The sun ariseth, and they get them away together : and lay them down in their dens.
23. Man goeth forth to his work, and to his labour : until the evening.
24. O Lord, how manifold are thy works : in wisdom hast thou made them all; the earth is full of thy riches.
25. So is the great and wide sea also : wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.
26. There go the ships, and there is that Leviathan : whom thou hast made to take his pastime therein.
27. These wait all upon thee : that thou mayest give them meat in due season.
28. When thou givest it them they gather it : and when thou openest thy hand they are filled with good.
29. When thou hidest thy face they are troubled : when thou takest away their breath they die, and are turned again to their dust.
30. When thou lettest thy breath go forth they shall be made : and thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
31. The glorious majesty of the Lord shall endure for ever : the Lord shall rejoice in his works.
32. The earth shall tremble at the look of him : if he do but touch the hills, they shall smoke.
33. I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live : I will praise my God while I have my being.
34. And so shall my words please him : my joy shall be in the Lord.
35. As for sinners, they shall be consumed out of the earth, and the ungodly shall come to an end : praise thou the Lord, O my soul, praise the Lord.