When my mind needs to be renewed, with a good theme. I open up before my eyes, very old hymns published in 1845. Hope, finds it’s place again, my countenance changes, and my heart becomes light.
Who wants a song of sighs anyway? We need God to change our melodies. Tell me, if you agree, these words written long ago, spoken aloud, or sung, have power to change our sighs into praise. They bring to the Psalm a powerful paraphrase.
(There’s an interesting note, in Psalms, Hymns, Spiritual Songs, of the Rev. Isaac Watts, D.D. 1845. It has included a letter in front of the hymn’s stanzas for some “Direction for Expression.” For example, P means Slow and soft, and E for simply soft. The letter G means to produce a reading Slow and loud.
(p 1 directs for a slow and soft reading), My God, how many are my fears? How fast my foes increase!—Conspiring my eternal death, They break my present peace.
e 2 The lying tempter would persuade, There’s no relief in heaven; And all my swelling sins appear too big to be forgiven.
—3 But thou, my glory and my strength, Shalt on the tempter tread; Shalt silence all my threatening guilt, And raise my drooping head.
e 4 I cried, and from his holy hill He bowed a listening ear; I called my Father and my God; And he subdued my fear. (1)
We have in this present day, similar feelings of fear and dread, but the unchanging God is the same always, “bowing a listening ear.” How comforting to know the God we love, cares.
Let the words of Psalm 3 ring well in our hearts. In this dark world of sadness, God gives us His word to express the great struggles.
Lord, how they have increased who trouble me!
Many are they who rise up against me.
Many are they who say of me,
“There is no help for him in God.” Selah (2)
Amplified inserts: “pause, and think of that.”
g 6( to be read slow and loud), What though the host of death and hell, All armed, against me stood; Terrors no more shall shake my soul; My refuge is my God.
Speak it, believe it. Faith helps us to face it all. Psalm 3 will end our devotion with a victor’s call:
But You, O Lord, are a shield for me,
My glory and the One who lifts up my head.
I cried to the Lord with my voice,
And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah
“Pause, and think of that!”
(1) C.M. Canterbury of Psalm 3, in Psalms, Hymns, Spiritual Songs, of the Rev. Isaac Watts, D.D. 1845.
(2) Psalm 3, NKJV.