Melodic Mondays
Those of you who know me know that I love music even though I am not musical myself. I listen to good music as often as I can. It is beneficial to the brain, valuable to the vocabulary, and strengthening to the soul. Isaiah 12:2-3 is a lovely passage that includes this soaring statement of surety: “The Lord JEHOVAH [YAHWEH] is my strength and my song.” This could be translated, “God is my mountaintop and my music.” Yes, He is! Each Monday, I want to study this subject and suggest a song to listen to. Anyone reading this devotional has easy access to any song. (I am an exception because I do not go on a computer or other information device.) If you do not like my suggestion (and we all have different tastes), you can think of or search for one that speaks to you. Then, it can become a source of encouragement throughout the week.
My family (on the Jepson side, that is) came to this country from Ireland in 1719, settling on what is now Boyd Road in Wells in 1721. One of my sons recently built a house on this property, becoming the ninth generation to reside there. Over three hundred years is a long time for one family to own a piece of land. However, the Irish hymn “Be Thou My Vision” is much older. It was written in the 700’s by an unknown Irish poet. It was not translated into English until 1905. The lyrics are filled with Biblical references and imagery, including Psalm 3:3 (“Thou, O LORD, art a shield for me”) and especially Psalm 18:2 (“The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in Whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower”). We will listen to the version by Keith & Kristyn Getty.