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.
Another likely snippet from an early Christian hymn is found in Ephesians 4:8: “When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.” The introduction to this lyrical passage (“Wherefore he saith,” which is better translated as “it says”) is different from the one Paul uses when he is directly quoting the Old Testament. Although this verse is derived from Psalm 68:18, the different introduction and the poetical structure of the passage indicate that this is part of a hymn about Jesus. In view is His Ascension, recorded in Acts 1. The hymn “Look, Ye Saints, the Sight Is Glorious” creatively celebrates His return to heaven. We will listen to a rendition by The Scottish Festival Choir.