Memorizing the iolly Psalms! Good idea!

I am memorizing Psalm 71, and discovered the following verses, afresh:

"Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and bring me up again from the depths of the earth..." Here comes the part I REALLY LOVE...

"...Thou shalt INCREASE MY GREATNESS and COMFORT ME ON EVERY SIDE!" (It's closer to the end of Psalm 71, maybe verses 23 and 24)

"Oh! How love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day!" Psalm 119:97

Swearing! Bad idea!

1. I, a warning, have to give,
those all those who want to live:
In God's heaven up above,
Where we will enjoy his love:

2. There, a day, is coming soon,
Just as sure as will the moon;
Wax and wane from full to nil,
Jesus, be the judge, then, will:

3. When he was a man, he taught -
As he, sinners, to save, sought;
That he careth for the birds,
And will judge us by our words.

4. "By thy words, condemned", said he,
"shalt thou, or jus-ti-fied, be";
And, I trust that ye have heard,
"...Judged for every idle word";

5. At this point, I have to say,
I, the penitent, must play;
I, my words, lament and own,
That I: "...should have, better, known."

6. I acknowledge, I have been,
Quite a man of lips unclean;
And I do repent of this,
And that I, the mark, did miss.

7. "I", O Father, "have to say,
Sorry for my words, today;
And beseech thee, me, redeem,
It, impossible, doth seem...

8. ...For me to arrest the use,
By my tongue, of language, loose;
I confess that, is my tongue,
Like a filthy sponge - when wrung;

9. And out oozes filth and froth,
When I get, in my flesh, wroth;
Oh! I want to stop cursing,
And, instead, thy praises, sing!

a. I want to, thy love, reflect,
And be upright and per-fect;
And, I know, that what I say,
Doth a pi-vo-tal role, play;

b. So, let me, my loins gird up -
Let the INSIDE of this cup;
Be a vessel, clean and pure,
As I, chastening, endure;

c. I want to, my generation,
And my wayward, wicked nation;
Warn, and woo to righteousness,
So that thou canst richly bless!

d. We are DYING *'Ah-Buh-Jeeh!'
Help us to get back to thee!
Let us not be turned to hell,
But for ever with thee dwell!

* Korean for "father" - please see: http://www.lifeinkorea.com/language/korean.cfm?Subject=family

e. Let our hearts be changed, within,
For, from it, doth spring our sin;
Let us fear thee and repent,
For, for this, was Jesus sent."

Still outside

Well, it is nice to be back in Canada again, but I still certainly occupy the outside of the camp. Now I just need to walk out to the Syrians and spoil them! I am encouraged to recall that story - and the moral thereof: Financial and material abundance can be readily available to us when we least expect it. We may think we are about to die, and be pleasantly suprised to learn that - actually - we are going to enjoy some incredibly unexpected prosperity!

For Your Information...

All of the posts below were written when I was in South Korea. It was a blast, in many respects - but, when all is said and done, it was a blast in the best sense (i.e. a great time). I will never be the same, and that, I resolve, for the better.

"A Lion hath Roared..." (see the book of Amos in the Book, or "Bible") "...When the Fig Tree was Dry."

"...I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart." (a verse from the Psalms)

1. "A lion hath roared,
Who shall not fear?"
Which lion? This one! Indeed, "Oh dear!"

2. Was I meant to roar like that?
Here's my opinion (hang onto your hat...):
"Yes I was, as a matter of fact!"
(Though, I admit, it was quite the "act"!)

3. Now, I admit, it shocked me sore,
When from my mouth proceeded that roar!
So, in the spirit, I made haste;
Straight/strait* did I go to the throne of grace.

* "Strait" can be looked up here: www.webster.com

4. Before the Lord, my heart I outpoured/"out-pored" ;)
"No problem-o!" did God's answer go!
"Uh... come again?" was my question then.

5. God then explained that, worry, he dothn't (contraction of "doth not" ;));
And when I roar, he thinkth (i.e. "thinketh") little of it!

6. This all the more, when in private I roar;
When by the sea, I may, quite, be free;
And "roar" my mind, and catharsis find!

7. Psalm twenty-two he brought to mind;
Where at the start, th'word (i.e. "the word") "roaring" we find.
"A time for everything, there's not?"
All this a deal of comfort brought!

8. Now in my soul I sigh "Relief!"
The man of sorrows - aquainted with grief,
Though, in his heart, was throughly kind,
Was not ashamed to speak his mind;
A let a good old fashioned "Sigh..."
...Flow from his soul...
...When "the fig tree was dry."

Great Peace have they which Love thy Law...

1. "Great peace have they which love thy law (Psalm 119:165),
Them nothing shall offend;
Then may I to this matter, with all diligence, attend!

2. Alas! O Lord, how can I claim,
Offense, from, to be free?
I do however happily, the verdict, leave with thee.

3. I either have - or have not - got,
this peace within my soul;
Then maybe now I am, than then, yet closer to the goal.

4. Do things that once I stumbled at,
No longer bring me down?
More often do I wear a smile, when - then - I would a frown?

5. Delight I now more in thy law,
Than I delighted then?
I think I do, I happily confess with, this, my pen!

6. Then Hallelujah! Hip! Hooray,
A "losing battle" - not!
Delighting in the law of God is easier than I thought!

http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=1150701254

P.S. There is one more sermon, which I just listened to, and wept at - because it could not possibly describe my current situation more perfectly. This is because I find myself taking my own "impossible stand", these days. The sermon, entitled, "A Stand for God Vindicated":

http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=180718251

"With Many Sorrows"

Here is another Hymn (or poem, if ye prefer to use it as such), called, "With Many Sorrows". I wrote it, and then went "shopping" for an appropriate tune. Here is where I "went shopping":

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/mid/met/met.htm

This is an 86.86.86.86 hymn, for the most part, but some lines are 9 or 7 syllables, respectively - so the last two syllables may have to be "doubled-up".

So far, the following melodies have worked best for me: "Euphemia", "Ancyra", "Chester_Oratory", and "Varina" . "Cleansing Fountain" (the American melody for "There is a Fountain Filled with Blood"), also fits the meter, and is probably more familiar to more people. "Auld_Lang_Syne" is another well-known tune, which I think fits well (with this tune, I recommend repeating the last four lines of each verse, a second time).

Finally, I just discovered "Car­ol" - the tune to which "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" is commonly sung:

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/t/itcameup.htm

1. With many sorrows peirc-ed through,
Have many people been;
For did the love of money woo
Them headlong into sin!
May we who follow afterward,
Avoid this cursed path;
And worship Jesus Christ, the Lord,
As God, commanded, hath.

2. To Baalam, son of Beor, now
My thoughts begin to turn;
I pray you, now, his tragic story,
From, a lesson learn;
When called to curse, three times he blessed,
The chosen, holy seed -
And, as if that were not enough,
He onward did proceed;
3. To prophecy of things, including,
Jesus, the Messiah,
As, later, did Isaiah, and the
Prophet Jeremiah!
The love of money did, however,
Prove, his sad undoing;
He headlong into error fell,
While fleeting gold pursuing!

4. He sub-til-ly devised a plan,
To make God's people stumble;
In fornication they did fall,
And learned to be more humble;
Restored, however, they did exe-
cute their vile deceivers;
And Baalam learned that he and they,
Were, of the curse, receivers!

5. Then be ye warned - ye workers of
Iniquity for profit!
The love of money is a fatal path -
Now, get ye off it!
And, furthermore, I warn the sheep -
Take heed to whom ye follow;
Be not as fools who, with the swine,
To mire, return, and wallow!

6. The simple test of any prophet,
Is the fruit they bear;
The shepherd's tender loving voice,
If ye hear not, beware!
About the "Lordship" of the Lord,
Some seem to love to talk -
But, when they call him "Lord" one day,
Are they in for a shock?

Daniel

"Jesus Shall"

This is a hymn (though some may prefer to read it as a poem, rather than sing it all). It has the same meter as "Day of Judgement! Day of Wonders" by John Newton. Link below:

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/d/a/dayjdayw.htm

I pray that God would use this to his glory.

1. "Who shall save me from the body of this sin and death!" I cry;
Note: the question is not "How...?" but "Who...?" for, all in vain, I try;
"Who shall save me...?" - not "How shall I...?" -
Jesus shall!

2. When in my own feeble flesh I labour to the law fulfill
In my members, ever present with me, evil - working still;
"Wretched man that I am - save me!"
Jesus shall!

3. That which I would do, I do not; that which I would not - I do!
For my labour, thorns and thistles - in abundance - only, grew!
"Save me from myself - redeem me!"
Jesus shall!

4. "Kicking habits", "Trying harder", "Banging head on solid brick"!
Please excuse me, while I give that concept one proverbial "Kick!"
"Kick my habits - sanctify me" -
Jesus shall!

5. Bearing fruit is not my problem, but abiding in him is;
Walking not by sight, but by faith - resting in his promises;
Fruit, and life eternal give me,
Jesus shall!

6. Hearken now, my generation! Let us to the Lord return;
Eyes to see, and ears to hear, have we, that - of him - we may learn;
Save us from our vile inventions,
Jesus shall!

7. Wise in our own eyes be we not, but with broken hearts contrite;
Wretched, mourning our own blindness, pleading to receive our sight;
Cast us out in any wise - not,
Jesus shall!

8. Cursed theory: "Evolution" (or, "Evil-ultion"), worship it in vain no more!
What pathetic subsitution, for the gods that came before;
Dash it with a rod of iron,
Jesus shall!

9. Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, omnipotent, doth reign!
Overcome as overcame he, do we now in Jesus' name!
To perfection, see his work through,
Jesus shall!

10. Gates of hell, in vain, to, try, against the church of Christ prevail;
He that sitteth in the heavens, shall deride them - for they fail!
"I have set him - reign in Zion,
Jesus shall!"

11. Brothers! Let not now our weary hands hang down, but lift them up!
Raise, and he will fill to overflowing, our, now empty, cup;
Turn our mourning into dancing,
Jesus shall!

12. Seize the day! Let reformation now begin with you and me!
Be not faithless, but believing, till God's saving arm we see!
Do beyond imagination,
Jesus shall!

13. Here am I, Lord! Send me to the lost and dying souls of men!
At the end of my own rope - undone - may I begin again?
White as snow, my sins are, see that -
Jesus shall!

14. With our ears have we been told what works thou didst in ages past;
Stubbornly, we cry to thee to do as, hitherto, thou hast!
As he hath done, evermore do,
Jesus shall!

15. Doth not thy name, "Jesus", mean to save thy people from their sins?
If in our own sins we perish, though it would be just, who wins?
Undeserv-ed mercy, grant us,
Jesus shall!

16. Wake us from our curs-ed slumber - teach us, Lord, to watch and pray!
Sleeping not as do some others, working while it yet is day;
Our infirmities, with, help us,
Jesus shall!

17. Knocking at the door, I hear him - Jesus seeketh to come in;
To the blessed knock we open, fellowship, and sup with him;
Meat and drink, abundant, give us,
Jesus shall!

18. "Be ye therefore perfect..." Jesus said those who had an ear;
Seriously, we ought to take him, and submit with Godly fear;
Per-fect that which doth concern us,
Jesus shall!

19. Look ye up - for your redemption, as the morning, draweth nigh;
See the ever growing brightness, swelling on the eastern sky;
Fear his name, who, rise unto us,
Jesus shall!

20. More than they that, for the morning, watch with eagerness immense;
Do our souls, O Lord, await thy promis-ed omnipotence!
Shew to us things great and mighty -
Jesus shall!

Daniel