Saturday, April 11, 2009

Saturday Selah: Song to the Lord

Selah is probably either a liturgico-musical mark or an instruction on the reading of the text, something like "stop and listen". Selah notes a break in the song and as such is similar in purpose to Amen in that it stresses the importance of the preceding passage.
Saturday Selah
I will exalt You, my God the King;

I will praise Your name for ever and ever. ~ Psalm 145:1
Praise the LORD.

Praise the LORD, O my soul. ~ Psalm 146:1

Praise the LORD.

How good it is to sing praises to our God,

How pleasant and fitting to praise Him! ~ Psalm 147:1

This week I discovered a delightful poet, Helen Lowrie Marshall [1904-1975]. Her poems sing praise to God and refreshment on my soul. I want to share a Selah from her with you:

Each day, upon my daily round,
I find myself on holy ground-
The morning-glories on my fence
Inspire quiet reverence.
Just one small, tender seedling grew,
And now, this miracle in blue.
A robin in the apple tree
Sings out his glad doxology.
I hear the pure, unsullied joy
Of laughter from a little boy;
I bow before the firm belief
And faith of one who lives with grief;
I watch a jet plane skim the skies
And marvel at man's enterprise;
I look upon a field of wheat
And thank God for the bread we eat;
I watch the benedictive rain
On low-bowed heads of flower and grain.
A friend drops in, a neighbor calls,
The lamps are lit, night gently falls;
Contentment settles with the sun
In labors of the day well done.
So many little altars there,
So many simple calls to prayer,
So many reasons for thanksgiving-
The sacraments of daily living.

Praise the LORD.

Praise the LORD from the heavens,

Praise Him in the heights above. ~ Psalm 148:1

Praise the LORD.

Sing to the LORD a new song,

His praise in the assembly of the saints. ~Psalm 149:1

Praise the LORD.

Praise God in His sanctuary;

Praise Him in His mighty heavens. ~ Psalm 150:1
On this Saturday, while we wait in excitement for Resurrection Sunday...pause to praise the Lord God Almighty for His beautiful gift of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ.

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