Hymn: “Majestic Sweetness Sits Enthroned” – Samuel Stennett
(1727-1795)
Typical Tune: ORTONVILLE
This hymn-line may remind you of “I was sinking deep in sin… love lifted me,” but when I sing this line,
it has a deeper message to me.
“Deep distress” is a powerful phrase. It’s more than sinking
deep in sin; it is sinking deep in all the stuff that so easily besets us –
even depression, possibly the deepest level of distress. Admitting that I am
sometimes… maybe even often… in some form of deep distress is difficult for me,
but who among us who congregate is not stressed out to some extent. Singing it
alongside others who are making the same corporate admission relieves some of
that anxiety – or distress!
The good news in this hymn-line is that Jesus – the One who sits
enthroned – jumps up and runs to my relief. We sometimes say that someone just “flew
across the room” to help; that’s exactly the way I picture what Christ does
whenever he sees that I need a lift-me-up from my downward-spiraling anguish.
According to the dictionary, the antonym of distress is
comfort. How appropriate is that to this discussion? Back to the gospel song
quoted earlier, “When nothing else could
help, love lifted me.” Truly when no one else could help, my comfort comes
down from the Father of Lights administered through the Spirit of his Son.
Another gospel song asks, “Where could I
go but to the Lord?”
We also use the word relief to refer to someone who comes in
to give us a break from our work… to relieve us. It is applied frequently to
those who rush in to aid in a disaster – as in disaster relief. Those applications
work for what Christ does.
So, how do you spell relief?
“There was nowhere
else to turn and nowhere else to go.
My body knew all the
pain a body could know
When I quietly turned
to you,
And you turned to me.”
And you flew to relieve me!
[Thank you, Ragan Courtney.]
Listen to This Hymn Played at the Organ
Hear This Hymn Sung in Korean, Yet Meaningful and
Beautifully Presented
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