 |
| "You can tell by the way I use my walk, I'm stayin' alive!" |
Hymn: "Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above" -
Johan J. Schutz (1640-1690); translated by Frances E. Cox (1812-1897)
Common Tune: MIT FREUDEN ZART
I love this hymn. Period. Text and tune. I used it a lot in worship in my churches in my forty-plus years of worship-planning and music-leading. It's one that organists love to "crank it up" on and hit the "Tutti" toe-stud on the last three measures.
I was talking to my mother-in-law this afternoon at the retirement center, and she brought up a long-time friend of hers who has always been shall we say "dour." "I don't think he'll ever be happy," she said. "Well, not happy so anybody would know it." I know the person in question, and I think she had him pegged pretty well. Down deep, he may have found joy, but you'd never know it!
This last line translated from the German text helps us with our personal understanding of this. Calling upon us to be joyful in the Lord at the depths of our being - our heart.beyond that, we are reminded to let that joy demonstrate itself in our behavior and our very body language.
We don't use the word "bearing" much any more - there are lots of good words we have set aside! But bearing referred to the way one carried one's self, especially when one entered a room. You either entered positively, timidly, with confidence, negatively... dour-ly... or with joy! We all know people who seem to light up the room when they come in; we know others who suck out all the oxygen. It goes back to their bearing.
Let this hymnline remind us that our body bears its part. The soul brings light to our face as the joy of the Lord burns in our heart; but our bearing is affected and noticed. Be joyful in the Lord... and let us carry ourselves accordingly.
This hymn from Coral Ridge Presbyterian - Samuel Metzger, organist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL0fIgaVZfY
No comments:
Post a Comment
You are welcome to comment on any of the posts. They are sent to ME directly. Thanks for any feedback you would like to make.