For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” vss. 11-12
Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16
Most of us are, familiar with these verses from Psalm 91, not because we’ve read them in scripture, but because we’ve heard them sung as one of the verses in “On Eagles’ Wings.” That devotional hymn, dating back to about 1979, has become enormously popular and is sung at funeral masses and memorial services around the world. There’s almost no way you can hear its tune and accompanying lyrics without feeling a sense of tearful hope. The song lifts us up, and for a moment at least, we can feel ourselves being carried off to safe refuge in the arms of God. We can imagine that the psalmist would be pleased in having his words used in such an evocative and hopeful way. After all that was his intention. He wanted people to know that God was their refuge and fortress, an ever present source of help in a time of trouble. It’s a good scripture for the beginning of our Lenten journey. As we take time to reflect on our broken world we need always to remember that one day there will be restoration, and that days of pain do not last forever. We may not always be protected from ugliness and despair, but we can be confident that deliverance awaits–and one day God will make us to shine like the sun.
Thought for the Day: What is my favorite funeral hymn?
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