I'll Bless the Lord

Each week we carefully curate a collection of poems that resonate with the lectionary readings for that week (Narrative Lectionary and Revised Common Lectionary). *** Revised Common Lectionary *** Lectionary Reading: Job 42:1-6, 10-17 and Psalm 34:1-8, (19-22) CLASSIC POEM: Psalm 34, Part 1 Isaac Watts I’ll bless the Lord from day to day; How good are all his ways! Ye humble souls that use to pray, Come, help my lips to praise. Sing to the honor of his name, How a poor suff’rer cried, Nor was his hope exposed to shame, Nor was his suit denied. When threat’ning sorrows round me stood, And endless fears arose, Like the loud billows of a flood, Redoubling all my woes; I told the Lord my sore distress, With heavy groans and tears; He gave my sharpest torments ease, And silenced all my fears. [O sinners, come and taste his love, Come, learn his pleasant ways; And let your own experience prove The sweetness of his grace. He bids his angels pitch their tents Round where his children dwell; What ills their heav’nly care prevents No earthly tongue can tell.] [O love the Lord, ye saints of his; His eye regards the just: How richly blest their portion is Who make the Lord their trust! Young lions, pinched with hunger, roar And famish in the wood; But God supplies his holy poor With every needful good.] *** This poem is in the public domain, and may be read in a live-streamed worship service. CONTEMPORARY POEM: Crows Marilyn Nelson SNIPPET: What if to taste and see, to notice things, to stand each is up against emptiness for a moment or an eternity— … [ READ THE FULL POEM ]