Freedom

Another in our Advent hymns from Isaiah ...

This week's hymn comes from Isaiah 61, the passage Jesus read in the synagogue as he announced that he himself was the fulfillment of this prophecy, the long-awaited Messiah. "Today," he said, "this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." (Luke 4:21) What scripture? This, the basis of today's Advent hymn:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim libery to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor ... (61:1-3)

Hark the glad sound! The Savior comes,
the Savior promised long!
Let every heart prepare a throne,
and every voice a song.
   He comes the prisoner to release
   in Satan's bondage held;
   The gates of brass before him burst,
   the iron fetters yield.
He come the broken heart to bind,
the bleeding soul to cure,
and with the treasures of his grace
to enrich the humble poor.
   Our glad hosannas, Prince of peace,
   thy welcome shall proclaim;
   and heaven's eternal arches ring
   with thy beloved name.

Philip Doddridge

from Isaiah 61

Promise

The Choir Bible Study is working through Isaiah 40 - 66 this year. (We meet in the choir room during the 9:30 service, on Sundays the choir sings, after choir leaves the loft. All are welcome.) To track our studies in Isaiah, check out Harry Hoffner's blog:

For these weeks of Advent, I will be sharing seasonal songs and hymns that come from Isaiah. Not all will be familiar to you, but you are likely to catch Isaiah's voice in them. This week's hymn, for example:

The voice of God goes out to all the world;
his glory speaks across the universe.
The great King's herald cries from star to star:
"With power, with justice, he will walk his way!"
     The Lord has said, "Receive my messenger,
     my promise to the world, my pledge made fresh,
     a lamp to every nation, light from light:
     with power, with justice, he will walk his way!
"The broken reed he will not trample down,
nor set his heel upon the dying flame.
he binds the wounds, and health is in his hand:
with power, with justice, he will walk his way!
     "Anointed with the Spirit and with power,
     he comes to crown with comfort all the weak,
     to show the face of justice to the poor:
     with power, with justice, he will walk his way!
"His touch will bless the eyes that darkness held,
the lame shall run, the halting tongue shall sing,
and prisoners laugh in light and liberty:
with power, with justice, he will walk his way!"

Paul Inwood (1972, c Mayhew McCrimmon, Ltd.)

Based on Isaiah 42:3; 51:1-3

Comfort

After a restless and somewhat dark overture, the tenor soloist sounds the theme of Messiah: "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God." And so begins what we think of as the Christmas portion of the great oratorio. But most of Part I is Advent, rehearsing the promises and prophecies that precede the next (and only other) instrumental portion - the "Pastoral Symphony." And in a few short movements the nativity (Christmas proper) story is told. Part I ends with the life of Jesus, still comforting God's people. "His yoke is easy, and his burden is light."

Nearly all the "Advent" portion of Messiah is from Isaiah, and that magisterial prophet continues to speak throughout Part I. Because of Messiah - and many, many other songs, hymns, and compositions of the season -  Isaiah is sort of "the Christmas prophet." Rather, we should say, the Advent prophet, for he speaks of the Incarnation and the Return (the second advent) of the Messiah.

The Choir Bible Study is working through Isaiah 40 - 66 this year. (We meet in the choir room during the 9:30 service, on Sundays the choir sings, after choir leaves the loft. All are welcome.) So maybe I'm just Isaiah-crazy these days. Still, for these weeks of Advent, I will be sharing seasonal songs and hymns that come from that prophet.

Comfort, comfort ye my people,
speak of peace, thus saith our God;
comforth those who sit in darkness,
mourning 'neath their sorrows' load.
Speak ye to Jerusalem of the peace that waits for them,
tell her that her sins I cover, and her warfare now is over.
   Hark, the voice of one that crieth
   in the desert far and near,
   calling us to new repentance
   since the kingdom now is here.
   Oh, that waarning cry obey! Now prepare for God a way;
   let the valleys rise to meet him and the hills bow down to greet him.
Make ye straight what once was crooked,
make the rougher places plain;
let your hearts be true and humble, as befits his holy reign.
For the glory of the Lord now o'er earth is shed abroad;
and all flesh shall see the token that his word is never broken.

from Isaiah 40

text by Johannes Llearius (1671), translated Catherine Winkworth

The steadfast love of the Lord - for David

We have been looking at David's use of "the steadfast love of the Lord" throughout the Psalms. It is one key theme of the entire psalter, used by a number of the authors. "The steadfast love" is so common in David's psalms, as to appear axiomatic. I have argued that David is reflecting on the Torah, and specifically on God's self-revelation to Moses (Exodus 33 and 34). Of all the appearances in the psalms, it is only in David's that Exodus 34:6 is quoted entire and intact.

But there is certainly a more personal element here as well. Today we look at 2 Samuel 7, a foundational episode in David's life, and a theologically rich touchpoint. At the opening of the chapter, David is dwelling secure in his own lovely house. He feels he must do something for God, who has done so much for him. God's presence in Israel was represented by the ark of the covenant, which was housed in an elaborate tent (the tabernacle). "See now," David said to his prophet, Nathan,  "I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent." And Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you." (2 Samuel 7:2,3)

Imagine Nathan's surprise when, that very evening, the word of the Lord came to Nathan, correcting his advice to the king, and delivering a message for David. A house for God was clearly not God's idea, or he would have mentioned it. (verses 6-7)

David wanted to do something for God. Now imagine David's surprise when he hears the word of the Lord: namely, that God is far from done with doing for David! After reviewing what he has already done, he continues: "And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth ... And I will give you rest from all your enemies ... the Lord will make you [emphasis added] a house." (verses 9-11)

"When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him [emphasis added], as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever." (verses 12-17)

David's following prayer (vv. 18-29) recounts the evidence of God's steadfast love for Israel, and for the house of David. It looks back with thanksgiving, and looks forward in faith. In this word to David, he understands that God has made a promise guaranteed by his own character, "my steadfast love." How could this not shape David's praise for all the years to come?

We know full well that Solomon failed, and the long history of David's line includes outrageous failures and surprising successes. Through it all, God reminds his people through the prophets that he remains faithful to this promise given to David. His steadfast love for his people prevails even in the preservation of their flawed rulers. To what end? The ultimate "offspring" of David turns out not to be Solomon at all (who built a fabulous "house" for God), but the King whose birth we celebrate in just one month - our Lord Jesus Christ. King Jesus is building a greater house for God, with people from every tribe, tongue, and nation; living stones being built into a temple for his glory ... the church!

David's meditation on God's steadfast love helps us, who read and sing the psalms, to look back and see God's work in history. And it helps us look especially at God's greatest work - the incarnation, life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. (The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning, great is thy faithfulness!) And it helps us to look forward to his coming again. The steadfast love of the Lord will keep us until we are united with him, by our death or his return.

Even so, Lord Jesus, quickly come!

Sing on

The Steadfast Love of the Lord

I am returning to a series of reflections on David's use of the phrase "steadfast love" in the Psalms. The Psalms are liberally sprinkled with this phrase (translating the Hebrew chesed), and David is not the only psalmist to use it. But I am exploring a hypothesis that David's meditation on this characteristic of God springs from Exodus 34:6, a key passage in God's self-revelation to his people. There in Exodus, Moses had asked God to show Moses God's glory. God replied that he would not do this, for "you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live." (Ex. 33:20). Instead God would cover Moses with his hand "while my glory passes by ... Then I will take away my hand and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen." (33:22-23) And so the next morning, "The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, 'The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness' ..." (Ex. 34:5-6)

The series began while I was reading through the Psalms specifically locating the appearance of this phrase throughout. As I came to the end of the book yet again, I was refreshed by this steadfast love. It is a key theme of the entire psalter, just as it has become a major theme of Christian praise. And while many of the authors - identified and anonymous - reference steadfast love, David's use is pervasive. And I noted particularly three places where he quotes Exodus 34:6 in its entirely: Psalm 86:15; Psalm 103:8; Psalm 145:8.

The king who was a man after God's own heart, apparently took to heart God's Word. Each King of Israel was to have the Torah written out for him, and read to him, and to reflect upon it. We have no explicit historical statement that David did this, but the Psalms give us some evidence that he did. In any case, his public songs riff on the great theme derived from the highlight of Moses' writing:
The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

As we approach Thanksgiving, let us "consider the steadfast love of the Lord" (Ps. 107:43) and
Sing on! 

Next week: God's steadfast love gets even more personal for David.

Our new format

This week we launch a new way of "delivering" Knowing the Score. I won't trouble you with the story behind why there is a new delivery system, and I won't apologize for moving to this format. However, I will say that if you are among those who read from print, and not on-screen, I think you will find that this page will print well. We will continue to put a few print copies out in the music room each week, for those who prefer that medium. (I for one read very little from a screen, still preferring to hold and mark-up most of what I read!)

Many who receive the weekly email, "Knowing the Score," look to that email's list of prayer requests. You will still find them there, and never here in a public space.

I have been out of the "From the Director" business for over a month now, and will return to that devotional column next week. This week I am just launching this blog and working out the kinks in the process.

Meanwhile, I have made my pass through the Psalms, looking for the "steadfast love of the Lord" throughout, and especially in the Psalms of David. There is much to write about there, much more to learn, and a deep well of worship from which church musicians (and all believers) may freely drink. I look forward to spending time with you at that well.

Blessings,

Chuck