I am nearly done with the easy part of editing (spell and grammar checking). Two hard parts remain, deciding if and when to use punctuation, and getting the music right. While both are difficult, finishing the music (and we’re only talking melody at this point) will take the most time. I need to make sure I am matching lyrics to melody, reworking lyrics so that they match the emotion of the piece, etc., I have several reflections that have sung responses. Those were easy. The difficult part is the four full songs I have written: Psalm 63, 80, 92 and 100. My goal is to work through those next week and be ready to share Vol. II with the beta readers the following week. To help me get it right, I am taking: Songwriting on Courseara.org, offered by Berklee College of Music. It’s a wonderful course, taught by Pat Pattison. I enrolled during week four of a six-week course. That means I’m trying to cram in two weeks of lectures and assignments each week. And people think retirees have tons of spare time. 🙂
It was really difficult for me to decide which Psalm to share this morning. Each has a different flavor, a different message. I chose Psalm 77. It’s one that reaches out to those who are having a difficult time, wondering if God still cares. There have been times in my life when it was harder to hear God than others, but as I meditated and reread my own reflections, I was reminded that He’s always there, working things out, just asking me to have faith.
Outstretched Arms
I was spent.
I cried out to God
“Please help me, Lord
Hear my cries of distress.”
I stretched out my hands…
No other help I know
Crying out that old familiar prayer
“If thou, O Lord
Withdraw from me,
Wither shall I go?”*
I meditated,
But my spirit
Seemed to grow weaker
I could not sleep
Too upset to speak
I began to reflect on my past
And almost immediately
Things began to change.
My spirit asked,
“Will the Lord always be silent?
Has he withdrawn his unfailing love?
Has he forgotten to be merciful?
Is he so angry that he stopped caring?”
I continued meditating and
Began to see images as vivid
As a painting
Your arm outstretched
Separated the seas
The clouds poured out
Torrents of water
The heavens shouted
In a thunderous voice
Lighting lit up the entire sky
The earth began to tremble
A path was formed in the sea
You, in front of Moses and Aaron
Leading your people
Like a shepherd leads his flock
As this image fades
My faith is renewed
Troubled no more
The mighty God of Israel
Is my God too
Just because I don’t see him
Cannot hear him
Does not mean he is absent
I sleep like a baby
Assured of his unfailing love.
*Charles Wesley, “Father I Stretch Forth My Hands to Thee”, from Psalms and Hymns, 1741.
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