Simple Yet Profound

The Lord Is My Light and My Salvation; Of David.

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 4One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. 5For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. 7Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me! 8You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, Lord, do I seek.” 9Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger,  O you who have been my help. Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation! 10For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in. 11Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path. (Psalm 27:1-11)

I will see your proposal that music today is good, and I will raise you that it doesn't hold a candle to music from the 1960s with the music of Paul Simon from his hit song in 1966, "I Am a Rock, I Am an Island" as people's exhibit one:

"I have my books And my poetry to protect me

I am shielded in my armor Hiding in my room safe within my womb

I touch no one and no one touches me I am a rock I am an island

And a rock feels no pain And an island never cries"

It wasn't until I was in college in 1978 that a world of music opened up to me that I had not experienced in the shelter of my youth. Other young men in the dorm had albums and listened to their music in their individual dorm rooms. So we would visit and listen to albums and suddenly one day I heard and listened to Paul Simon and asked myself how come I'm just now hearing this?

Simple yet profound. Lyrical and musical at the same time. Deeply vulnerable portraying a brave face. Are the lyrics tied to his Jewish upbringing? Undoubtedly that had an impact on songs like the one cited. It has a Davidic air to it. His most recent album is titled "Seven Psalms" in fact (2023) and was recorded in Wimberly, TX (as revealed in a documentary on Simon I watched recently).

David is vulnerable and yet has courage supplied by the sanctuary provided in God's house (he is a rock and an island in this sanctuary). Our sanctuary today is found in the body of Christ (Corpus Christi). Our sanctuary is found through prayer, through his Word, and through a fellowship with other believers. In and through Christ, who seeks us through the seeds of his Word (Parable of the Sower), he reveals himself to us and seeks our face.

Christ is our salvation. In whom shall we fear? He is our rock who protects us from the harms of evil and gives us sanctuary and comfort in our sorrows and pains.

Pray with me: Dearest Christ, When I am tempted to withdraw from this world and not engage it, and when I am vulnerable due to frame of mind, condition of the heart, or weariness from everyday things, remind me that you and you alone are my shelter. In you alone do I find comfort. In you alone do I find peace. In your name I pray, Amen.