Psalm Photos - 84 - Vapor
Psalm 84
How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts!
My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.
Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.
Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise. Selah
Happy are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
As they go through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools.
They go from strength to strength; the God of gods will be seen in Zion.
O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed.
For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than live in the tents of wickedness.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly.
O Lord of hosts, happy is everyone who trusts in you.
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I have been struck by a new song that I downloaded today. Its from theliturgists.com website - called Vapor. The song was based somewhat upon Ecclesiastes, but really feels like its focusing on the awesomeness of God’s work in our lives. I had that idea in mind with the passage from the Psalms today - a day in God’s courts is better than thousands elsewhere…our longing for God…and so on through the Psalm. This picture was one from Alaska a few years ago and came the closest to capturing the sense of this Psalm and of this new song. Here are the lyrics for the song…with the youtube link below
Oh the vapor of it all It's a chasing of the wind The powers of the earth so pale and thin We will set our hearts on you again
Heaven taunts the hearts of men We can feel it from within The beauty of it all The mystery The swelling of a voice A rising sea
Holy You oh God are Holy Trees clap their hands for you Oceans they dance for you You are holy
Oh the mystery of it all I can never peer within I'll never find the words or understand The fullness of a God Become a man
Holy You oh God are Holy Trees clap their hands for you Oceans they dance for you
You are holy Infinite and holy A billion suns rise for you Clouds paint the skies for you Mountains stand tall for you Valleys bow down to you Everything rising to Sing all our songs for you
Holy The impossible and holy Kings become fools for you Kingdoms to ruins for you Vapor finds ground in you Music finds sound for you Everything rising Everything rising
Come like dawn Like waves Like sunlight Bring this world to life
Come like rain Like breath Like springtime Bring this world to life
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOH6qYTOo0c
I listened to this song over and over this afternoon and was powerfully moved by the sense it evoked within me. It is in this God’s courts that I desire to live for a thousand eternities.